In this episode, James talks with Brian Janous, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Cloverleaf Infrastructure and former Head of Energy at Microsoft. With 25+ years in the utility space — including a decade leading Microsoft’s cloud energy strategy — Brian shares what it was like to scale power procurement during the hyperscale boom and why he founded Cloverleaf to solve the next frontier: grid-aligned power delivery for data centers.

They explore the transition from fiber-first to power-first infrastructure, the myth of exponential energy growth, and the real reason AI is accelerating demand at an unprecedented pace. Brian unpacks the growing tension between real estate and power developers, the limitations of behind-the-meter hype, and why grid integration remains king.

You’ll also hear insights on:

• Why utilities are overwhelmed by “two chucks in a truck” proposals
• What makes a site actually marketable to hyperscalers
• The misunderstood economics of flexible load and data center reliability
• How Cloverleaf partners to derisk power timelines and unlock investment

Whether you’re a power developer, hyperscaler, or real estate operator, this episode offers a candid look at what it takes to deliver the electrons that fuel AI.

Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?

Paces helps developers find and evaluate the sites most suitable for renewable development. Interested in a call with James, CEO @ Paces?