Speed to power: Strategic resilience in the data center market

While the long-term fundamentals of the energy transition remain robust, the immediate path for developers has become a 'Solarcoaster' of regulatory shifts and infrastructure bottlenecks. In this executive conversation, Jason Kaminsky (CEO, kWh Analytics) and Vanessa Witte (Senior Manager of Market Intelligence, Rowan Digital Infrastructure) sit down to dissect how the industry's leading players are moving toward a storage-heavy, onsite strategy to ensure project viability through 2029.

The conversation has moved beyond the 'if' of renewable deployment to the 'how' of power availability. As the industry grapples with the slow reveal of policy impacts and grid interconnection hurdles, Rowan Digital Infrastructure's approach offers a blueprint for adapting to the current environment—shifting toward bespoke regional solutions and onsite generation to satisfy the massive electrification demands of hyperscalers.

Strategic Takeaways: Beyond the Megawatt

• Speed to Power as the Primary Bottleneck: In 2024, the focus has shifted from cost and reliability to 'speed to power.' With 15-year timelines for traditional utility-scale projects, developers are prioritizing locations where power can be accessed immediately to meet AI-driven demand.

• The Onsite Generation Revolution: Evaluation of onsite generation has jumped from 10% to nearly 100% among data center developers. Whether as a bridging or long-term solution, onsite assets are now a technical necessity to bypass the grid's interconnection queue issues.

• BESS as a Multi-Tool for Reliability: Beyond simple backup, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are critical for providing ramping support for AI training loads. This flexibility allows for the emergence of 'Physical Power Purchase Agreements (PPA),' delivering electrons directly to the site for maximum resilience.

• Operational Realism in Asset Management: As the market matures, the focus has shifted to sophisticated revenue stacking. Moving away from 'resting on laurels' with simple bilateral contracts, operators are now adopting AI-integrated software to optimize every stage of the revenue stack.

Meet the Experts in San Diego

Both Vanessa Witte and Jason Kaminsky will be featured speakers at the upcoming The Solarplaza Summit Asset Management North America on 1-2 April 2026 in San Diego.

Join 650+ high-level stakeholders to dive deeper into these topics, explore the latest in BESS asset management, and network with the leaders shaping the future of the North American solar landscape.