Build, Repeat. (A Paces Podcast)

In this episode, James talks with Sam McGarvey, Director of Origination at NineDot Energy — a developer, owner, and operator of front-of-meter battery storage systems across New York City's five boroughs.NineDot made a deliberate bet: ignore every other market and go all-in on the single hardest place to build energy storage in the country. That focus has taken them from 3 employees to 84, and toward 400–500 megawatts of distributed storage across New York City by the end of the decade. Sam breaks down what it actually takes to develop in NYC — and why the lessons apply everywhere.Why NYC's complexity is a feature, not a bug, for a focused developerThe affordability story: 1.3 million NY utility customers behind on bills — and what storage can do about itWhy January 2026 was a turning point: the first time ConEd included distributed storage in its load forecastA must-listen for developers navigating dense markets, complex permitting, and the next phase of distributed storage.Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?

In this episode, James talks with Matt Plante, President of Voltus, about what it actually takes to build a virtual power plant that grid operators call on every single day.Voltus aggregates distributed energy resources, including industrial loads, batteries, commercial buildings, and now residential assets, into virtual power plants that participate in wholesale electricity markets. Since April 2024, Voltus has been dispatched by a grid operator every single day, a milestone that signals demand flexibility has moved from emergency backup to standard operating procedure. Matt joins James to unpack how the company has grown 10x since their 2021 conversation, what finally made the battery cost curve work, and why the barriers to scale look nothing like the barriers to entry.James and Matt get into:Why the shift from no-load-growth to explosive load growth has changed what grid operators will consider, and how fastHow batteries went from not penciling to the fastest-growing DER segment in Voltus's portfolioWhat data centers actually want from demand flexibility programs, and why forcing them to participate would backfireWhy FERC 2222 hasn't delivered and what it actually takes to unlock new states for third-party demand responseThe grid's relationship to distributed resources has fundamentally changed, and this episode is a clear-eyed look at what made that shift happen and what comes next.Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?

The grid has been here before. Between 1960 and 2000, US utilities grew demand 4–5x while cutting real electricity prices by 20%, and the lessons from that era are more relevant than ever.Mark Dyson is Managing Director of Electricity at RMI, where he's spent nearly two decades working on grid modernization, distributed energy resources, and the policy and market design that holds it all together. Before returning to RMI, he led analytics at Ascend Analytics, giving him a rare vantage point across both the technical and market sides of the energy transition.In this episode, Mark draws on that history to make the case that data center load growth isn't the crisis it's being framed as — it's a solvable problem, and virtual power plants are a big part of the solution. He breaks down why VPPs are 40–60% cheaper than gas peakers or batteries for meeting new peak demand, and what it actually takes to deploy them at scale.This episode covers:- The three lessons from last century's grid growth: embrace new technology, invest proactively in infrastructure, and make the most of existing capacity- Why virtual power plants are the fastest, most affordable tool for meeting data center demand growth- Why hyperscalers resist flexible load at the project level — and how paying others to curtail resolves that tension- Navigating permitting headwinds and the post-OBBBA policy environmentIf you're working on the energy transition, Mark's perspective on what history can actually teach us about today's challenges is essential listening.Learn more about RMI here. Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?

Derek Stenclik, founding partner at Telos Energy and former GE grid planning engineer, discusses grid planning challenges. He covers scenario-driven modeling, explosive load growth from data centers, and the rise of load flexibility and batteries. They also touch on interconnection queues, siting and permitting mismatches, and affordability and cost allocation risks.

In this episode, James talks with Craig Gordon, Head of Global Policy, Regulatory Affairs, and Business Development at Mainspring Energy. Craig brings deep experience in clean energy—from scaling Invenergy’s wind and solar projects to shaping U.S. energy policy with the American Clean Power Association. Today, he’s helping Mainspring redefine dispatchable generation for a rapidly electrifying world.They discuss how Mainspring’s linear generator technology offers a modular, dispatchable solution ideal for the growing energy demands of hyperscale data centers. Craig shares insights on the importance of fuel flexibility, how the Inflation Reduction Act has reshaped deployment dynamics, and the policy shifts enabling faster, cleaner energy integration behind the meter.How Mainspring’s linear generator bridges the gap between renewables and dispatchable generationThe role of fuel-flexibility (natural gas, hydrogen, ammonia) in enabling resilient sitingWhy data center load growth is stressing legacy regulatory frameworksHow recent FERC policy shifts are opening new doors for behind-the-meter innovationA must-listen for developers navigating grid constraints, data center energy needs, and next-gen dispatchable tech.Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?

Tony Wagler, a power project developer at Paces, and researcher Alex Oort Alonso delve into a critical issue: the mismatch between projected data center growth and real grid planning. They reveal how speculative load growth influences costly transmission investments. Their analysis of 14 million Texas land parcels suggests a land-first, data-driven approach could better align development with infrastructure. The discussion highlights only 17% of viable land near substations has adequate capacity, stressing the need for smarter coordination in planning and decision-making.

Shanu Mathew, Senior Vice President at Lazard, merges finance and sustainability, spearheading U.S. sustainable equity strategies. He explores the evolution from traditional ESG investing to an alpha-first approach, driven by AI's transformative impact on energy demand. Shanu discusses the crucial 'chip-to-grid' value chain and the physical constraints affecting AI deployment. He also highlights the challenges public markets face against private innovations in the climate-tech landscape, offering insights into the complexities of modern investment in a rapidly changing environment.

In this episode, James talks with Gabe Messercola, Director of Data Center Solutions at EDF. Gabe shares his journey from studying environmental policy and working as a rock climbing instructor to building renewable energy projects at Nexamp and leading innovative data center strategies at EDF. With deep experience in asset management and power markets, Gabe now focuses on aligning renewable generation with high-demand loads like data centers and flexible industrial users.They discuss the evolving relationship between renewables, load growth, and AI-driven data center demand. Gabe explains how EDF is solving curtailment and congestion challenges by co-locating load at underutilized wind and solar sites. He highlights EDF's work with Soluna on a 166 MW behind-the-meter data center and dives into the regulatory, technical, and financial structures enabling this model. The conversation also tackles the critical role of market incentives, competitive retail, and grid flexibility to unlock fast deployment and sustainable scale.How co-located data centers are unlocking value from stranded renewable assetsThe ERCOT PUN model and its role in hybrid project designThe tension between AI uptime requirements and grid flexibilityWhy competitive retail markets like Texas are leading clean energy innovationThis episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of data centers, clean energy, and infrastructure innovation.Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?

In this episode, James talks with Nat Sahlstrom, Chief Energy Officer at Tract, a data center developer enabling the next generation of digital infrastructure. Nat shares his unconventional journey from Seattle’s punk rock scene to leading energy strategy at Amazon and now Tract. With over two decades in energy, he brings deep insight into the intersection of data center growth, power planning, and sustainable infrastructure.They explore the critical challenges and opportunities facing the energy system in the age of hyperscale AI. Nat discusses his experience building one of the world’s largest corporate renewable portfolios at Amazon and how Tract is addressing the power, land, and social license hurdles confronting data center developers today. He advocates for master-planned campuses as the key to responsible, scalable digital infrastructure and unpacks why the U.S. needs a World War II-level mobilization to meet future load demand.How hyperscaler energy needs are reshaping utility planning and permitting.The shift from back-office energy functions to front-page headlines.Why social license and stakeholder alignment are critical to infrastructure success.The case for horizontal and vertical integration in data center development.This episode is a must-listen for anyone thinking about where power, policy, and AI converge.Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?

In this episode, James talks with Hilary Clark, Senior Director of Social Licensing at the American Clean Power Association (ACP). With over two decades in permitting and regulatory affairs, Hilary brings deep expertise on how clean energy developers can effectively engage communities and navigate the complex siting landscape in the U.S.They discuss the evolving challenges in local and state-level permitting for wind, solar, and battery projects. Hilary explains the rise of moratoria and bans, the importance of community trust, and how ACP supports developers through advocacy, policy coordination, and digital tools. The conversation also covers the role of automation in feasibility analysis and the limits of technology in community engagement.The rise of permitting barriers like local moratoria and zoning bansThe importance of social license and long-term community relationshipsHow ACP leverages advocacy, policy expertise, and AI tools to support membersWhy the human element remains critical despite digital innovationThis episode offers an essential look at the on-the-ground work required to accelerate clean energy deployment across the country.Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?