Hitachi has partnered with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to co-develop a Hybrid AC/DC Rack-Level Power Distribution Testbed for data centres. The initiative interfaces with the Multi-Energy Microgrid (MEMG) at SIT’s Punggol Campus, which is a microgrid installed on a university campus in Southeast Asia.
The MEMG integrates solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and other distributed energy resources to support campus-wide energy monitoring and optimisation. The campus is being used as a live test environment under SIT’s Living Lab Network, where Hitachi and SIT plan to deploy and evaluate hybrid AC/DC power solutions under operational conditions.
In Southeast Asia, increasing demand driven by digitalisation and artificial intelligence is contributing to higher energy consumption in data centres, particularly for computing and cooling systems in tropical climates. This trend highlights the need for more efficient energy approaches, as improvements in power efficiency can reduce operating costs and carbon emissions in large-scale facilities.
The testbed enables evaluation of hybrid AC/DC power distribution approaches at rack level for data centre infrastructure. This includes the use of higher-voltage direct current (DC) power distribution to support renewable energy integration. Insights from the testbed are expected to inform future development of data centre power architectures with improved energy efficiency and resilience.
The collaboration is also intended to provide students with practical experience in applied energy projects. Working with Hitachi’s R&D team, students are expected to gain hands-on exposure to hybrid AC/DC power systems and renewable energy integration as part of SIT’s applied learning framework. The project integrates industry-based work into an educational setting to support skills development.
The partnership reflects ongoing efforts by Hitachi and SIT to explore approaches to renewable energy integration in data centre environments and to assess methods for improving power efficiency in high-demand facilities within Singapore.
