

Calibrating hype with Akshat Rathi
Oct 16, 2025
Join Akshat Rathi, a senior climate reporter at Bloomberg News and host of the Zero podcast, as he dissects the climate hype spectrum. He shares insights on the potential of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and the complexities of co-locating generation with data centers. They explore infrastructure bottlenecks like transformer shortages and the role of venture capital in climate tech scaling. Rathi also discusses how the Paris Agreement influences business decisions while evaluating the commercialization challenges of sodium-ion batteries and advanced geothermal technologies.
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DERs Are Underappreciated For Load Growth
- Distributed energy resources (DERs) are beginning a second wave focused on meeting load growth rather than grid disintermediation.
- Shayle and Akshat agree DERs are currently underhyped for their role in handling rising electricity demand.
Onsite Generation Won't Be Dominant For Data Centers
- Co-locating on-site generation with data centers will occur but likely remain a minority approach.
- Supply-chain limits (e.g., year-long gas turbine waits) and high reliability costs constrain widespread adoption.
Generation Shortages Aren't The Main Near-Term Bottleneck
- New generating capacity isn't the dominant near-term bottleneck for load growth through 2030.
- Alternatives like solar-plus-batteries can fill gaps if turbines stay expensive or delayed.