New Project Media (NPM) Interconnections

Black & Veatch’s Rafael Frias III , Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa, joins the show this week to share his experiences of navigating grid bottlenecks, energy storage integration, data centre power demand and addressing ageing network infrastructure, all from an engineering standpoint. Rafa, who in 2025 moved to the UK after a long stint in the US, also discusses with NPM’s Jon McNair the key differences between the countries’ energy markets and what lessons might be learned from one country to another. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

Michael Albrecht , managing director of GCM Grosvenor , joins the podcast today to discuss ongoing trends in infrastructure fund investing today, with a focus on the obstacles and solutions in today’s environment. Later in the program, Albrecht discusses state of play in digital infrastructure investing. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this episode, we sit down with Edgar van Essen , managing director of Switch Datacenters , an Amsterdam-headquartered data centre business with more than 18 years of experience developing and operating wholesale colocation and build-to-suit hyperscale facilities. Van Essen discusses the importance of political acceptance for data centres and the need for adaptable designs during the construction period. Van Essen also explains why Switch is looking beyond the Netherlands for its next growth opportunities, what makes markets such as France, Germany and Switzerland attractive, and how the company is preparing for the growing demands of AI. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this week's episode, Soluna CEO John Belizaire joins Andrew Burnes to discuss the firm's unique approach to renewable-powered data centers. Belizaire goes into detail regarding the firm's approach to own its generation assets and pursue projects in congested areas rather than the "Tier 1" load pockets that many data center companies are targeting today. Belizaire describes how this innovative tactic may be a harbinger for where the industry is going as more scrutiny than ever before is placed on the asset class by local residents and legislators alike. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

In this episode, Don Dimitrievich , Portfolio Manager and Global Head of Infrastructure Credit at Nuveen sits down with Jon Berke and Heerea Rikhraj to discuss how private capital is helping finance the energy transition and AI-driven infrastructure boom. Don explains the growing role of preferred tax equity, Nuveen’s investment strategy through its Energy and Power Infrastructure Credit Fund, and the firm's involvement in major projects such as SunZia. The conversation explores opportunities across distributed generation, energy storage, data center power solutions, manufacturing, and energy efficiency, highlighting how investors are positioning to meet rising electricity demand while supporting the buildout of next-generation energy and digital infrastructure. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

In this follow-up episode, Bracewell attorneys Jared Berg and Bryan Clark rejoin NPM's Heerea Rikhraj to discuss how Texas’ data center interconnection process has been thrown into uncertainty after Governor Abbott ordered an audit of projects seeking ERCOT grid connections, prompting a pause of the Batch Zero process. Berg and Clark also discuss the implications for developers, financing, deposit refundability, and the growing interest in on-site power generation. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

In this episode, Bracewell partners Bryan Clark and Jared Berg join NPM’s Heerea Rikhraj to discuss ERCOT’s new Batch Zero large load interconnection process and its implications for Texas data center development. They explore interconnection challenges, financing trends, private credit’s growing role, regulatory uncertainty, and infrastructure bottlenecks. The conversation highlights the risks and opportunities shaping the next wave of AI and data center growth. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

In this episode, Michael Mohamed , Director of Energy Transition at Solomon Partners , speaks with Heerea Rikhraj about the resurgence of renewable energy and infrastructure M&A in 2026. Mohamed explains how greater policy certainty, pent-up capital demand, and the race for scale have driven a sharp increase in transactions, particularly for development-stage assets and renewable platforms. The conversation also explores the explosive growth of AI infrastructure, powered land, and data center development, attracting investors across the capital stack. Mohamed discusses financing trends, platform valuations, and why operating cash flow and scale are becoming critical advantages in today’s market. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this episode, VIRTUS Data Centres' managing director for Europe, Christina Mertens, joins Madeline Sherratt to discuss the company's ambitious Europe expansion, including approximately 380 MW in Germany alone. The developer, backed by ST Telemedia Global Data Centres and Macquarie Asset Management , is currently focused on hyperscale and AI-ready infrastructure. The discussion also covers current industry challenges, including local and governmental bureaucracy, along with the need for skilled workers as the industry enters the next phase. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this episode, PowerBank CEO Richard Lu joins NPM Reporter Skyler Frazer to discuss the company's growth in energy storage and data centers. The company has been ramping up its storage capacity and project pipeline through 2026 so far, and earlier this year identified about 60 existing solar sites in the US and Canada that have potential for data center development. Lu also talks about his company's plans for distributed data centers, called edge data centers, and how they fit into broader energy discussions. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the global power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this episode, Conductor Solar founder and CEO, Marc Palmer, joins Michelle France to discuss why the DG landscape has shifted to a buyer's market and details what buyers are looking for. Palmer also discusses tips and timing to grow and sell portfolios, ITC deadlines, and forecasts a post ITC landscape. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the global power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

Samuel Kuhlwein , Director of Product and EMS, for Stem , joins the podcast this week to discuss the company’s recent marketing agreement with Nuvation Energy and how it presents a solution to FEOC issues. Later in the program, Kuhlwein presents a broader overview on the state of play for the US battery energy supply chain and where the gaps are towards achieving full FEOC compliance. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

R.Power Renewables CIO Michal Swol joins NPM Europe Managing Editor Peter Kneller on the pod this week to discuss how to get Polish BESS projects financed and how operating a portfolio of standalone BESS and standalone solar, rather than co-locating, might be the best approach. The two also discuss the evolution of the PPA market, and why now might be the perfect time to acquire project pipeline across Europe. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

This week’s episode is the full recording of a panel discussion titled “Neo Cloud & AI Factories,” held at the DataCentre Live London Summit on May 21, 2026. Speakers include: Lewis Cobb – Global Director – Modular AI Factories & Data Centres, Durata Christian Goldsmith – Data Center Global Solutions Lead, Arcadis Andrew Harrison – Director of Master Planning, nLighten Blaine Daws – Solutions Director, WNTD Falk Weinreich – CEO, Portus Data Centers Madeline Sherratt – Data Centre Reporter, NPM Europe (m) In this panel, industry leaders unpack how surging AI demand is reshaping infrastructure design, investment, and deployment strategies—while exposing major constraints around power, talent, and delivery timelines. From sovereignty-driven localization to the realities of scaling AI workloads, this conversation explores what’s really driving—and limiting—Europe’s digital future. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this episode, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Ammad Waheed joins Kyle Younker to discuss why “powered land” now defines data center strategy. He explores its spectrum, valuation by megawatt, and rising importance of speed to power. The discussion also covers development risks, financing and leasing dynamics, and growing community scrutiny shaping the industry’s next phase. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

terralayr CEO Philipp Man joins NPM to discuss the evolution of the company’s virtualised battery storage model and the rapidly changing dynamics of the German BESS market. Philipp reflects on the original idea behind founding terralayr in 2023, key milestones in building its proprietary trading platform, and where the business now stands following a landmark equity raise concluded earlier in 2026. The conversation also explores financing conditions for battery storage in Germany, evolving revenue stacks, regulatory change including grid fee reforms, and how geopolitical events are intersecting with BESS deployment in Europe. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

In this episode, host Kyle Younker sits down with Liam Weld , Head of Data Centers at Meter , to explore how AI is reshaping the modern data center from the inside out. While data centers are often discussed in terms of land and power, Weld explains why networking has become one of the most critical—yet underappreciated—drivers of performance and cost in AI facilities. The conversation unpacks the shift from traditional north–south traffic to east–west traffic between GPUs, why AI clusters now function more like a single massive computer, and how latency, reliability, and cabling can directly impact model performance. Weld also details Meter’s vertically integrated approach to networking, spanning hardware, software, installation, and operations, and how this enables automation and long-term efficiency. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this week’s episode, we sat down with Emmanuel Becker, CEO of Mediterra Datacenters, a Southern European data centre business backed by PEIF III, a fund managed by DWS Infrastructure. Becker discusses investor appetite, the reasons behind focusing on Tier II markets, and the huge potential for growth across the Southern European data centre market. He also reveals what he believes to be the biggest challenge in the market – which may come as a surprise to some. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this week’s episode, we sat down with Jennifer Smith, CFO of Pan-European fibre infrastructure operator and telco service provider Zayo Europe to discuss the critical role connectivity plays in the rapidly expanding data centre market. Smith examined the growing partnerships between fibre providers and data centre operators – including its recently announced venture with QTS for its EUR 10bn Cambois project – and unpacked some of the key challenges shaping the sector today. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .

On this week’s episode, Land & Liberty Coalition National Director Bradley Pischea joins utility-scale reporter Kaitlin Fallowfield to discuss his observations on early permitting trends in rural communities. Pischea discusses a recent in-depth analysis that the Land & Liberty Coalition published, which breaks down perceptions on renewable projects and how the organization’s involvement in some counties changed those feelings. In addition to using conservative messaging to promote renewable energy development, Pischea discusses how trends have changed across presidential administrations since he joined L&LC in 2019, and how federal messaging on renewables has impacted concerns at the local level. NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development led coverage of the US & European power, storage & data center markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community. Download our mobile app .