Open Circuit

Brian Janis, co-founder and CCO at Cloverleaf Infrastructure, helps source powered land and unlock grid capacity for digital infrastructure. He dives into the Brattle report claiming better utilization could free ~100 GW. Short takes on how hyperscalers reshaped planning, local impacts of data center siting, the tension between using existing capacity versus building more, and the limits of distributed resources.

Michael Sembalist, chairman of market and investment strategy at JPMorgan and author of the Eye on the Market energy reports, offers a data-driven take on the biggest fights in energy. He breaks down debates on data centers and grid capacity. He discusses oil shock fallout, LNG and emerging markets choices. He also weighs costs and promise of CCUS, green hydrogen, SMRs and industrial electrification.

Julia Hamm, a coalition-builder in the electricity sector, and Jigar Shah, clean-energy entrepreneur and financer, discuss how Iran-related oil and LNG shocks ripple to electricity prices and grid security. They explore whether crises push utilities toward more coal or accelerate distributed solar, batteries, and demand-response. The conversation highlights BYO distributed capacity models, regulatory hurdles, and why large customers matter for grid flexibility.

A behind-the-scenes look at the White House pledge tying data centers to their own power costs. Three competing models for powering AI are compared: renewables plus long-duration storage, ad-hoc gas builds, and a broad grid modernization mix. The conversation digs into tariff design, utility resistance, and who ultimately pays for AI’s electricity.

They unpack how capital flowed selectively in 2025 amid shifting tariffs, FIAC guidance, and policy whiplash. They highlight why renewables and batteries captured most investment while manufacturing stalled. They explore evolving deal structures, tax-credit safe harbors, and how storage is stacking value to outcompete gas for reliability.

Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geosystems and former oil & gas well engineer, explains gravity‑fracture geothermal and underground long‑duration energy storage. She describes pumping pressure deep underground to act like inverted pumped hydro. The discussion covers rapid build of a first commercial facility, a rural cooperative partnership in Texas, and scaling via industry ties like Ormat.

Big tech’s unprecedented $600+ billion infrastructure push and investor unease over that spending. Debate over whether tech firms are built for massive physical builds or need outside capital and discipline. The wild idea of space-based data centers, with practical limits like cooling, radiation, latency, and launch costs. Tesla’s ambitious solar manufacturing plans and shifting political support for domestic panels.

A lively look at whether next-generation geothermal can become bankable infrastructure and attract big IPO money. The conversation contrasts different technical approaches, financing choices, and tech-company partnerships shaping scale-up. It also explores risks from unmanaged fossil-fuel decline and policy levers to steer a smoother energy transition.

A sharp look at two competing fixes for 2026’s electricity affordability crisis: a federal push to remake capacity markets and make large users pay for new supply, versus state-led adoption of virtual power plants to shave peaks. The conversation covers the PJM auction proposal, operational limits of backup generators, distribution and transmission cost drivers, and the politics shaping Illinois, Virginia, and New Jersey’s VPP strategies.

Wilson Rickerson, president and co-founder of Converge Strategies and author on grid security, brings a national security lens to power system strain. He discusses wartime lessons for resilience. Topics include accelerating load growth, reserve margin squeeze, transmission and market fixes, military dependence on the civilian grid, and practical tools like VPPs and DERMS.