Tim De Chant Tim is a senior climate reporter at TechCrunch. Here, he argues there’s increasing scrutiny on the resilience of our electrical grid thanks to recent environmental disasters. The record-shattering fires in California and recent deep freezes in Texas have all of us on alert. We can’t just think differently – we have to act faster and smarter to build and innovate our electrical infrastructure. That makes De Chant’s ideas especially timely and helpful. They dovetail neatly with the tectonic shifts underway in our energy consumption patterns thanks to the surging demand for generative AI technologies.
De Chant is a lecturer in MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing. They harbor the kind of broad, deep knowledge of climate science and technology that can’t be learned in a crash course. He received his PhD in environmental science, policy, and management from University of California, Berkeley. He holds a BA in environmental studies, English, and biology from St. Olaf College. In 2018, his expertise was further rewarded when he was named a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT. There, he focused on developing climate technologies and new business models in journalism.
Today, these challenges to our electrical grid are stressing the system further, against the backdrop of climbing electricity rates, which have already jumped 13% nationwide. The AI boom is fueling this surge. It inspired creative uses, such as converting retired supersonic jet engines to use in data centers and initiatives to transmit solar energy from space. The strain on our electricity supply will increase almost three-fold within the next ten years as the data center count continues to expand. Now, more than ever, it’s important that we reimagine how we produce, consume, and allocate our energy assets.
Amid this perfect storm, visionary companies such as Nvidia have been rising to the challenge. They are looking to improve the overall efficiency and resilience of the electrical grid. The latter would be enabled and made faster by Nvidia’s partnership with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Collectively, they are building industry models to address some of the most urgent challenges. Together, their collaboration highlights the value of strategic software solutions that empower users to maximize efficiency in how energy is distributed and consumed.
Startups such as Gridcare and Yottar are coming into this space with guns blazing. They’re convinced that with the right advanced software tools, we can make better use of all the spare capacity on the grid. Gridcare, for instance, has amassed extensive data on transmission and distribution lines, fiber-optic connections, extreme weather patterns, and community sentiment. This is all valuable information when it comes to future-proofing and maximizing searches for new locations. It further demonstrates to utilities that the grid is capable of supporting new loads.
Interpretation De Chant is quick to point out that these innovations aren’t just theoretical. They represent recent and dramatic changes in how energy providers can use technology to enhance grid performance. Modern software solutions help maximize available infrastructure. That kind of efficiency could lead to dramatic electricity savings for consumers in the long run.
As concern mounts over the fragility of our electrical grid, decision-makers are turning more and more to the power of technology to find answers. That combination of climate science knowledge and technological innovation is an extraordinary new force for good, one that can powerfully address these challenges.
If you’re interested in further exploring Tim De Chant’s ideas, or just fact checking what you think was a crazy assertion, email him at tim.dechant@techcrunch.com. He’s looking forward to seeing you there!