Hello everyone! Today, we’re diving into an exciting tech story that might just change how data centers get their electricity.

Imagine a world where the electrical grid has way more capacity than we thought. That’s exactly what Tim De Chant reports about Gridcare, a company uncovering unused power pockets in the grid. Data centers desperately seek new power sources, often building expensive on-site generators, but Gridcare has a cleverer idea.

The company has been studying the grid for years, using AI and detailed mapping to find slack in the system. They layer in information about fiber, gas, weather, and community sentiment to forecast potential capacity boosts. Their approach involves working closely with utilities to identify and verify these hidden spots.

Recently, Gridcare secured $13.5 million in seed funding from top investors like Xora and Temasek’s venture arm. They plan to use this to expand their mapping technology and unlock more grid capacity, which could provide over 100 MW for data centers. This could easing the data center industry’s power crunch without the need for costly new infrastructure.

Gridcare’s method involves making data-driven matches between data centers and available grid capacity, often saving money and time. Their service charges a fee based on the capacity they unlock, which is a small price for the huge benefits. Some data centers might even opt to temporarily use backup power during capacity gaps, while others will wait for a new grid battery or similar upgrade.

As the world advances in AI and cloud computing, solutions like this could play a vital role. Instead of long waits for grid connections, finding slack in existing infrastructure allows for faster, cheaper growth. Tim De Chant highlights that thanks to smart technology, unlocking unused capacity is very doable—no nuclear fusion required!