Bloom Energy’s 800V DC-Native Power Can Cut Billions from AI Data Center Costs, Reduce Power Use, and Eliminate Need for Transformers

Bloom Energy models multibillion-dollar capital and TCO savings for 1 GW AI data centers using its native 800V DC fuel cell architecture.

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• The next generation of AI compute will run on 800V DC and demands unprecedented power density. Yet today’s infrastructure delivers AC, forcing costly conversion stages that consume capital, waste power, and require equipment and space that are in short supply
• Bloom fuel cells generate continuous 800V DC power natively and reduce capital costs, space and power needs, and also eliminate delays created by power equipment shortages
• For a 1 GW AI data center, Bloom’s 800V DC solution translates to a reduction of non-compute CAPEX by $3.6 billion, or 27%, and five-year total cost of ownership by $5.5 billion, or 9% compared to competing traditional AC solutions

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE), a global leader in power solutions, today released a special report “The New Rules of AI Power,” showing that its unique 800V DC-native fuel cell solution can reduce non-compute capital expenditures for a 1 GW AI data center by $3.6 billion, or 27%, and five-year total cost of ownership by $5.5 billion, or 9%.

The conventional power system architecture was built over a century ago around the challenge of moving electricity over long distances safely. AC, or alternating current, became dominant because the remotely located centralized power plants could efficiently transport the power they produced at very high voltage over hundreds of miles, and then step it down with copper-consuming transformers to medium and low voltage AC for industrial and residential use. The electro-mechanical industrial age of the last century was built around this high voltage AC electric grid infrastructure catering to medium and low voltage AC power consumption.

The digital age operates differently. Much of the technology that defines modern life, from smartphones and laptops to servers and data centers, runs on low voltage DC power. For years, since the only prevalent source of abundant and continuous power was the AC electric grid, the digital world paid for and managed the wasteful conversion of AC to DC power because it required only modest amounts of equipment and infrastructure. Power-hungry AI chips are completely upending this practice and making it impractical. These GPU chips, and the density with which they are packed within a server rack, need enormous amounts of power concentrated in one place, and require an 800V DC power input.

NVIDIA is already moving toward an 800V DC architecture for next-generation AI infrastructure. Beginning with Rubin Ultra and Kyber rack architecture, NVIDIA has specified 800V DC for 2027 and all generations after it. It is impractical to deliver the amount of power needed in that rack using the old architecture of low-voltage DC.

The grid, onsite turbines, and onsite reciprocating engines all deliver AC power to the data center, which must then be converted to DC that compute ultimately consumes. Bloom generates that DC power from the start with no conversions. Its solid oxide fuel cells generate continuous 800V DC power electrochemically and onsite, removing layers of transport and conversion equipment between the power source and the rack.

This approach reduces the electrical infrastructure required between generation and compute, lowering capital cost, energy losses and dependence on constrained components such as transformers and switchgear, where lead times are already measured in years. The critical materials needed to build them, like copper, are in short supply and becoming increasingly costly. Bloom Energy's analysis found that for a 1 GW AI data center, using its DC native fuel cells translates to $3.6 billion reduction in non-compute CAPEX and $5.5 billion lower total cost of ownership over five years.

"AI is not just increasing electricity demand. It is catalyzing a positive transformation of how power is generated and consumed by becoming the first scale adopter of both onsite and DC power," said KR Sridhar, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Bloom Energy. "To move away from the AC paradigm that is over a century old requires the pain of not switching to be far greater than the benefit and comfort of accepting the status quo. AI, by presenting the challenge of consuming enormous amounts of DC power where compute happens, is enabling this transformation. Commercial, industrial, residential and electric vehicles will all be beneficiaries of this massive change. Bloom, by natively generating continuous, reliable and clean 800V DC at scale, is the industry leader in ushering in this new era for electric power."

“We’re seeing the shift to 800V DC happen faster than many expected,” said Natalie Sunderland, Chief Marketing Officer at Bloom Energy. “Our 2026 Mid-Year Data Center Power Report found that data center leaders expect DC-based architectures to account for 58% of new deployments by 2030. Bloom’s ability to generate continuous 800V DC power natively puts us at the forefront of this transition, helping AI data centers reduce cost, complexity and power losses while accelerating deployment.”

You can download the full report here.

Bloom’s economic analysis is based on its 800V DC Total Cost of Ownership model for a 1 GW compute data center using next-generation AI rack assumptions. Actual project economics will vary based on site design, energy prices, equipment costs and other project-specific factors.

About Bloom Energy

Bloom Energy empowers enterprises to meet soaring energy demands and responsibly take charge of their power needs. The company’s fuel cell systems provide ultra-reliable, clean and highly scalable onsite electricity for Fortune 500 customers around the world, including data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, large utilities and other commercial and industrial sectors, as well as mission-critical organizations in local communities, such as hospitals, college campuses and retailers. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Bloom Energy employs more than 2,000 people worldwide and manufactures its systems in the United States. For more information, visit BloomEnergy.com.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” “will” and “would” or the negative of these words or similar terms or expressions that concern Bloom’s expectations, strategy, priorities, plans or intentions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the amount of reduction in AI costs, non-compute capital expenditures, total cost of ownership, reduced space and power needs, energy losses, and elimination of both dependence on the need for transformers and delays created by power equipment shortages through the use of Bloom’s 800V DC-native power compared to traditional AC solutions; other benefits of 800V DC power compared to infrastructure that delivers AC power; the timing of new generation 800V DC chips; the transition of AI infrastructure toward 800V DC; the percentage of new data center deployments by 2030 with DC-based architectures; and Bloom’s economic analysis related to each of the foregoing. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties detailed in Bloom’s SEC filings. More information on potential risks and uncertainties that may impact Bloom’s business are set forth in Bloom’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on February 9, 2026, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2026 and June 30, 2026, filed with the SEC on April 29, 2026 and July 28, 2026, respectively, as well as subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC. Bloom assumes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update any such forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260916878071/en/

Media Contacts
Media: Katja Gagen | press@bloomenergy.com
Investors: Michael Tierney | investor@bloomenergy.com

Source: Bloom Energy

Key Terms

800v dc technical

An 800v DC system is an electrical architecture that uses direct current at around 800 volts, commonly found in high-power electric vehicles, fast-charging stations, and industrial power equipment. It matters to investors because higher-voltage systems can deliver power faster with smaller, lighter wiring and more efficient motors and inverters, which can reduce charging times and improve vehicle or equipment performance and cost structure—similar to using a higher-pressure water line to move more water through a thinner pipe.

solid oxide fuel cells technical

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is an electricity-generating device that converts chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through an electrochemical reaction using a hard ceramic (solid oxide) electrolyte at high temperatures. Think of it like a high-temperature battery that continuously produces power as long as fuel is supplied. It matters to investors because SOFCs promise high efficiency, fuel flexibility and long operating life for stationary power and industrial use, which affects potential market demand, manufacturing scale and long-term revenue models.

capex financial

Capex, short for capital expenditures, refers to the money a company spends to buy, upgrade, or maintain physical assets such as buildings, equipment, or technology. It matters to investors because these investments can help a company grow and improve its long-term performance, but they also represent significant costs that can impact profitability and cash flow.

total cost of ownership financial

The total cost of ownership is the full lifetime expense of acquiring and keeping an asset or product, not just its sticker price — it includes purchase, installation, operating, maintenance, financing and disposal costs. For investors, it reveals the real economic burden or savings of a purchase so they can judge profitability, cash flow and competitive strength; like comparing cars by adding fuel, insurance and repairs, not just the sale price.

switchgear technical

Switchgear is the collection of devices—like switches, circuit breakers and fuses—that control, protect and isolate electrical equipment to keep power flowing safely and reliably. Think of it as the traffic control system for electricity that prevents overloads and faults from causing outages or damage. Investors care because switchgear is essential infrastructure that affects utility reliability, capital spending cycles, regulatory fines and maintenance costs, and it can drive demand for manufacturers and service providers.