Solid-state transformers could help power the AI boom

Solid-state transformers combine magnetic components with high-power semiconductors, making them more compact and controllable than conventional transformers, though they cannot yet replace the largest high-voltage units. In August, the New York Power Authority and EPRI tested a one-megawatt solid-state transformer built in Srdjan Lukic's lab at about 98% efficiency, versus roughly 96% for an equivalent conventional transformer and rectifier. Companies like Heron Power, which raised $140 million in February, are initially targeting data centers, while high-voltage devices for transmission remain a future goal.