Hardware Podcasts

The rise of flexible data centers

Catalyst · 9 Apr 2026 · 43m

What this episode covers

Varun Sivaram, CEO of Emerald AI, discusses the emerging market for data center flexibility and his company's recent $25 million funding round led by Energy Impact Partners. He explains how shifting AI workloads and behind-the-meter resources can help data centers utilize stranded grid capacity, thereby accelerating interconnection and lowering rates. The conversation covers the technical and economic mechanics of workload flexibility, the 'mini dispatch curve' for power management, and the critical need for utilities to offer differentiated service tiers to make this model viable.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Emerald AI, Energy Impact Partners, NVIDIA, Google, Anthropic, Oracle, Digital Realty, Nebius, Siemens, GE Vernova, Dominion Energy, PJM, NERC, EPRI, EnergyHub
Products
DSX Flex

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Over the Air · 31m

    Managing Energy At The Edge: Navigating The Modern Grid With Itron

    Nick Tumilowicz, Director of Product Management at Itron, discusses the challenges of managing the aging electrical grid amid the energy transition, focusing on transformer capacity limits and the shift to underground infrastructure. He explains how Itron leverages its installed base of smart meters as edge compute devices to enable real-time, autonomous load management for distributed energy resources like EVs and solar. The conversation covers the long sales cycles in the utility sector, the cultural differences in grid adoption between the US and Europe, and the importance of balancing technological innovation with customer incentives.

    Energy & climate techConnected products & IoT
    8 chapters

  • Moore's Lobby · 56m

    Aligning Passion With Purpose: A Journey to Electrification and Sustainability

    Dr. Mital Kanabar, Senior Director of Innovation at GE Vernova, discusses the 'energy trilemma' of security, affordability, and sustainability as power demand surges from EVs and AI data centers. He explains how GE Vernova's GridBeats platform uses software-defined automation and edge AI to manage bidirectional power flow and grid stability without massive hardware upgrades. The conversation covers the role of small modular reactors (SMRs), cybersecurity in operational technology, and the workforce challenges facing the utility industry.

    Energy & climate techAI & machine learning
    10 chapters

  • Moore's Lobby · 41m

    Powering EVs: Microgrids & DC Charging Solutions

    Antonio Di Vaira, Senior VP for Power Products at Schneider Electric, discusses the critical need for grid modernization driven by EV charging and AI data centers. He explains how microgrids and native DC distribution offer efficiency and resilience solutions, citing a pilot project at Schneider's Raleigh campus. Di Vaira also highlights the company's 'Flexset' switchboard, a modular, kit-built product designed to reduce lead times and empower electricians, while emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary engineering and customer-centric design.

    Energy & climate techDesign for manufacturing & NPI
    9 chapters

  • Hardware to Save a Planet · 31m

    Powering the AI Era Sustainably: Breakthrough Climate Hardware Tech from 8 Innovators

    Host Dylan Garrett presents a year-end recap of eight innovators building climate hardware to support the massive energy demands of AI data centers. The episode features insights from Arch Rao of Span on managing grid capacity, Anders Kousgaard of Blue World Technologies on hydrogen fuel cell complexity, and Ina Braverman of Eco Wave Power on harvesting ocean wave energy. It also covers Ted McElveen of Vern on replacing diesel backup generators with hydrogen, Holly Jane of Antora Energy on thermal batteries, Curtis Van Wallahim of HydroStore on compressed air storage, Sandeep Nijwan of Electra on low-carbon iron, and Greg Williams of Sublime Systems on decarbonized cement.

    Energy & climate techScaling production
    9 chapters

  • Over the Air · 30m

    Smart Air, Smarter Cooling: Actasys's Innovation in Data Center Technology

    David Menicovich, CEO and co-founder of Actasys, explains how his company pivoted from aerodynamic drag reduction for vehicles to providing piezoelectric cooling actuators for data centers. He details the technology's ability to remove heat from specific hotspots on network interface cards and DPUs with high energy efficiency, enabling higher ambient temperatures in server racks. Menicovich discusses the challenges of navigating the semiconductor supply chain, the differences in customer engagement between automotive OEMs and tech integrators, and the company's operations from the Navy Yard in Brooklyn.

    Mechanical engineeringConnected products & IoT
    10 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Catalyst. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.