Energy is the lifeblood of every data center. As the AI boom has gained velocity, the focus on energy has intensified as power demand has effectively maxed out existing grid capacity in major data center markets. Understanding the finer points of power has never been more important.

Dan Crosby has helped explain the complexities of the energy market for the data center sector. Dan is the founder and CEO of Legend Energy Advisors, where he and his team helped deploy clients deploy multiple gigawatts of data center projects in 2024.

On this edition of the Data Center Richness. Dan shared his take on how long the current power constraints might last, the growing profile of natural gas for powering large loads, and the opportunities and challenges in deploying onsite power at data centers.

00:00 - Why energy matters right now.

01:32 - Dan Crosby's "Data Center Journey" and background

04:00 - How Legend Energy Advisors works with data center clients.

06:20 - How long will key data center markets remain power-constrained.

10:50 - Onsite power for data centers - the opportunities and challenges.

15:45 - Designing loads and grids - how to manage dynamic power.

18:12 - What are the best strategies to collaborate with utilities?

21:11 - Load flexibility, and how to make it work.

25:15 - The rising profile of natural gas, and the role of renewable energy.

32:50 - Data centers as anchor customers for next-generation nuclear.

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At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

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LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

Legend Energy Advisors
https://legendenergyadvisors.com/

Dan Crosby on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-crosby-a58a3212/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:

Data Centers, AI and the Future of Power (Elisa Wood)
https://youtu.be/EYo2YK7L5q0?si=ewmU1WMbkHU2lnSh

Unlocking Power for AI Growth (Tyler Norris)
https://youtu.be/D6-1QxRRxoA?si=VHUbBdImjKbqAs4g

Why Data Centers Are Turning to Bloom Energy
https://youtu.be/Z-udNWq2bAg?si=vHOizsz7AqT5M7eQ

All video by Data Center Richness.

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Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx