In this episode of Plugged In, Constellation’s Managing Director Melissa Zimmerman speaks with Ed Socia, Director, North America at datacenterHawk, about the evolving energy demands and sustainability challenges of data centers. Socia discusses trends such as the growing influence of AI, increasing rack densities, and the adoption of liquid cooling to optimize energy use. He highlights the role of real-time monitoring tools like SCADA and DSM in improving efficiency while addressing regional variations in energy strategies and the balance between carbon reduction goals and business viability. He also touches on the potential of emerging technologies like small modular reactors and green hydrogen, the importance of adaptive reuse of sites, and the need to enhance grid reliability as the industry continues to grow rapidly.