Everyone agrees we need more distributed energy. The harder question is: who pays for it?

That's the question Molly Bauch has been wrestling with.

As North American Connected Energy Lead at Accenture, Molly helped develop a new model that connects one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity demand with one of the country's biggest energy challenges.

The idea is surprisingly simple.

Data centers need community support and faster paths to power. Millions of low-income households need access to affordable solar and storage. What if those two needs could solve each other?

In this conversation, Molly explains how Accenture, Grid Alternatives, and a growing coalition of partners are creating a playbook that helps data centers invest directly in distributed energy, lowering energy costs for families today while laying the foundation for tomorrow's virtual power plants.

If it scales, this isn't just another financing model. It could reshape how we think about paying for grid infrastructure altogether.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why one in five American households is now behind on their electricity bill

🔹 How data centers can help fund solar and storage deployment

🔹 Why virtual power plants may outcompete new peaker plants on both cost and speed

🔹 What still has to happen before this model becomes fully bankable

Whether you work in utilities, distributed energy, infrastructure, or data centers, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on one of the biggest questions facing the industry today:

How do we build the grid we need without asking ratepayers to shoulder the entire burden?

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus