China builds 800-megawatt off grid data center (www.tomshardware.com)

China is constructing an impressive 800-megawatt AI data center campus, dubbed the Galaxy AI data center, in Inner Mongolia, which aims to rival the economics of the well-known Stargate project in the U.S. The first phase of the project, built by Envision, has already completed 120 MW in under a year, costing just one-fifth of similar U.S. projects. Notably, Envision is addressing the significant power demands of AI data centers by constructing its own wind farms and integrating battery storage, rather than relying solely on local grid infrastructure. This innovative approach is expected to provide over 60% of the electricity required for the first two phases, while also enabling resilience against fluctuating wind energy output. Technically, Galaxy's design incorporates advanced solid-state transformers that convert high-voltage AC electricity directly into 800V DC power for server racks, eliminating several conversion stages typically found in conventional power systems. This efficiency could reduce energy losses and hardware requirements. Additionally, the campus features a unique cooling system that utilizes both liquid-cooled and air-cooled servers sharing a single water loop, streamlining infrastructure and potentially lowering operational costs. As China moves forward with plans that may reach 3 GW across the region, this project reflects a broader trend of tech giants, including Alibaba and Huawei, capitalizing on Inner Mongolia's advantageous conditions for AI infrastructure development. However, challenges remain regarding access to advanced computing technology amid U.S. export restrictions on critical components like Nvidia chips.