Fixing the Grid-Data Center Disconnect with Tony Wagler and Alex Oort Alonso

In this episode, James talks with Tony and Alex from the Paces team about their recent white paper exploring the mismatch between data center growth projections and actual grid planning. Tony, a seasoned power developer, and Alex, a researcher focused on data center flexibility, dive into how speculative load growth is driving transmission investments that may never serve real projects.They discuss how Paces analyzed over 14 million Texas land parcels to identify where data centers could feasibly be built, incorporating constraints like power access, zoning, water, and community sentiment. The conversation reveals a fundamental disconnect: the grid is being built for data centers that may never exist, while truly viable sites often lack the needed power capacity. By taking a “land-first” approach, Paces offers a bottom-up, data-driven framework to inform smarter, faster, and more collaborative infrastructure decisions.Why ERCOT (Texas) was the ideal case study for this white paper.The speculative nature of current interconnection requests and its ripple effects.Key site viability criteria: power, topography, ownership, fiber, and water.Why only 17% of viable land near substations in Texas has withdrawal capacity.A must-listen for anyone building in clean energy, this episode offers a practical framework to better align developer needs with grid planning.Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?

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