Data Center Richness

The transformer is a key component of power delivery, but its core design dates to the 19th century. A number of startups are working to build a better transformer using software-defined power electronics that are ready for the AI era. One of those companies is DG Matrix. It focuses on solid-state transformers, which are emerging as as a critical piece of the infrastructure for next-generation AI data center. DG Matrix CEO and cofounder Haroon Inam joins us to discuss solid-state transformers, and how a multi-port design can provide new options for savings and efficiency in the data center power chain. Here's an overview of our conversation: 00:00 - Why Power Transformers Are Ripe for Disruption 01:05 - Haroon Inam's Journey in Power Electronics 04:15 - Types of Transformers and Their Availability 07:15 - Why Multi-Port SSTs Matter 15:00 - How Can SSTs Help Data Centers? 18:00 - The DG Matrix Offering 22:45 - SSTs and the 800 VDC Transition 25:15 - What the 800 VDC Shift May Look Like 32:30 - What Are the Challenges to SST Adoption 37:00 - Partnerships with Exowatt and InfraPartners 40:00 - The Road Ahead for DG Matrix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1 NOW ON SUBSTACK! Check out the Data Center Richness Substack: https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/ On the Web: Data Center Richness https://datacenterpodcast.com/ LINKS FROM THIS SHOW DG Matrix https://www.dgmatrix.com/ Solid-State Transformers Could Reshape the Future of AI https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/p/solid-state-transformers-could-reshape Haroon Inam on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/harooninam/ Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/ RELATED VIDEOS: Solid-State Transformers and the Future of AI https://youtu.be/fyN9_9wz-3M Exowatt: The Solar Startup Aiming to Transform Data Centers https://youtu.be/KPdI5OW-TUw?si=8a10IaGZGQAcbWEF Data Centers, AI and the Future of Power https://youtu.be/EYo2YK7L5q0?si=u6kDairimGUARt3b All video by Data Center Richness. Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

One of the big data center stories of 2025 is the big shift of capacity from crypto to AI computing. In recent months, companies that got their start in crypto infrastructure have signed deals with the largest players in hyperscale AI, winning contracts worth billions of dollars. One of those is Applied Digital, which has been one of the busiest players in 2025, singing deals for 600 megawatts of capacity on its data center campus in North Dakota. Our guest today is Wes Cummins, the founder and CEO of Applied Digital, who provides an insider's view on the journey from bitcoin to AI, and how Applied Digital made North Dakota a hyperscale data center market. Here's an overview of the discussion between Data Center Richness host Rich Miller and Applied Digital CEO Wes Cummins: 00:00 - From Bitcoin to Hyperscale: Wes Cummins' Data Center Journey 02:00 - 2025: A Big Year for Applied Digital 08:15 - 5 Pillars of Data Center Success (Why Capital Matters) 15:25 - Why North Dakota? 20:00 - The Crypto to HPC to AI Transition 23:00 - The Design Differences Between Crypto and AI 31:20 - Flexibility for the Inference-Powered Future 36:45 - The Road Ahead: More Hyperscalers in More Places ---------------------------------------------------------------------- At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1 Check out the Data Center Richness Substack: https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/ On the Web: Data Center Richness https://datacenterrichness.com/ LINKS FROM THIS SHOW Applied Digital https://www.applieddigital.com/ 200 MW Hyperscale Lease Announcement https://ir.applieddigital.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/132/applied-digital-announces-5-billion-ai-factory-lease-with Wes Cummins on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-cummins-63114481/ Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/ RELATED VIDEOS: Why Data Centers Are Moving to Power-Rich Locations https://youtu.be/AlIwlsiLa5M Why Every Data Center Pro is Talking About Power https://youtu.be/GJiBqvUl5rU A Closer Look at Two-Phase Liquid Cooling https://youtu.be/w_Us94JgYzc All video by Data Center Richness. Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

Data centers are economic engines of the new economy. Every data center starts as an idea, with a location attached. It takes a lot of funding, planning and execution to create these complex facilities. Today on Data Center Richness, we share a behind-the-scenes look at how investors and developers work together to bring a data center project from concept to reality. Our guests are Sabey Data Centers President Tim Mirick and Jeff Kanne, the President and CEO of National Real Estate Advisors. The two companies have been working together since 2010, with National Real Estate providing the capital to enable Sabey its footprint across the US. It's a fascinating conversation that provides a glimpse into how these relationships work, and how investment strategy and company culture translate into new to support data center customers. And how those models adapt to the super-sized development environment of 2025 and beyond. Here's an overview of the discussion, hosted by Rich Miller of Data Center Richness. 00:00 - Intro: Why Capital Matters in Data Center Development 01:30 - Tim Mirick's Data Center Journey, and the Sabey Data Centers story. 05:00 - Meet Jeff Kanne, and National Real Estate Advisors 08:15 - The Investor Perspective: How NREA Evaluates Development Opportunities 11:20 - The Operator Perspective: How Sabey Approaches Project Development 14:45 - Sabey's Growth Story - Expanding Beyond the Pacific Northwest 22:50 - The Next Phase: Why Austin? 26:25 - The Current AI Boom: Assessing Risk and Opportunity 31:50 - Developing Strategy in a Complex Market 36:00 - Customer Models - Enterprise vs. Hyperscale vs Neoclouds 39:45 - The Road Ahead: How Sabey and NREA See the Future ---------------------------------------------------------------------- At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1 NOW ON SUBSTACK! Check out the Data Center Richness Substack: https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/ On the Web: Data Center Richness https://datacenterpodcast.com/ LINKS FROM THIS SHOW Sabey Data Centers https://sabeydatacenters.com/ National Real Estate Advisors https://natadvisors.com/ Sabey Expands Power Availability Across Key Campuses https://sabeydatacenters.com/news/sabey-expands-power-availability-across-key-campuses Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/ RELATED VIDEOS: What's Next in Data Center Investing? https://youtu.be/XITavRKbXF4?si=eDV53Vj3a0bj9AmM What's Next for Data Center Real Estate? https://youtu.be/H2FFJfm5wug?si=ITkZ2ILcyrqyXjn6 All video by Data Center Richness. Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

Energy is the lifeblood of every data center. As the AI boom has gained velocity, the focus on energy has intensified as power demand has effectively maxed out existing grid capacity in major data center markets. Understanding the finer points of power has never been more important. Dan Crosby has helped explain the complexities of the energy market for the data center sector. Dan is the founder and CEO of Legend Energy Advisors, where he and his team helped deploy clients deploy multiple gigawatts of data center projects in 2024. On this edition of the Data Center Richness. Dan shared his take on how long the current power constraints might last, the growing profile of natural gas for powering large loads, and the opportunities and challenges in deploying onsite power at data centers. 00:00 - Why energy matters right now. 01:32 - Dan Crosby's "Data Center Journey" and background 04:00 - How Legend Energy Advisors works with data center clients. 06:20 - How long will key data center markets remain power-constrained. 10:50 - Onsite power for data centers - the opportunities and challenges. 15:45 - Designing loads and grids - how to manage dynamic power. 18:12 - What are the best strategies to collaborate with utilities? 21:11 - Load flexibility, and how to make it work. 25:15 - The rising profile of natural gas, and the role of renewable energy. 32:50 - Data centers as anchor customers for next-generation nuclear. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1 NOW ON SUBSTACK! Check out the Data Center Richness Substack: https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/ On the Web: Data Center Richness https://datacenterpodcast.com/ LINKS FROM THIS SHOW Legend Energy Advisors https://legendenergyadvisors.com/ Dan Crosby on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-crosby-a58a3212/ Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/ RELATED VIDEOS: Data Centers, AI and the Future of Power (Elisa Wood) https://youtu.be/EYo2YK7L5q0?si=ewmU1WMbkHU2lnSh Unlocking Power for AI Growth (Tyler Norris) https://youtu.be/D6-1QxRRxoA?si=VHUbBdImjKbqAs4g Why Data Centers Are Turning to Bloom Energy https://youtu.be/Z-udNWq2bAg?si=vHOizsz7AqT5M7eQ All video by Data Center Richness. Supplemental thumbnail art by Storyblocks Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

We've seen a lot of headlines about data centers lately, especially controversies in communities considering large new data center campuses to support AI. Community resistance to data centers is not new, but has escalated rapidly in recent months, with a number of projects being canceled or delayed amid community outcry, including some that represented billions of dollars in local investment. Adam Waitkunas of Milldam Public Relations publishes a newsletter tracking data center controversies and how local communities are shaping the future of data center growth. Adam and host Rich Miller discuss why we're seeing more of these controversies, some of the key factors in community resistance, and what data centers can do to change the narrative and address some of the concerns about AI development. It's an important topic, and one we need to talk more about. Digital services are a growing part of our entertainment, business and social lives, and that trend will continue. Data centers are the engines of this digital economy. Here's an overview of the conversation: 00:00 - Overview: Community controversies are on the rise. 01:48 - About Adam Waitkunas of Milldam PR and the Zoning In newsletter. 05:45 - How We Got Here: The evolution of community controversies. 10:12 - Community Awareness and Data Center Development 15:00 - Transparency and Why It Matters 19:18 - Best Practices for Communicating With the Community 20:56 - Public Officials on the Hot Seat. 24:40 - Localizing the Community Conversation 27:00 - NDAs and Community Relations 29:15 - A Legacy of Secrecy. Time for a change? 35:00 - How Media Coverage Shapes the Narratives 39:00 - Could the data center industry be doing more? 41:10 - Building Bridges and Expertise ---------------------------------------------------------------------- At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1 NOW ON SUBSTACK! Check out the Data Center Richness Substack: https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/ On the Web: Data Center Richness https://datacenterpodcast.com/ LINKS FROM THIS SHOW: Milldam Public Relations https://milldampr.com/ Follow Adam Waitkunas on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/awaitkunas/ Follow Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/ RELATED VIDEOS: What's Next for Data Center Real Estate? https://youtu.be/H2FFJfm5wug?si=NLKTZmDMDm5bS6Sx Mastering High-Density Cooling https://youtu.be/_zeLScBMDxk?si=432CIwTrRQjgw3_q Why AI Will Be A Paradigm Shift https://youtu.be/u-Lv9MwS7x8?si=TCP_HUMfghSktAP0 All video by Data Center Richness. Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

Cooling is a hot topic in the data center industry. Few companies have been more focused on cooling than Aligned Data Centers, which builds hyperscale facilities for some of the world's leading players in cloud computing and AI. Our guest today is Michael Welch, the Chef Technology Officer at Aligned, who discusses how Aligned is updating its products and designs for the rising densities in AI workloads, and why an advanced cooling lab is an important part of the company's strategy. Data Center Richness host Rich Miller and Michael Welch discuss the following topics: 00:00 - Intro: Cooling is a Hot Topic 00:52 - Meet Michael Welch and an overview of Aligned Data Centers 03:50 - The State of Data Center Cooling 08:00 - The Delta Cubed and Delta Flow systems 11:00 - Hybrid Environments: Air Cooling and Liquid Cooling, Working Together 16:42 - The Aligned Advanced Cooling Lab 20:33 - How Higher Density Can Enabl;e Server Waste Heat Reuse 23:50 - On-Site Power and the Future of Energy 26:00 - The Improving Economics of Fuel Calls and BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) 28:08 - How Aligned Optimizes its Supply Chain 31:25 - The Supply Chain in the Gigawatt Era 35:05 - The Road Ahead: Designing for Bigger, Denser Data Centers At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1 On the Web: Data Center Richness https://datacenterpodcast.com/ LINKS FROM THIS SHOW: Aligned Data Centers https://aligneddc.com/ Inside Aligned's Advanced Cooling Lab https://youtu.be/-aq_uVdZ6eA?si=Q4wTNvTYlLNA4lfy Follow Michael Welch on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-welch-0a7b092b/ Follow Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/ RELATED VIDEOS: A Closer Look at Two-Phase Liquid Cooling https://youtu.be/w_Us94JgYzc How Will Data Centers Be Different in 2030 https://youtu.be/IUO8fUWNoX8?si=QjhHEBlvx3fMR0Z All video by Data Center Richness. Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx