What happens when the power grid fails, and how can data centers actually be the solution?
Episode Summary: Host Beth Rattner sits down live in Austin, TX (fueled by local BBQ) with Wes Short, Endeavour’s Senior Director of Infrastructure Projects and resident "MacGyver." They do a deep dive into grid stability, the realities of exponential AI growth, and why Wes believes data centers should be the heart of thriving, resilient communities.
In this episode, we cover:
- Grid Stability & The Spain Blackout: Lessons learned from recent grid failures and the massive infrastructure challenges that keep Wes up at night.
- Smart Automation & TurboCell: How AI and systems like Endeavour's TurboCell are paving the way for smarter, more resilient grids.
- Data Centers as Community Hubs: A bold new vision for infrastructure that integrates farms, greenhouses, and renewable fuels into the data center ecosystem.
- The AI Bubble & Beyond: Wes's take on the current AI landscape, mapping the big picture, and what you should actually do when you "lose your power poles."
About the Podcast: Beyond the Grid is a podcast for bold thinkers reimagining infrastructure, energy, and the future of our shared systems. Hosted by Beth Rattner, Senior Director at Endeavour Impact, each episode explores what’s next, what’s possible, and who is bold enough to make it happen.
What is Beyond the Grid?
Hosted by Beth Rattner of Endeavour, Beyond the Grid is a podcast dedicated to reimagining the critical infrastructure that powers our rapidly changing digital world. As exponential AI growth pushes conventional power grids and finite resources to their limits, we sit down with the bold thinkers, engineers, and leaders building the solutions of tomorrow. From multi-gigawatt data centers and waterless cooling to decentralized energy hubs and digital twins, each episode cuts through the noise to explore how we can build resilient, community-first ecosystems. If you are ready to ask what’s next, what’s possible, and how we actually build it, you are in the right place.