September 3, 2025

Advantage Capital Managing Director, Tom Bitting, recently joined the Soliverse podcast for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of renewable energy. While Tom covered many topics—from the business case for renewables to policy certainty—the conversation around artificial intelligence and its energy demands delivered a powerful perspective given the rapid growth of the industry.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

AI’s Hunger for Power

Tom explained that AI is driving electricity demand at an unprecedented pace. A single AI query can require up to ten times the energy of a traditional internet search, and today’s data centers—especially those built for AI—can use as much electricity as hundreds of thousands of homes. With adoption accelerating across industries, AI is becoming a defining force in energy markets. Unlike past waves of tech adoption, this surge is so steep that many grids simply can’t keep up.

Renewables as the Only Near-Term Solution

The short-term reality is this: while nuclear power continues to inspire optimism, it’s still seven to ten years away from being widely deployed. Fossil fuels remain a part of the mix, but natural gas and other supply chains are already stretched thin. That leaves renewables as the only option ready to scale in the next five years—reliable, deployable, and already reshaping the grid.

We’re already seeing this transformation unfold. In 2023, nine out of ten new U.S. power plants came from renewable sources. And the momentum isn’t slowing—more than 90% of projects waiting to connect to the grid today are renewable-based. As Tom put it, without renewables, there’s simply “no way to get enough power.”

Risks & Consumer Concerns

On the residential side, there’s growing unease that AI systems and massive data centers could one day compete directly with households for electricity. Imagine a sweltering summer evening when families are running air conditioners, only to find that demand from servers outbids their access. Without rapid expansion of supply, the risk isn’t just higher energy bills, but also stability and questions about who gets reliable power.

At the same time, AI adoption is placing new strain on grids that are already fragile. We’ve seen what that looks like with blackouts rolling through New Orleans during record heat waves. This underscores just how thin the margin has become—and how urgently the grid must adapt.

The Core Message

AI is reshaping energy needs at unprecedented speed. Meeting this challenge will require:

  • Massive renewable deployment (solar, wind, and battery storage).
  • Policy certainty and infrastructure buildout to prevent energy supply shortfalls.
  • A balanced energy mix—fossil fuels for near-term stability, renewables for scalability, and nuclear for the long run.

As Tom emphasized, “The AI revolution is an energy revolution.” And ensuring America’s leadership in both will depend on how quickly we can scale reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable power.

Other Topics Covered

While AI and energy took center stage, Tom also spoke about:

  • Advantage Capital’s evolution from job creation and affordable housing to renewable financing.
  • The business case for renewables, which now deliver the lowest-cost electricity once built.
  • The importance of policy stability, especially the role of the tax credits (including those from the Inflation Reduction Act) in catalyzing investment.
  • Advantage Capital’s differentiated financing model, aligning directly with investor outcomes.

Tom’s conversation made one thing clear: the futures of AI and energy are inseparable. The challenge is immense, but so is the opportunity. By scaling renewables, ensuring policy stability, and building resilient infrastructure, we can meet rising demand while creating a more reliable energy system. At Advantage Capital, this is our daily work—deploying catalytic capital to the businesses, technologies, and communities powering the next era of growth.

Learn More About Our Work in Renewables  

Interested in finding out more about our renewables work?  Contact us or visit our renewables page.  

About the Soliverse Podcast

The Soliverse podcasst brings together leaders across the clean energy ecosystem to explore how technology, policy, and investment are shaping the transition to a more sustainable future.

Interested in learning more about this topic and more from Tom?  Dive into more insights here: