Modernizing power grids is critical to meeting rising energy demands, integrating renewable sources, and ensuring operational reliability. Traditional grids struggle with aging infrastructure, fluctuating loads, and the variability of renewable generation.

Defined as the deliberate reduction or cessation of electricity generation from renewables, even when plants are technically capable of producing, curtailment represents a stark irony in our clean energy journey.

In 2026, US data center demand will rise to 75.8 GW for IT equipment, cooling, lighting and other uses, and further expand to 108 GW in 2028 and 134.4 GW in 2030, according to the outlook.

By 2030, U.S. data centers will account for approximately 12% of the total U.S. power demand — an increase of approximately 400 terawatt hours (TWh) from today.

Artificial intelligence offers a path forward. Unlike traditional analytics, which require structured datasets, large language models (LLMs) and other AI methods can process the messy, real-world inputs where SIF precursors often hide: handwritten field observations, free-text incident narratives, transcribed toolbox talks, and even voice recordings.

The global electricity system is undergoing a major transformation, shifting from a traditional, centralized model to a more digital, decentralized one.

Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) and Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) have been positioned as solutions for more than a decade, but the real challenge has always been scale. A thousand rooftop solar arrays or community batteries don’t naturally operate like a single 500-MW power plant. To function reliably, they need coordination that is far more sophisticated than simple scheduling.

The growing connection between LNG exports and electricity markets in the U.S. is happening because of two long-term trends.

The 2024-2025 storm season has underscored the vulnerability of the U.S. electrical grid, with a series of extreme weather events causing widespread power outages and significant economic losses.

Despite a strong start to the solar season in Europe, and record amounts of cheap new renewable capacity in Germany since the energy crisis, it’s natural gas that will increasingly decide how much households and factories in Europe’s biggest economy pay for electricity.