Why Data Centers Rely on This Crucial Technology

In this episode of The Next Innovation, host Jennifer Strong examines how data centers power technologies, including AI. She speaks to Niall McFadden, CEO of CEL Critical Power, an Irish mission-critical power supplier who recently debuted a manufacturing facility in Northern Virginia. They're helping power new and developing data centers in the region, nicknamed "data center alley." In partnership with the Department of Defence through the SkillBridge Program, current and transitioning service members are ensuring CEL's capabilities are growing and reliable. Tommy Pan Fang, economist of Rice University, and Laila Kearney, US power correspondent at Reuters, break down what makes Northern Virginia such fertile ground for data centers. Jennifer also speaks with Igor Bargatin, associate professor and leading researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, about how orbital data centers could soon be an alternative to terrestrial data centers and what that could mean for tech companies and the future of AI.

Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Executive Producer is Christine Baratta, Senior Producer is Sharon Beriro.