AI needs more power: Offices could be the answer

If your office cranks up the AC on a hot afternoon, you are part of a much bigger story. Energy demand is climbing fast. Data centers and AI systems are using more electricity than ever. At the same time, extreme weather is putting added stress on the grid. That pressure has utilities looking for relief in an unexpected place. Not a new plant. Not a massive battery installation. Instead, they are turning to buildings that already exist. A Seattle startup called Edo is betting your office can help keep the lights on.

Modern building systems like these are what companies like Edo tap into to monitor and adjust energy use in real time.

Credit: Edo

What is a virtual power plant?

A virtual power plant, often called a VPP, connects many buildings and devices so they can act like one coordinated energy resource. Instead of generating new electricity, these systems adjust when and how energy gets used.

Here is the idea in plain terms. When demand spikes, a building can temporarily reduce non-essential power use. That might mean cooling a space earlier in the day or delaying equipment that does not need to run right away. Across thousands of buildings, those small shifts add up quickly.

Virtual power plants connect buildings across a city, helping balance electricity demand as AI and data centers push the grid harder.

Credit: Edo

How Edo turns buildings into grid assets

Edo focuses on commercial buildings, which make up a large share of U.S. electricity use. The company installs technology that connects to existing building systems like HVAC, batteries, solar and EV charging. It links these systems through standard communication protocols and manages them from a central platform. That allows everything to work together instead of operating in silos. Edo then maps out where energy is being used and when. From there, building operators get a clearer picture of what can be adjusted without disrupting daily operations.

For example:

Pre-cooling or pre-heating before peak pricing kicks in
Charging electric vehicles when electricity is cheaper
Shifting flexible tasks to off-peak hours
Sending stored solar energy back to the grid

These changes happen with coordination, not guesswork. Utilities can then tap into that flexibility when demand spikes.

Edo’s platform links HVAC, batteries, solar and EV charging into one system that can respond instantly when the grid needs relief.

Credit: Edo

Why utilities are paying attention now

This approach solves a real problem. When demand surges, utilities usually face tough choices. They can build new power plants, install large-scale batteries or reduce power through blackouts. All of those options come with high costs or major disruptions. Virtual power plants offer another path. They reduce strain on the grid without building new infrastructure. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, VPPs could provide up to 160 gigawatts of flexible capacity by 2030 if adoption ramps up.

The shift from niche idea to mainstream solution

Virtual power plants have been around for years, mostly in residential settings. Companies like Tesla, Sunrun and EnergyHub already connect home batteries and smart devices.

At the same time, firms like Voltus and CPower Energy focus on large industrial users. Commercial buildings, however, have been largely overlooked. That is where Edo sees opportunity.

Why this matters as AI demand grows

AI is not just a software story. It is an energy story. Massive data centers require huge amounts of electricity. As more companies adopt AI tools, demand will continue to rise.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Office buildings are already being used to support the grid. Companies like Edo are working with thousands of properties to adjust energy use in real time when demand spikes. What makes this shift important is how quickly it can scale. Instead of waiting years for new infrastructure, utilities can tap into systems that already exist. As AI demand grows and energy pressure builds, that flexibility could become one of the most practical tools available.

As AI drives up electricity demand, who should take the lead in keeping the grid stable: utilities or the companies using the most power? Let me know in the comments below.

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