Modernizing the AC Power Grid for Future Stability (Download)

Our electric grid—built roughly a century ago—was designed around large, centralized energy resources based on heavy rotating generators found in hydroelectric, nuclear, coal, and natural gas power plants. These power plants are huge infrastructure projects that take 10-15 years to build and commission, so it’s a major effort to add any new facilities.

However, global electricity demand is increasing at approximately 4% annually. Two major drivers are pushing this demand:

1. Electric vehicles, as transportation becomes increasingly electrified.
2. Artificial intelligence, specifically the data centers required to support AI computing workloads.