The data center gold rush, with Jake Anderson

S1E5 episode overview

The rapid rise of AI-driven data centers is transforming the energy landscape faster than almost anyone predicted. In this episode of Watt Matters, Ana speaks with Jake Anderson, Head of Business at PVcase, about why the data center boom is fundamentally an energy story — and what it means for developers, utilities, and clean energy providers.

Jake breaks down the unprecedented scale of load growth, why power availability has become the defining constraint for new projects, and how traditional development models are breaking under pressure. From grid bottlenecks and land constraints to shifting policy rules and cost allocation debates, the conversation explores how the industry is being forced to rethink site selection, planning, and power-first development.

The episode also looks ahead: how renewables and storage fit into the data center future, why uncertainty around AI demand won’t slow near-term growth, and what lessons data center developers are borrowing from renewable energy playbooks to move faster and smarter.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why AI-driven data centers are causing unprecedented load growth.

• How “power-first” development is reshaping site selection strategies.

• The three critical ingredients for viable data center projects: land, power, and connectivity.

• Why the grid — not land — is now the biggest bottleneck.

• How policy and cost-sharing models are evolving under massive new demand.

• What renewable developers can learn from data center development (and vice versa).

• Why traditional inbound site sourcing no longer scales.

• How automation and grid modeling are becoming competitive advantages.

• Where solar and storage realistically fit into the data center boom.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction and the data center gold rush
03:00 – Jake Anderson’s background and role at PVcase
05:00 – Unprecedented scale: why load growth changed everything
08:30 – Power as the dominant bottleneck
13:00 – Land, connectivity, and finding “diamonds in the rough”
16:00 – From reactive to proactive site selection
19:30 – Power-first development and PVcase’s approach
22:45 – Policy, cost allocation, and who pays for grid upgrades
27:45 – The AI bubble debate and demand uncertainty
31:00 – Why energy transitions are never linear
34:30 – New entrants and the “wild west” of data center development
38:45 – The role of renewables and storage going forward
40:30 – Closing thoughts on opportunity and pressure