Brian Janous has over 20 years of experience in the electricity and data center industries. He is the co-founder of Cloverleaf, a sustainability-focused consulting firm designed to help companies navigate the complexities of implementing renewable energy strategies. Previously, Brian served as Vice President of Energy at Microsoft, overseeing the company’s global data center energy footprint. At Microsoft, managed the execution of over 15 GW of renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) and a team of over 100 employees. He also played a critical role in developing siting and growth strategies for over 4 GW of data centers in 40+ countries. Brian led power supply planning—and helped to develop the overall strategy—for Microsoft’s cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2011, Brian spent 12 years in the energy industry, where he worked as a Sr. Consultant at Brubaker & Associates, advising Fortune 500 companies with energy procurement, policy, and sustainability strategies. Brian holds an MBA from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science in Finance, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Missouri. Brian has also served on the board of the American Wind Energy Association (now the American Clean Power Association), and presently serves on the board of the Institute for Energy Studies at Western Washington University. Brian was featured in the 2018 climate change documentary “Paris to Pittsburgh” by National Geographic and Bloomberg Philanthropies
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Episode 368
Brian Janous
How to Remake the Electric Grid for AI | Brian Janous
Brian Janous has over 20 years of experience in the electricity and data center industries. He is the co-founder of Cloverleaf, a sustainability-focused consulting firm designed to help companies navigate the complexities of implementing renewable energy strategies. Previously, Brian served as Vice President of Energy at Microsoft, overseeing the company’s global data center energy footprint. At Microsoft, managed the execution of over 15 GW of renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) and a team of over 100 employees. He also played a critical role in developing siting and growth strategies for over 4 GW of data centers in 40+ countries. Brian led power supply planning—and helped to develop the overall strategy—for Microsoft’s cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2011, Brian spent 12 years in the energy industry, where he worked as a Sr. Consultant at Brubaker & Associates, advising Fortune 500 companies with energy procurement, policy, and sustainability strategies. Brian holds an MBA from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science in Finance, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Missouri. Brian has also served on the board of the American Wind Energy Association (now the American Clean Power Association), and presently serves on the board of the Institute for Energy Studies at Western Washington University. Brian was featured in the 2018 climate change documentary “Paris to Pittsburgh” by National Geographic and Bloomberg Philanthropies
In Episode 368 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with Brian Janous. Brian is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Cloverleaf Infrastructure. With over 20 years of experience in the electricity and data center industries, Brian is the perfect person to talk to about the growth in electricity demand being forecasted by North American grid planners as they try to get ahead of several converging trends in the energy space, including the rapid buildout of AI data centers, the onshoring of new industrial capacity, and the introduction of more intermittent sources of energy like wind and solar onto the grid.
The first hour begins with a conversation about electric power and what we mean when we talk about “The Grid.” What are the important pieces—both in terms of operating concerns, like private utilities and regulatory bodies, as well as physical systems like power stations, electrical substations, and transmission lines—that comprise the electric grid? How do all of these pieces come together to support the functioning of a modern economy and what are the challenges inherent in trying to update and expand such a complex and interconnected system?
In the second part of their conversation, Kofinas and Janous discuss what the planning and procurement process for new data centers looks like from the perspective of tech companies and what sorts of opportunities may exist to invest around this anticipated boom in data center development and operations. We also discuss how a precipitous rise in electricity demand driven by a boom in data center usage without a concurrent increase in new capacity to service it could lead to substantial cost increases for households and a series of hard choices for policymakers and politicians facing angry constituents in the years to come.
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Brian Janous has over 20 years of experience in the electricity and data center industries. He is the co-founder of Cloverleaf, a sustainability-focused consulting firm designed to help companies navigate the complexities of implementing renewable energy strategies. Previously, Brian served as Vice President of Energy at Microsoft, overseeing the company’s global data center energy footprint. At Microsoft, managed the execution of over 15 GW of renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) and a team of over 100 employees. He also played a critical role in developing siting and growth strategies for over 4 GW of data centers in 40+ countries. Brian led power supply planning—and helped to develop the overall strategy—for Microsoft’s cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2011, Brian spent 12 years in the energy industry, where he worked as a Sr. Consultant at Brubaker & Associates, advising Fortune 500 companies with energy procurement, policy, and sustainability strategies. Brian holds an MBA from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science in Finance, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Missouri. Brian has also served on the board of the American Wind Energy Association (now the American Clean Power Association), and presently serves on the board of the Institute for Energy Studies at Western Washington University. Brian was featured in the 2018 climate change documentary “Paris to Pittsburgh” by National Geographic and Bloomberg Philanthropies
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
