The Data Center Frontier Show

Nomads at the Summit: Waste Heat to Water - The Path Towards Water Positive Data Centers

In this DCF Trends-Nomads at the Summit Podcast episode, Matt Grandbois, Vice President at AirJoule, introduces a game-changing approach to one of the data center industry’s most pressing challenges: water sustainability. As power-hungry, high-density environments collide with growing water scarcity concerns, Grandbois lays out a compelling vision for water-positive data centers—facilities that produce more water than they consume. Leveraging AirJoule’s advanced atmospheric water harvesting technology, he explains how waste heat, typically seen as a problem to mitigate, can become a valuable resource for onsite water generation. From adiabatic cooling and humidification to local water replenishment, this conversation opens up new possibilities for sustainable design, reduced PUE, and location flexibility—redefining what it means for data centers to be responsible community partners.

Nomads at the Summit: How Medium Voltage UPS Architectures are Redefining Data Center Design to Meet the Demands of AI Densification

Speakers: Mike Klassen, Director of Business Development, ZincFiveSugam Patel, VP of Product Management, DG Matrix
In this DCF Trends-Nomads at the Summit Podcast episode, experts from ZincFive and DG Matrix unpack how medium voltage (MV) UPS architectures are redefining the way data centers power up for AI. As AI densification pushes traditional infrastructure to its limits, MV UPS solutions offer a path forward—boosting efficiency, reducing heat and losses, and reclaiming floor space for compute. The conversation delves into how higher voltage translates into smarter, more scalable designs that not only meet the demands of today's high-performance AI workloads but also future-proof facilities for what's coming next. From design frameworks to deployment strategies, Klassen and Patel provide a grounded, technical look at the UPS shift already underway.

Nomads at the Summit: Melissa Farney & Bill Kleyman on the Future of AI and Digital Infrastructure

In this episode of the DCF Trends–Nomads at the Summit podcast, we bring together two dynamic voices shaping the future of digital infrastructure: Melissa Farney, Editor at Large for Data Center Frontier and board member of the Nomad Futurist Foundation, and Bill Kleyman, Contributing Editor for Data Center Frontier and CEO of Apolo, who also serves as a member of the Nomad Futurist Foundation. Melissa and Bill join up for a candid discussion on the biggest trends transforming the data center and digital ecosystem. From AI-driven growth and sustainability challenges to the human capital needed to sustain the industry’s rapid expansion, they share a unique blend of editorial perspective and executive experience. This episode also dives into the mission of the Nomad Futurist Foundation: inspiring and equipping the next generation of leaders in the digital infrastructure space. Listeners will gain insights not just into market shifts, but also into the values and vision shaping the future of the field. Tune in for an engaging conversation at the intersection of thought leadership, industry transformation, and the mission to build a more resilient, inclusive digital future.

Nomads at the Summit: Technology Infrastructure Considerations for Hyperscale, MTDC, Wholesale - A Consultant Engineer’s Perspective

Speakers: Joseph Ford, Senior Associate – Technology, Bala Consulting EngineersEric Klaiber, Data Center Design Manager, Bala Consulting Engineers
In this DCF Trends-Nomads at the Summit Podcast episode, Joseph Ford and Eric Klaiber of Bala Consulting Engineers offer a consultant engineer’s hard-won perspective on the complex realities of designing infrastructure for hyperscale, MTDC, and wholesale data centers. Drawing on years of field experience, they dig into the nuanced choreography required to align incoming duct banks, meet-me room layouts, and overlapping network systems—all while staying within the spatial constraints driven by power and cooling demands. This candid conversation highlights what it really takes to create design harmony across client expectations, design teams, and contractors, with insights into space planning, coordination strategy, and the delicate balance of infrastructure coexistence that underpins modern high-performance facilities.

Nomads at the Summit: Mission-Critical and Data Center Challenges + 7x24 National Update

In this DCF Trends-Nomads at the Summit Podcast episode, Data Center Frontier and Nomad Futurist hosts sit down with Bob Cassiliano, Chairman & CEO of 7x24 Exchange International, for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of mission-critical infrastructure and the evolving challenges facing the data center industry. As the leader of one of the most influential organizations in the space, Cassiliano offers a national perspective on power constraints, workforce development, sustainability pressures, and the cultural shifts reshaping operations and leadership across the digital infrastructure landscape. The discussion also highlights how 7x24 Exchange continues to serve as a vital convening force for collaboration, education, and resilience in an industry tasked with powering the AI era. With decades of insight and a pulse on what’s next, Cassiliano shares where the data center sector must go to meet the moment.

Why AI is Making Liquid Cooling Inevitable

AI has pushed liquid cooling from a niche technology to a critical requirement for high density data centers.In this episode, Pat McGinn, COO and President of CoolIT Systems, shares why AI is driving liquid cooling from optional to essential. He explains how CoolIT helps customers deliver AI systems at speed and scale through proven capacity, modular solutions, and dedicated engineering support.Listeners will gain insight into the trends shaping adoption, examples of customer success, and what the future holds for high performance and sustainable cooling.

Rehlko’s Solutions-First Approach to Powering Resilient Data Centers

In this episode, we’re joined by Justin Loritz, Product Manager for Large Diesel at Rehlko, to explore how the company is redefining the role of a manufacturer in today’s dynamic data center landscape.
Rehlko isn’t just delivering equipment, they’re delivering answers. As Justin shares, Rehlko’s philosophy centers on being a true solutions provider: collaborating early, working through complexity, and staying flexible to meet each customer’s unique challenges.
Whether it’s identifying alternative components, navigating supply constraints, or designing systems that meet aggressive density and uptime requirements, Rehlko’s engineers partner closely with customers to ensure no detail is overlooked. Their process is driven by a deep understanding of the application, operational goals, and broader market context, allowing them to fine-tune specifications and avoid missteps that could compromise performance or timelines.
Justin also discusses how this proactive, collaborative mindset extends beyond the customer relationship. By engaging with industry organizations like iMasons and contributing to shared challenges, like power availability and infrastructure strain, Rehlko helps move the entire ecosystem forward.
Key discussion points include:
What it means to be a solutions provider in a high-demand, high-stakes environment
How Rehlko engineers collaborate to solve challenges before they impact project delivery
Why deep application knowledge is essential to right-sizing designs and avoiding over- or under-specification
How industry collaboration is key to unlocking new energy strategies, sourcing approaches, and long-term resilience
For data center leaders navigating rising demand and tighter constraints, this episode highlights how Rehlko’s engineering-first, collaboration-driven approach is helping customers stay ahead, delivering smarter, more resilient infrastructure for the AI-powered future.

Generac Steps Into Data Center Backup Power

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the data center landscape, power resiliency is being tested like never before. With enormous new facilities coming online and operators exploring alternatives to diesel, the backup power market is at an inflection point.
In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show, we sit down with Ricardo Navarro, Vice President of Global Solutions at Generac Power Systems, to discuss how the company is positioning itself as a major player in the data center ecosystem.
Diesel Still Reigns — For Now
Navarro begins by addressing the foundational question: why diesel remains the primary backup power choice for hyperscale and AI workloads.
The answer, he explains, comes down to density, responsiveness, and reliability. Diesel engines respond instantly to the fluctuating loads that are common in AI training clusters, and fuel can be stored directly on-site. While natural gas is gaining traction as a bridging and utility-support solution, true redundancy requires dual pipelines — a level of infrastructure not yet common in data center deployments.
That said, Navarro is clear that the story doesn’t end with diesel. He sees a future where natural gas, paired with batteries, becomes a cost-effective and environmentally attractive option. Hybrid systems, combined with demand response and grid participation programs, could give operators new tools for balancing reliability and sustainability.
“Natural gas might not be the right solution right now, but definitely it will be in the future,” Navarro notes.
Scaling Fast to Meet Hyperscaler Demands
The conversation also explores how hyperscalers are shaping requirements. With campuses needing hundreds of generators, customers are asking not just about product performance, but about scale, lead times, and support.
Generac is addressing that demand by delivering open sets in as little as 30 to 35 weeks — about a third of the wait time from traditional OEMs. That speed-to-deployment advantage has driven significant new interest in Generac across the hyperscale sector.
From Generators to Energy Technology
Equally important is Generac’s shift toward digital tools and predictive services. Over the past decade, the company has invested in acquisitions such as Deep Sea Electronics, Blue Pillar, and Off Grid Energy, expanding its expertise in controls, telemetry, and microgrid integration.
Today, Generac is layering advanced sensors, machine learning, and AI-driven analytics onto its equipment fleet, enabling predictive failure detection, condition-based maintenance, and smarter load orchestration. This evolution, Navarro explains, represents Generac’s transformation “from being just a generator manufacturer to being an energy technology company.”
What’s Next for Generac
Looking ahead, the company is putting real capital behind its ambitions. Generac recently completed a $130 million facility in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, designed to expand production capacity and meet surging demand from data center customers. With firm domestic and international orders already in place, Navarro says the company is determined “to be in the driver’s seat” as AI accelerates the need for scalable, resilient, and flexible backup power.
For data center leaders, this episode provides a clear look into how backup power strategies are evolving — and how one of the industry’s largest players is preparing for the next wave of energy and infrastructure challenges.
 

Cologix and Lambda Debut NVIDIA HGX B200 AI Clusters in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus Hosts First Nvidia HGX B200 AI Cluster, Scaling AI at the Aggregated Edge
In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show, Matt Vincent sits down with Bill Bentley (Cologix) and Ken Patchett (Lambda) to discuss Columbus, Ohio’s first Nvidia HGX B200 AI cluster deployment.
The conversation dives into:
Why Columbus is emerging as a strategic hub for AI workloads in the Midwest.
How Lambda’s one-click clusters and Cologix’s interconnection-rich campus enable rapid provisioning, low-latency inference, and scalable enterprise AI.
Flexible GPU consumption models that lower entry barriers for startups and allow enterprises to scale efficiently.
Innovations in energy efficiency, cooling, and sustainability as data centers evolve to meet the demands of modern AI.
The impact on regional industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics—and why this deployment is a repeatable playbook for future AI clusters.
Join us to hear how AI is being brought closer to the point of need, transforming the Midwest into a next-generation AI infrastructure hub.

Schneider Electric's Steven Carlini on AI Workloads and the Future of Data Centers

Artificial intelligence is changing the data center industry faster than anyone anticipated. Every new wave of AI hardware pushes power, density, and cooling requirements to levels once thought impossible — and operators are scrambling to keep pace. In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show, Schneider Electric’s Steven Carlini joins us to unpack what it really means to build infrastructure for the AI era.
Carlini explains how the conversation around density has shifted in just a year: “Last year, everyone was talking about the one-megawatt rack. Now densities are approaching 1.5 megawatts. It’s moving that fast, and the infrastructure has to keep up.” These rapid leaps in scale aren’t just about racks and GPUs. They represent a fundamental change in how data centers are designed, cooled, and powered.
The discussion dives into the new imperatives for AI-ready facilities:
Power planning that anticipates explosive growth in compute demand.
Liquid and hybrid cooling systems capable of handling extreme densities.
Modularity and prefabrication to shorten build times and adapt to shifting hardware generations.
Sustainability and responsible design that balance innovation with environmental impact.
Carlini emphasizes that operators can’t treat these as optional upgrades. Flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability are now prerequisites for competitiveness in the AI era.
Looking beyond hardware, Carlini highlights the diversity of AI workloads — from generative models to autonomous agents — that will drive future requirements. Each class of workload comes with different power and latency demands, and data center operators will need to build adaptable platforms to accommodate them.
At the Data Center Frontier Trends Summit last week, Carlini expanded further on these themes, offering insights into how the industry can harness AI “for good” — designing infrastructure that supports innovation while aligning with global sustainability goals. His message was clear: the choices operators make now will shape not just business outcomes, but the broader environmental and social impact of the AI revolution.
This episode offers listeners a rare inside look at the technical, operational, and strategic forces shaping tomorrow’s data centers. Whether it’s retrofitting legacy facilities, deploying modular edge sites, or planning new greenfield campuses, the challenge is the same: prepare for a future where compute density and power requirements continue to skyrocket.
If you want to understand how the world’s digital infrastructure is evolving to meet the demands of AI, this conversation with Steven Carlini is essential listening.