Nitride Global, Inc. (NGI) and OmniPower, Inc. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a strategic cooperation framework focused on commercializing advanced semiconductor materials and accelerating deployment of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) infrastructure in the United States.
The partnership addresses growing concerns about U.S. power grid capacity as electricity demand continues to rise due to artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, electric vehicle adoption, and expanding domestic manufacturing. According to the companies, increasing power demand is creating significant pressure on existing transmission infrastructure and accelerating interest in HVDC technologies as a long-term solution.
Under the agreement, OmniPower will lead commercialization efforts within the power grid sector, utilizing its network of utilities, government stakeholders, data center operators, and research institutions to identify and develop HVDC deployment opportunities. Nitride Global will contribute its advanced semiconductor material technologies, including aluminum nitride (AlN) and aluminum oxynitride (AlON)-based solutions.
Nitride Global is one of a limited number of companies worldwide with expertise in aluminum nitride crystal growth and is the only fully domestically owned company focused on this technology. The company has also developed proprietary AlON-based packaging and thermal management technology designed to significantly improve thermal performance in power semiconductor systems. According to NGI, the technology can reduce thermal resistance by up to 50% while lowering the number of semiconductor die required within power modules.
OmniPower is leading the HVDC America initiative, which seeks to accelerate modernization of the U.S. transmission grid through coordinated HVDC deployment. The initiative is supported by Infrastructure Masons, a global coalition of data center infrastructure organizations, and aligns with broader efforts to expand power delivery capacity for AI-driven digital infrastructure.
A key objective of the collaboration is the development of a next-generation HVDC power cell based on AlN and AlON technologies. The companies are targeting a 20 kV-class HVDC power cell capable of operating at approximately 12.5 kV nominal voltage, substantially higher than the roughly 3 kV operating levels commonly used in current HVDC converter submodules. According to the companies, this approach could significantly reduce converter station complexity, lower infrastructure costs, decrease physical footprint requirements, and accelerate deployment timelines.
The proposed technology combines the electrical advantages of aluminum nitride semiconductors, including lower switching losses, with AlON-based insulation and thermal management solutions. By improving voltage capability, thermal performance, and power density, the companies believe the technology could enable more efficient transmission infrastructure while simplifying system design.
Beyond grid transmission applications, the technologies being developed may also benefit data center power systems and other high-power electronics. The companies highlighted the potential for improved energy efficiency through advanced wide-bandgap semiconductor materials and enhanced thermal management approaches.
Henry Lee, Chief Executive Officer of OmniPower, stated that advanced material technologies such as NGI’s AlN and AlON solutions could help make large-scale HVDC deployment more economically viable while supporting the company’s broader Grid-to-Chip vision for modernizing power delivery infrastructure.
Mahyar Khosravi, Chief Executive Officer of Nitride Global, noted that the convergence of AI, electrification, and advanced manufacturing is placing unprecedented demands on power infrastructure and that advanced semiconductor materials can play a key role in improving power delivery efficiency and capacity.
In addition to technical and commercial objectives, the partnership aims to strengthen domestic semiconductor supply chains by reducing dependence on foreign-sourced advanced materials and supporting the development of critical power semiconductor technologies within the United States.
Original – Nitride Global