Solar Power's Role in the Future of Digital and Energy Infrastructure

Solar Power's Role in the Future of Digital and Energy Infrastructure

From Not Your Father’s Data Center by Compass Datacenters

June 9, 2026 · 44 min · Episode 51

About this episode

The episode discusses the role of solar power in addressing the growing energy demands of data centers and the associated challenges in infrastructure.

In this episode, Raymond Hawkins, Chief Customer Officer at Compass Data Centers, sits down with Dan Cook, founder and Managing Director of Solar Stone. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Dan Cook brings a diverse background rooted in commodities and metals trading before moving into utility-scale solar and battery development, overseeing projects totaling approximately 2 gigawatts. The conversation spans the dramatic growth in data center power demand, including how this surge has challenged both generation and transmission infrastructure. Dan Cook provides context from his energy brokerage and commodity experience, discussing supply chain constraints, queue backlogs for new generation assets, and the complexities of interconnection. Key themes include the impact of speculative projects on development timelines, the evolving landscape of long-duration storage technologies, and the role of federal incentives in renewable energy. The discussion also covers PR challenges for data centers, grid-connected versus behind-the-meter solutions, and the nuanced relationship between data center developers, utilities, and end users. Timestamped Overview: 00:00 Rising demand for copper mining…

People in this episode

Host: Raymond Hawkins

Guest: Dan Cook

Topics covered

  • solar power
  • data center infrastructure
  • energy transmission
  • renewable energy
  • supply chain constraints
  • long-duration storage technologies

Keywords

  • data center power demand
  • energy brokerage
  • interconnection complexities
  • federal incentives
  • renewable energy challenges

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Compass Data Centers, Solar Stone

Places: Cleveland, Ohio

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