As artificial intelligence (AI) drives unprecedented growth in energy demand, Schneider Electric, the global leader in digital energy management and automation, is helping Philippine data centers future-proof their operations through energy intelligence. The company introduces the Galaxy VXL, a next-generation uninterruptible power supply (UPS) designed to support high-density AI workloads— delivering power protection, efficiency, and scalability in a compact footprint.
AI is reshaping the digital world, with its computing capacity expected to double approximately every 100 days. “This surge is projected to drive data center power consumption 4.2 times higher from 2023 to 2028,” said Abraham Lim, Secure Power and Industrial Automation Business Vice President, Schneider Electric Philippines.
The Electric Power Research Institute reports that a typical AI query can consume up to ten times more electricity than a traditional internet search, while generating original music, photos, or videos demands magnitudes more power. With 5.56 billion internet users, the rapid adoption of AI is pushing energy consumption to unprecedented levels—driving a projected 26% to 36% annual increase in global energy use related to AI in the years ahead.
This surge in energy demand underscores the urgency for more sustainable digital infrastructure. At the recently concluded Innovation Day 2025 Philippines, hosted by Schneider Electric, Pang XingJian, Zone President of Schneider Electric East Asia, emphasized this point, stating, “So without any technology advances, today’s 9 billion searches per day would add an additional 10TWh of electricity consumption per year. This forces us to rethink how and where we build data centers and how they manage their resources.”
Efficiency-first strategy
In response, Schneider Electric has unveiled the Galaxy VXL, a highly efficient, modular UPS built specifically for AI-era data centers and critical infrastructure. With a power density of up to 1042 kW/m², it supports up to 1.25 MW in a single 1.2 m² frame — and up to 5 MW when four units are run in parallel.
Galaxy VXL delivers the highest levels of power performance for AI, colocation, and hyperscale data center environments, as well as large-scale critical infrastructure and electrical systems within commercial buildings and industrial facilities. Key benefits include:
- Modular Live Swap, scalable design: 125 kW/3U power modules enable pay-as-you-grow flexibility.
- Compact footprint: 52% smaller than industry average with full front access and no rear clearance.
- High efficiency: Up to 99% efficiency in eConversion mode, 97.5% in double conversion, plus SPoT (Smart Power Test) testing to save energy.
- Lower CapEx and OpEx: Optimized performance, easier maintenance, and reduced energy bills improve total cost of ownership.
- Resilient architecture: Conformal-coated boards, 100kA short circuit rating, and seismic kit readiness.
- Cybersecurity & safety: Certified to IEC 62443-4-2 with Live Swap technology for zero-downtime module replacement.
- Extended lifespan: EcoStruxure Service Plan offers AI-powered 24/7 monitoring and predictive maintenance to cut disruptions by up to 50%.
- Ideal for prefabricated data centers: Smaller size, higher performance, and greater sustainability.
“From rack density to cooling and power distribution, data centers must evolve rapidly to stay competitive,” said Lim. “Meeting the demands of AI isn’t just about delivering more power. It’s about building smarter, more efficient infrastructure that balances performance with sustainability and cost-efficiency. Data centers of the future must be energy-optimized and adaptable, ensuring they can scale without compromising their environmental or operational goals.”
Why efficiency is the new competitive advantage
As electricity costs rise and sustainability becomes a business imperative, efficiency has emerged as a new competitive edge for data center operators, CIOs, and energy leaders. With modular scalability, reduced total cost of ownership (TCO), and reduced emissions, Galaxy VXL helps customers meet growing compute requirements with greater agility, uptime, and environmental responsibility.
Galaxy VXL also supports the evolution toward prefabricated and modular data centers, offering a compact and scalable power backbone for high-compute workloads. To meet accelerating global demand, Schneider Electric has increased Galaxy VXL’s annual production capacity to over 9,000 units by 2025.
