US energy technology company SPAN has unveiled XFRA, a distributed data centre system that would place AI computing equipment in homes and small commercial properties.
The system would utilise spare capacity in the property’s electrical connections rather than relying solely on new grid infrastructure. SPAN’s smart electrical panels would manage the computing equipment alongside the building’s other power requirements.
Initial installations are due to begin later this year. SPAN says it has a deployment pipeline that could scale XFRA to gigawatt scale in 2027, although it has not disclosed how many properties will participate in the first phase or the capacity they will provide.
Distributed AI computing moves into properties
Each XFRA installation would function as a single node within a larger computing network. The nodes would primarily run AI inference, in which a trained model processes new data to generate a response or prediction. Cloud gaming and other AI workloads are also proposed uses.
The equipment will initially use liquid-cooled NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition graphics processing units (GPUs). These processors can perform many calculations simultaneously, making them suitable for AI workloads. Liquid cooling circulates a fluid through the equipment to remove heat generated during operation.
NVIDIA, a US-based computing company specialising in AI processors and related technology, is one of the initial launch partners. It has already developed a liquid-cooled version of the RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition for enterprise servers. SPAN has not said how many GPUs each XFRA node will contain or disclosed its full server configuration.
SPAN says that locating the equipment across different properties would bring computing resources closer to users. This could support applications requiring low latency, meaning minimal delay between submitting a request and receiving a response.
XFRA would supplement, rather than replace, centralised data centres.
Electrical panels manage the computing load
The computing nodes would rely on the energy management and power control functions built into SPAN’s smart electrical panels.
These panels already include PowerUp, software that monitors electricity demand and adjusts selected circuits when current approaches a set limit. Residents can choose the order in which connected appliances are managed and update those priorities via the SPAN app. Normal operation resumes once demand falls.
SPAN has used PowerUp to accommodate equipment such as electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps without always requiring an upgrade to a property’s electrical service, which determines how much power it can safely receive from the utility.
XFRA would draw on electrical headroom, defined as the difference between a property’s maximum available capacity and the amount currently in use. SPAN says this spare capacity could power the computing equipment while the panel manages the property’s other loads.
In October 2025, four SPAN smart-panel models received UL 3141 certification for power control systems. The standard covers equipment that manages electrical loads within defined limits. The certification applies to the panels and their power control functions, not to the complete XFRA installation.
Operating within individual properties would place the nodes at the grid edge, close to where electricity is consumed. Battery backup would be part of the installation. SPAN said participating homeowners would receive a smart electrical panel and a battery, with optional solar generation and discounted fixed rates for electricity and internet services.
Data centre growth puts pressure on US power supplies
Power availability has become a constraint on US data centre development. SPAN said the facilities consumed 183 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, accounting for more than 4% of national electricity use. The company cited forecasts suggesting the share could exceed 9% by 2030.
The US Energy Information Administration has also identified data centre demand as the primary driver of long-term growth in national electricity use. Its Annual Energy Outlook 2026 reported that US electricity demand rose by an average of 2.1% annually over the preceding five years, following more than a decade of little growth. The outlook examines several possible futures rather than presenting a single forecast.
Large data centre projects can spend years awaiting interconnection approval, the process required to connect a new facility to the electricity network. SPAN says XFRA could bring additional computing equipment online via existing property connections while conventional developments proceed through construction and grid-connection procedures.
The company also says its panel controls could help utilities manage periods of high demand and defer some infrastructure spending. These benefits have yet to be demonstrated by the XFRA deployments.
PulteGroup joins initial rollout
SPAN is working with PulteGroup, a US-based homebuilder, on the initial XFRA rollout. The computing equipment would be installed at participating properties alongside SPAN Panels and battery systems.
PulteGroup said the arrangement could reduce construction costs, lower operating costs for new homes, and utilise unused electrical capacity. Neither company has identified the developments or locations involved. SPAN also says cloud operators could access computing resources without waiting for a conventional data centre to be completed. The first deployments are expected later this year, with a planned expansion in 2027.
