Breaking Power Gridlock: How Data Centers and Utilities Can Partner to Power New Load Growth
This event was originally held on August 28, 2024
and is now available for on demand viewing.
Sponsor: Enchanted Rock
Duration: 1 Hour
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Summary
Data centers are facing a power challenge. By 2028, electric utilities expect their projected additional power needs will double. Some areas don’t have enough generation, while others have energy supply but lack the transmission and distribution to get it to customers. New and expanding power-hungry facilities, like data centers, cannot secure 24/7 firm power in markets across the U.S.
The power gridlock presents both an urgent challenge and an opportunity to create competitive advantage to utilities and data centers alike. Utilities that can offer expedited interconnection can increase customer satisfaction and achieve profitable load growth. Data centers can expand faster and accelerate grid connection by developing an on-site generation strategy to provide flexible capacity, which enables existing capacity to serve large new customers more quickly.
Join us for an insightful webinar where thought leaders come together to tackle this critical issue facing data centers and other large-load customers.
This panel discussion will delve into this issue and discuss how data centers can secure continuous, reliable power even in areas where the grid is constrained. We'll explore the intersection of growing power demands and grid operators, with a focus on solutions that are available today:
- Flexible capacity: a path to 24/7 firm grid power for data centers, even in grid-constrained areas such as Northern Virginia.
- Utility partnership: With flexible grid integration solutions like multi-purpose microgrids, utilities can efficiently address new customer load demands, accelerate economic growth, and reduce rate pressure while ensuring grid reliability and resilience.
- Data centers as good grid citizens: data center facilities with microgrid systems can react to grid conditions in real-time to help protect the community from outages.
- Secure power now: How to develop your on-site generation strategy and questions you should be asking your utility
Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and perspectives from key industry stakeholders as we work together to power growth in digital infrastructure.
Speakers
Thomas McAndrew
Founder and CEO
Enchanted Rock
Thomas McAndrew founded Enchanted Rock in 2006. McAndrew brings over 34 years of experience in energy asset management ranging from large, complex nuclear plants to small distributed generation.
McAndrew’s introduction to energy was in engineering and operations on two US Navy nuclear power surface ships, the USS Eisenhower and USS South Carolina. He spent six years operating and maintaining nuclear propulsion plants and qualified as a Naval Nuclear Chief Engineer for the Nimitz Class aircraft carrier. After his time in the US Navy, McAndrew worked as a maintenance support engineer for the Southern Company at their Plant Farley nuclear business, where the cost of loss of electricity to critical loads is extremely high. He then shifted to the financial side of energy, helping several energy merchants build highly profitable trade floors. At his last merchant energy company, Calpine, McAndrew also supervised the commercial startup of many new natural gas combined cycle power plants.
When founding Enchanted Rock, McAndrew focused on technologies at or close to the point of final electric consumption that increase reliability, decrease cost, and decrease carbon footprint. He received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M, Masters Equivalent in Nuclear Power Operations from the US Navy, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
Mark Zanoli
Global Chairman
Barclays Investment Bank
Mark Zanoli has over 25 years of technology investment banking experience. He started his investment banking career in 1993 at Hambrecht & Quist (H&Q), one of the original boutique banks focused on technology public offerings and M&A. After H&Q was acquired by JP Morgan (Chase) in 2000, Mark went on to lead the company’s technology banking practice. In 2010 Mark left JP Morgan to restart UBS’s technology banking effort.
Mark has led a number of notable M&A transactions, including; HP’s $14 billion acquisition of EDS, Photonics sale to Ouster, RideOS sale to goPuff, Netscreen’s $4 billion acquisition by Juniper and Silicon Spice’s $1.2 billion sale to Broadcom.
He has been a Financial Advisor in Public Debut (De-Spac) of Ouster, to Gores Guggenheim in the acquisition of Polestar, in the Public Debut (De-Spac) of Lilium and has led a number of important IPOs and Debt offerings for companies such as Airbnb, Apple, Cisco, Citrix, Pinterest, F5 Networks, Rivian, zScaler, Google and Service Now.
Mark joined Barclays Investment Bank in 2018 as Vice Chairman of Technology Banking and in 2021 was appointed as Global Chairman.
Brian Janous
Co-Founder
Cloverleaf Infrastructure
Brian has over 20 years of experience in the electricity and data center industries. Most recently, he was Vice President of Energy at Microsoft, overseeing the company’s global data center energy footprint. At Microsoft, Brian managed the execution of over 15 GW of renewable energy power purchase agreements and a team of over 100 employees. He also played a critical role in developing siting and growth strategies for over 4 GW of data centers in 40+ countries. Brian led power supply planning—and helped to develop the overall strategy—for Microsoft’s cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Prior to Microsoft, Brian advised large energy users on rate, regulatory, procurement and sustainability strategies.
Meena Beyers
Vice President of Business & Community Development
Nicor Gas
Meena Beyers is vice president of Business and Community Development for Nicor Gas, Illinois’ and Southern Company’s largest natural gas distribution utility. In this role, Meena leads growth, customer solutions, energy efficiency, economic development, external community affairs and community impact. She also leads innovation strategy and partnerships, and has spearheaded transformative initiatives including the Nicor Gas Smart Neighborhood, participation in Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen and development of the Chicagoland Climate Investment Alliance. Meena brings more than twenty years of public and private sector experience to her role.
Meena was recognized as a 2023 Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Leader in Sustainability and 2024 Woman of Power by the Quad County Urban League. She serves on the boards for Metropolitan Planning Council and the Women’s Energy Summit, and the Executive Advisory Council for Intersect Illinois, the state’s economic development organization.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in urban planning and development from Ball State University and a master’s degree in public service
Pablo Vegas
President and CEO
ERCOT
Pablo Vegas joined ERCOT in October 2022 as President and CEO. He has a long history of service in both the electric and gas industries. In his current role, he plays a critical part in ensuring the reliable and efficient operation of the Texas electric grid. Prior to ERCOT, Mr. Vegas was Executive Vice President of NiSource, and Group President of NiSource Utilities, where he oversaw NiSource’s electric and gas business segments and championed outstanding service to NiSource customers. He served as a versatile executive at NiSource for six years, holding numerous roles, including Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President and President of Columbia Gas Group, and Chief Customer Officer.
Mr. Vegas had profit and loss accountability for NiSource’s six gas and electric utility companies as well as responsibility for strategy, planning, operations, construction, engineering, regulatory, environmental services, and federal government affairs for NiSource.
Moderator
Matthew Vincent
Editor-in-Chief
Data Center Frontier
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