Volts What's going on in electricity world?
7 snips
Nov 28, 2025 Explore the transition from flat electricity demand to rising consumption as new technologies reshape the grid. Delve into the uncertainties of load forecasts and the political landscape surrounding high electricity bills. Discover how renewables face backlash amid a simpler right-wing narrative, while the complex realities of rising prices stem from various factors like wildfires and data centers. The discussion highlights the need for streamlined policies to support solar and storage solutions, all amidst a blame game between utilities and data centers.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Demand Is Shifting From Replacement To Addition
- U.S. electricity demand has been flat for decades but is now likely to grow substantially.
- This shift turns the grid problem from replacing capacity to deciding what new capacity to add and how to integrate it.
Data Center Demand Forecasts Vary Widely
- Forecasts for data center electricity demand vary wildly, creating massive planning uncertainty.
- The IEA's 2030 range spans a factor of almost 40, meaning planners face UK-scale differences within five years.
Multiple Drivers Amplify Uncertainty
- Causes of demand uncertainty include AI growth, AI compute efficiency, and data center efficiency.
- Electricity price trajectories and macro factors further widen the range of plausible futures.