Factor This This Week in Cleantech (10/31/2025) - Are data centers really to blame for rising electricity costs?
Oct 31, 2025
Shannon Osaka, a reporter for The Washington Post specializing in energy and environmental policy, dives into the real reasons behind rising electricity prices. She discusses a study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, revealing that increasing fixed costs of the power grid, rather than just data centers, are largely responsible for the uptick. The conversation also touches on essential topics like the DOE's push for quicker data center interconnections and the impact of simplified solar permitting on adoption rates. A must-listen for energy enthusiasts!
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Newborn Interruptions On-Air
- Paul Gerke introduced his newborn daughter Gemma Rose and described sleep-deprived new-parent life before the show.
- The hosts joked about on-call parenting and Paul’s attempt to balance show duties with newborn care.
Fast-Track Flexible Load Interconnection
- Encourage fast-tracking interconnection rules for large flexible loads like data centers to reduce project friction.
- Design policies to clarify who pays for grid upgrades and favor curtailable, dispatchable arrangements.
Streamline Solar Permitting Nationwide
- Adopt simpler, standardized permitting and inspection rules to cut rooftop solar costs dramatically.
- Use online permitting, remote inspections, and automatic connections for smart-inverter homes to unlock nationwide savings.