Episode Details

AI is rewriting the rules of power.

Live from Upright Digital Studios in Houston, The Energy Pipeline, sponsored by Cat Oil & Gas, host Josh Lowrey sits down with Chris Combs, COO and co-founder of Electric Gen, to break down the energy demands behind the AI boom.

From the Marine Corps to Schlumberger and power startups like Evolution Well Services, Volta Grid, and now Nitrogen, Combs shares a firsthand view of how the industry is evolving.

They cover:

• The rise of gigawatt-scale data centers

• Grid constraints and slow interconnection timelines

• Why behind-the-meter power and microgrids are gaining ground

• Key factors in site selection and power technology

00:00 Welcome and Banter

01:24 Caterpillar Podcast Setup

02:03 Chris Background and Evolution

06:38 From VoltaGrid to Nitrogen

09:54 Data Center Power Boom

11:44 Why AI Changes Everything

20:00 Nuances of Data Center Power

23:22 Oilfield Mindset Advantage

28:04 AI Uses 12x Power

30:38 Grid Limits and Key Questions

31:47 Grid Can’t Keep Up

32:28 PPAs and Onsite Power

33:34 Curtailment and Grid Support

34:26 Brownouts Are Back

36:00 Data Centers Eat Demand

37:58 Picking Data Center Sites

39:30 Behind the Meter Explained

40:56 Turbines vs Recips Reality

44:48 OEM Partnerships and Supply

45:29 Energy as a Team Sport

49:53 AI Is the New Internet

52:35 Five Year Energy Forecast

56:33 Scar Tissue Advice

59:22 Wrap Up and Contact