Unlocking stranded renewables with Bitcoin and data centers with Brock Petersen (Satoshi Energy)

Jul 1, 2025

Brock Petersen, COO of Satoshi Energy, discusses how Bitcoin mining and data centers can help unlock stranded renewable energy. He explains the benefits of co-locating data centers with renewable assets, which enhances grid flexibility. The conversation covers the differences in energy demands between AI and Bitcoin operations, the rapid growth of Texas's power market, and innovative cooling strategies for energy efficiency. Petersen emphasizes the need for adaptive infrastructure to handle the evolving landscape of energy consumption.

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ANECDOTE

Bitcoin Mining Scale-Up Story

Bitcoin mining grew from hobbyist setups to industrial scales around 2019-2020.
Satoshi Energy's first project was a 140 MW Bitcoin mine co-located with a 170 MW wind farm in West Texas.

INSIGHT

Co-location Monetizes Curtailed Energy

Co-locating Bitcoin miners with wind farms adds value by monetizing otherwise curtailed energy.
This creates a custom behind-the-meter energy market improving economics for both parties.

INSIGHT

Bitcoin Miners Provide Grid Flexibility

Bitcoin miners act as bottom feeders in the energy market, consuming power mainly when prices are low.
Their flexibility allows grid relief during high price or scarcity periods by shutting down quickly.

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As demand for electricity skyrockets, large flexible loads like data centers and Bitcoin miners are reshaping how – and where – energy infrastructure is built. But integrating these loads into a grid already under pressure requires a rethink of both project development and power market participation.  

In this episode of Transmission, Quentin is joined by Brock Petersen, COO at Satoshi Energy, to unpack how digital infrastructure is co-locating with renewables – and why that could unlock new opportunities for grid flexibility and clean energy investment.

From the load profiles of AI data centers to the geographic arbitrage of Bitcoin mining, this episode explores what these emerging industries mean for grid planning, transmission bottlenecks, and the economics of new build generation. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

How co-location unlocks stranded renewables: Why pairing flexible data center load with renewable assets helps monetize energy that would otherwise go unused.
Bitcoin vs. AI load profiles: The key differences in cooling needs, flexibility, and infrastructure requirements.
ERCOT’s load boom: What 135 GW of new load requests means for one of the world’s most dynamic power markets.
The role of transmission and interconnection queues: How load-following strategies could help relieve pressure on grid infrastructure.
What utilities and developers should know: Insights for navigating site selection, market design, and emerging opportunities in flexible load integration.

About our guest

Brock Petersen is the Chief Operating Officer of Satoshi Energy, a Houston-based energy technology company pioneering the integration of renewable energy with data center operations. Brock leads the company's strategy and execution, focusing on co-locating flexible data center loads with renewable energy assets.  Satoshi Energy has secured over 467 MW in contracted projects and is developing an additional 2,000 MW pipeline, aiming to enhance grid reliability and support sustainable energy investments. For more information, check out their website.

https://satoshienergy.com/

About Modo Energy

Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.

All of our podcasts are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, podcasts, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.