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Summary
As data center development accelerates, scrutiny over how the industry will power its growth also increases. Rising public concern, grid constraints and renewed reliance on thermal generation are reshaping the conversation. Join S&P Global Energy analysts to explore why clean energy now carries a true security premium for data centers: strengthening energy resilience, reducing operational risk, improving cost stability and helping operators earn broader public acceptance. Through perspectives on development trends, power system pressures and corporate procurement strategy, the session will show why the renewable edge is becoming a strategic advantage in the next phase of data center expansion.
- Four years into the AI revolution sparked by ChatGPT, where does data center expansion stand?
- Keeping up with power demand — what strategies have been adopted by utilities, grid operators and regulators?
- What are the risks associated with power unavailability? How can these be mitigated?
- Whether you call it "sustainability" or "energy autonomy," AI needs solar and wind.
Speakers
S&P Global Energy
Dan Thompson
Associate Director, Data Center Services & Infrastructure, 451 Research
Dan Thompson is a principal research analyst in the 451 Research technology research group within S&P Global Market Intelligence. He leads the Datacenter Services and Infrastructure team, which is charged with keeping tabs on the datacenter industry globally to better understand its trends and growth areas. His research includes analyses of datacenter providers, market size and supply/demand in key and emerging markets around the world. Dan also provides coverage of datacenter providers offering services beyond colocation, such as managed and cloud-type services.
Dan also provides research on the sustainability of the datacenter industry. Beyond just renewable energy purchasing and carbon offsetting, he has been investigating full life cycle emissions, including supply chain emissions, as well as efficiency gains and water usage.
Before joining S&P Global Market Intelligence, Dan spent 15 years as a practitioner in the IT industry, the last 10 years at a top managed/cloud service provider. Dan has worn many hats in the IT world, from systems administration to management, and was most recently an enterprise architect. In that role, he not only assisted in the launch of the company's security practice, but also created security-specific products and designed security into every solution launched to the customer base.
In addition to a good many IT industry certifications, Dan currently holds degrees in network security and forensics and information technology.
S&P Global Energy
Tony Lenoir
Associate Director, Datacenters & Energy Research
Tony Lenoir is an analyst with the S&P Global Energy Energy Research team.
Specializing in the US renewables space, he has published research on the expansion of solar and wind energy and also of battery storage; the REC market; and energy communities as defined by the Inflation Reduction Act, among other topics.
Tony holds an MBA with a specialization in international finance from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Sarah James
Senior Editor, TMT News
Sarah James has more than a decade of experience writing and editing data-driven, sector-focused content, covering everything from retransmission consent disputes to municipal broadband deployment. She has moderated various panels at industry events like Mobile World Congress and Streaming Media West, and she continues to produce articles around environmental, social and governance issues.
Questions?
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