This solo pod continues the series on the Arc of Outrage, the predictable and unavoidable opposition cycle that data centers are facing.
What you’ll get in this solo episode of Energy Thinks
The energy industry has been here before.
I warned data center proponents to stop calling the opposition they are facing “misinformation.” The problem is that data centers are now on the Arc of Outrage. I watched this happen during the fracking wars, when isolated local concerns became organized opposition and organized opposition became a national movement. The specifics change, but the pattern is familiar. The Arc for data centers is particularly steep because they are evoking a basket of concerns, all at once: energy affordability, grid reliability, AI writ large, local control, and the fear that too much is being built too fast.
This episode is not about avoiding the Arc. You cannot. It is about understanding where you are on it, what is coming next, and how to move through it with more skill.
In this solo episode, you’ll hear me think through:
What the Arc of Outrage looks like: the Before Times, the phases, and what comes after
Why the Arc cannot be avoided, even by good companies with good projects
Why your job is to flatten the Arc (not avoid it)
Why the winners will be the companies that get real early
Here’s a taste of what you’ll get:
On skipping the Arc: “You cannot avoid it. There is no skirting the arc of outrage. There is no off-ramp. This is not a lovely little freeway. This is the Disney ride you didn’t mean to get on that you cannot get off until it’s over.”
On whom data center developers need on their team: “If you can find a half dozen people who lived through the fracking wars, particularly in a blue jurisdiction, you are going to have a really good ally to help you get through this.”
On the actual job in front of companies: “Your job is to soften and shorten the Arc for your project and your company.”
On what leaders should expect: “Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. But if you know that, you can manage it. Set realistic expectations: with your leadership, with your investors, with your stakeholders, with your customers.”
Bonus content for this episode
My latest book: The Myth and The Moment
Earlier installments in this series: The Arc of Outrage Has Come for Data Centers and Stop Calling It Data Center Misinformation.
Two recent podcasts: “What You Don’t Know About Community Buy-In” with Jonathan Smith and “Jim Kerr on Your Generational Opportunity.”
Watch on YouTube or listen on Substack
What to do next in The Moment
Preparing for the Arc of Outrage? Reach out to request a briefing. Can you please take a moment to give Energy Thinks a five-star rating wherever you listen to your podcasts? If this was this forwarded to you, please subscribe here.
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Keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle,
Tisha
