Samsung SDI to showcase next-gen battery tech for AI data centers at InterBattery Europe
Samsung SDI will look to capture global attention with a full-size uninterruptible power supply -- or UPS -- system made for artificial intelligence data centers at InterBattery Europe 2025 in Munich this week, as the battery-maker showcases a wide range of next-generation products, the company said Tuesday.
According to Samsung SDI, the UPS is equipped with its new battery, the U8A1, which boasts higher power output to reduce the required installation space by about 33 percent in comparison to previous models. As a UPS system is developed to supply emergency power to AI data centers during an outage, Samsung SDI highlighted that its UPS system presents itself as an optimized solution for AI data centers with high performance and maximum safety.
Samsung SDI will also showcase its SBB 1.5, energy storage system -- or ESS -- batteries installed in a 20-foot container featuring battery cells, modules, racks, safety devices and a ventilation system, at the exhibition. The company said the SBB 1.5 offers enhanced safety due to its Enhanced Direct Injection -- or EDI -- technology that can extinguish fires in the modules.
The Korean battery-maker plans to highlight the competitiveness of its prismatic batteries tailored to suit electric vehicles and ESS. Along with that, the company will emphasize its advanced safety technology called "No Thermal Propagation," which prevents heat from proliferating between cells by using multiple integrated safety devices.
'At InterBattery Europe 2025, Samsung SDI will showcase innovative and safety-enhanced products, including next-generation batteries optimized for the AI era,' said a Samsung SDI official. 'The company will continue to lead the market with advanced battery technologies.'
Marking its third edition, InterBattery Europe 2025 will run from Wednesday to Friday at Messe Munich.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
an hour ago
- Korea Herald
Govt. to monitor financial volatility after Trump's tariff letters
The government will closely monitor domestic and offshore financial markets for any increased volatility as US President Donald Trump's letters to major trading partners on his tariff plans may have exacerbated market uncertainties, Seoul's vice finance minister said Tuesday. "Under close cooperation with relevant agencies, we will closely monitor developments related to US tariffs and their impact on financial markets and the real economy," First Vice Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il said in an emergency meeting held to assess the impact of Washington's latest move. Lee is currently serving as the acting finance minister. "If the market shows excessive volatility that deviates from our economic fundamentals, we plan to take an immediate and bold action in accordance with our contingency plans tailored to various scenarios," it added. The ministry said global financial markets showed increased volatility after Trump began sending tariff letters to 14 countries, including South Korea and Japan, while extending the deadline for tariff negotiations to Aug. 1. A 90-day suspension of the US' reciprocal tariffs was originally set to expire Tuesday. In his letter to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Trump said his country will impose 25 percent reciprocal tariffs on Korean products starting on Aug. 1, but that an adjustment may be possible if Seoul eliminates its tariff and non-tariff policies and trade barriers. Overnight, Wall Street closed lower and the US dollar gained ground against other currencies, reflecting uncertainties surrounding US tariff policies. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
6 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Who gets Korea's cash handouts? Rules for foreign residents explained
If you're a permanent resident covered by the national health insurance system, check the detailed criteria — you may be eligible for at least 150,000 won Foreign residents living with Korean nationals may be eligible for South Korea's new cash handout program, which aims to revive consumer spending and bolster household income starting July 21. Backed by a supplementary budget of 31.8 trillion won ($23.3 billion), the program offers a one-time payment of at least 150,000 won (about $110) to all Koreans residing in the country as of June 18. "The purpose of the 'consumption coupons' is to stimulate sluggish spending, revitalize the local economy, and support Korean incomes. Therefore, in principle, foreigners are excluded,' Vice Interior Minister Kim Min-jae said at a briefing on Saturday. Still, he noted that some exceptions apply. Foreign nationals may qualify if they are listed on the same household registration as at least one Korean and are enrolled in the national health insurance system, either as a subscriber or dependent, or if they receive medical aid. They may also apply if they are permanent residents with an F-5 visa, marriage migrants with an F-6 visa, or recognized refugees with an F-2-4 visa and are covered by national health insurance or medical aid. Korean citizens who have been staying abroad can also receive the payment if they return to Korea between June 18 and Sept. 12 and verify their entry records. A second rollout of the subsidy program is planned for September, with 90 percent of all Koreans eligible to receive a fixed payment of 100,000 won. Eligibility will be determined based on income and asset levels. For foreign nationals and refugees, the same criteria apply as in the first program. And if you live outside the greater Seoul area or in designated regions facing rapid population decline, you will receive an additional 30,000 or 50,000 won. The coupons can be used at small local businesses with annual revenue under 3 billion won, including traditional markets, neighborhood supermarkets, restaurants, barbershops and beauty salons. They cannot be used at major discount chains, department stores, duty-free shops, or directly operated franchise outlets. Applications and distribution will continue for eight weeks through September 12. Payments will be issued via credit or debit cards, prepaid cards, or local government-issued gift certificates. The money can be used until Nov. 30. Any unused balance after that date will be returned to the government. ssh@
Korea Herald
8 hours ago
- Korea Herald
South Korea's brain drain -- Why top talent is leaving
Stagnant pay, weak support in academia, science and AI drive best minds away As South Korea ramps up its efforts to attract global talent by lowering visa hurdles and expanding scholarship opportunities for international students, its own highly educated professionals are quietly slipping away. Behind the nation's push to become an innovation hub lies a sobering reality: South Korea is losing its best and brightest to foreign institutions and companies that offer better pay, richer research environments and more promising career paths. At the center of the exodus are South Korea's top universities and AI research departments. Seoul National University, long considered the pinnacle of higher education in the country, has seen 56 professors leave for overseas positions in the past four years alone. Among them are not only scientists and engineers. According to Education Ministry data revealed by Rep. Seo Ji-young, 28 professors in the humanities and social sciences, 12 in the natural sciences, 12 in engineering, three in the arts and physical education, and one in medical sciences departed for institutions in the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore China and elsewhere — lured by salaries up to four times higher than what Seoul can offer, along with generous research budgets and housing support. The loss of talent is accelerated by a domino effect: professors leave regional schools for Seoul — and from Seoul, they leave the country altogether. Data from Korea's four major public science and technology institutes in the region — KAIST, GIST, DGIST and UNIST — reveals a similar pattern. Between 2021 and mid-2025, 119 faculty members left these institutions. Many moved to Seoul, but a significant number, including 18 professors, relocated abroad. The root causes of this talent outflow are systemic. South Korean universities suffer from frozen tuition fees, stagnant faculty salaries and a rigid seniority-based pay system. While public and private universities struggle to maintain competitive compensation, top global universities are actively headhunting Korean talent. A professor making around 100 million won ($73,000) in Seoul may receive an offer of over $330,000 abroad. "With a salary gap of over four times, considering the benefits of doing research with abundant resources and receiving support for housing, there is really no reason to turn down a really good offer," an assistant professor researching in AI who wished to be anonymous told The Korea Herald. Experts say the widening compensation gap between domestic and foreign universities stems largely from the deteriorating financial health of South Korean higher education institutions. For the past 17 years, the government has effectively frozen tuition fees by withholding certain types of national scholarships from universities that attempt to raise them. This freeze, coupled with the inability to adjust tuition for inflation, has placed universities under significant financial strain. According to the Ministry of Education, the average salary for private university professors increased by a mere 0.8 percent over five years, from 100.6 million won ($73,500) in 2019 to 101.4 million won in 2024. These figures are based on full professorships; assistant professors earn considerably less. Conditions are even more dire at regional universities. A report submitted to the National Assembly by Rep. Seo Ji-young shows that, excluding Seoul National University, nine major national universities collectively lost 323 professors between 2021 and May 2025. Korea's AI experts leaving In parallel, South Korea's AI talent pool is also thinning. According to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Sustainable Growth Initiative, the country ranks No. 35 out of 38 OECD nations in AI talent retention. As of 2024, for every 10,000 people, 0.36 AI professionals leave South Korea, while countries like Luxembourg and Germany are net importers of such talent. Industry leaders and academics point to a lack of career development opportunities, insufficient computing infrastructure, and a heavy reliance on short-term performance evaluations. Surveys indicate that salary remains the top reason for choosing a job, with 85 percent of AI researchers listing it as their primary concern. And while US Ph.D. holders in AI fields can expect starting salaries well over $114,000 — more than $139,000 for computer science majors — the average salary for a Korean doctoral researcher in the private sector hovers around 41 million won ($30,000) — barely a quarter of their overseas counterparts. Perception among researchers — that "smart people don't stay here" — also plays a major role. "Since there are better talent pools in laboratories at institutions abroad, and because major conglomerates prefer graduates from international schools, as they guarantee English speaking skills and expertise, people prefer to study abroad whenever they have the chance," an AI researcher at one of South Korea's biggest conglomerates, who graduated from a domestic institution, told The Korea Herald. "There is definitely a perception among colleagues. If a person has studied abroad, people tend to think they have 'something more' — that they are better than those who studied domestically." Recognizing the dire situation the country faces, President Lee Jae Myung ordered newly appointed Prime Minister Kim Min-seok during their first meeting to devise measures to secure top talent in fields such as AI and biotechnology in response to the recent outflow of domestic talent. To counter this trend, experts are calling for a shift in national strategy — from merely preventing brain drain to fostering 'brain circulation.' This means creating an ecosystem that not only retains domestic talent but also welcomes international professionals and encourages overseas Koreans to return. Recommendations include implementing performance-based compensation, offering globally competitive research infrastructure and expanding international joint research programs. "Ultimately, the question is not whether South Korea can produce talent, but whether the country can evolve its systems fast enough to keep that talent from seeking greener pastures," said a student currently pursuing a graduate degree in AI.
