Ep249: Data Centres vs. The Grid
Can the two play nice together? Varun Sivaram and Steve Smith think so.
This week on Cleaning Up, Michael Liebreich sits down with Varun Sivaram and Steve Smith to explore one of the most urgent, and overlooked, challenges of the AI revolution: how to power it without breaking the grid.
As AI demand explodes, hyperscale data centres are emerging as massive, inflexible loads, rivaling entire cities. But do they have to be a burden on the grid?
This conversation dives into a groundbreaking trial led by Emerald AI in partnership with National Grid, NVIDIA and others, demonstrating that data centres can dynamically adjust their power consumption in real time using software.
Key insights from the episode:
How AI data centres could reduce grid stress instead of increasing it
The concept of “flexible demand” and why it’s a game changer for AI data centres
Why speed of connection matters more than cheap electricity in the AI race
How software, not infrastructure, could help unlock billions in grid capacity
The hidden flexibility inside AI workloads (and why not all compute is equal)
From kettle spikes during football matches to lightning strikes on the grid, this episode reveals how intelligent systems can respond in seconds, turning a looming energy crisis into a massive opportunity.
Watch the episode on YouTube now, or find it on your favourite podcast platform.