Elisa Wood interviews Mark Feasel — a former leader at Schneider Electric and FuelCell Energy, and now an independent energy consultant — about the growing tension between energy demand and access in the age of AI. As data centers proliferate and energy demand rises, utilities and innovators face a new challenge: Where will the power come from?
Mark shares his perspective on how distributed energy resources (DERs), grid constraints, and new power generation models may reshape our energy infrastructure. They discuss the blank-slate reality of many AI-driven projects, the rise of fully onsite generation, regulatory hurdles, and what the future may hold if some of the most powerful companies in the world begin generating their own electricity.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why access to grid capacity is becoming the new barrier for data centers
How AI’s energy needs are reshaping assumptions about utility-scale power
The evolving relationship between DERs and utilities—from competition to collaboration
Why “oceanfront property” is the new metaphor for grid interconnection
The surprising role coal and methane may play in next-gen energy systems
How modular, scalable solutions are driving innovation in onsite power
What Mark is seeing in the classroom as he teaches the next generation of energy leaders
Guest Bio:
Mark Feasel, a long-time leader and innovator in the distributed energy space, is the founder and principal of VisRete, a consultancy that services related to energy management, digitalization, microgrids, power grids and distributed generation. He previously served in senior roles at Schneider Electric and FuelCell Energy. Mark also teaches at Northwestern University’s graduate program in Energy and Sustainability, where he mentors the next generation of changemakers. His experience bridges policy, business strategy, and engineering, offering a rare depth of insight into the evolving energy landscape.
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Connect with Elisa Wood:
LinkedIn: Elisa Wood
Call to Action:
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