Show Notes
As the buildout of data centers accelerates on a dramatic trajectory,its strain on the electric grid has increased in turn; forecasts suggest they could consume up to 17% of all US power by 2030. To avoid higher rates and slower AI growth, the industry has embraced a promising solution: data center flexibility.
In this episode, Shayle speaks with Varun Sivaram, the CEO of Emerald AI. Coming on the heels of a $25 million investment round led by Energy Impact Partners, Varun returns to the show to provide an update on the "wickedly complicated" challenge of aligning utilities, cloud providers, and the grid.
Shayle and Varun explore topics like:
Tapping into the 100+ gigawatts of unused grid capacity
Why the "Watt-Bit spread" is shifting to make power flexibility profitable
The differences between training and inference flexibility, including Google’s new "flex" and "priority" tiers
The "mini dispatch curve" for data centers created by batteries, gas turbines and fuel cells
Emerald’s plans to collaborate with NVIDIA and other partners on the world’s first 100-megawatt, truly power-flexible AI factory
Resources
Catalyst: The mechanics of data center flexibility
Catalyst: The potential for flexible data centers
Latitude Media: How the world’s first flexible AI factory will work in tandem with the grid
Latitude Media: Nvidia and Oracle tapped this startup to flex a Phoenix data center
Latitude Media: A reality check on flexible data centers
Latitude Media: Can VPPs unlock grid capacity for data centers?
Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor.
Catalyst is brought to you by FischTank PR, an award-winning climate and energy tech, renewables, and sustainability-focused PR firm dedicated to elevating the work of both early-stage and established companies. Learn more about their PR approach and how they can support your company’s messaging by visiting fischtankpr.com.
Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. EnergyHub helps utilities build next-generation virtual power plants that unlock reliable flexibility at every level of the grid. See how EnergyHub helps unlock the power of flexibility at scale, and deliver more value through cross-DER dispatch with their leading Edge DERMS platform, by visiting energyhub.com.
More from Catalyst with Shayle Kann
As data center-driven load growth continues to rise, hyperscalers are turning to natural gas – both in front of and behind the meter — to secure power. But whether the natural gas pipeline system has the bandwidth to support this surging demand remains far from certain.
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This is a partner episode, brought to you by Bloom Energy.
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