Data centers are becoming major players in the electric grid, serving as both heavy consumers and potential sources of flexibility.

This roundtable explores the growing strains on the grid, the challenges of integrating renewable energy, and the resulting economic and political trade-offs. Amid grid access constraints, climate imperatives, and technological innovations, it offers a clear-eyed look at current limitations and emerging solutions for reconciling digital growth with energy sustainability.

● Pressure on the power grid: access to capacity, connection timelines, and regional prioritization challenges.
● Renewable energy and data centers: intermittency, storage, PPAs, and the real limits of “carbon neutrality.”
● Flexibility and demand management: data centers as grid balancing tools (demand response, load shifting, edge computing).
● Economic models and financing: sharing infrastructure costs, the role of public and private stakeholders, and regulatory trade-offs in France.
● Resilience and climate adaptation: cooling, water stress, site location, and business continuity in the face of extreme events