One of the biggest growth stories of 2026 is the rise of on-site powers for data centers. The AI boom is driving huge growth in demand for electricity to support AI factories, as well as traditional cloud workloads. 

But many major markets have limited availability of utility power, as electric grids are struggling to keep pace with the growth of digital infrastructure. 

Today on Data Center Richness, we are talking on-site power for data centers. Our guest is Scott Yappen, a business development specialist with Wartsila, a Finnish company that has been a major player in the global power market. Over the past year, Wartsila has signed several deals to provide generation capacity for U.S.  utilities and and developers to support data center growth. 

Our topics include the growth of data demand, options for onsite power, the supply of engines, and the key role of energy storage in future data center campuses. Here's an overview:

00:00 - Onsite Power, and Why it Matters

1:00 - Meet Scott Yappen of Wartsila.

5:00 - About Wartsila and Its Energy Offerings

8:00 - The Power Squeeze and the Rise of Onsite Generation

11:30 - Supply, Demand and Equipment Timelines

18:30 - Criteria for Onsite Power Development

21:00 - Bridging Power Vs Permanent Power

27:00 - The Road Ahead

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At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years.

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LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

Wartsila Data Center Power Solutions
https://www.wartsila.com/energy/engine-power-plant-solutions/flexible-baseload-power-plants/data-center-power-solutions

Wartsila Chosen for Major U.S. Data Center Project 
https://www.wartsila.com/media/news/29-01-2026-wartsila-chosen-for-a-major-u-s-power-plant-project-addressing-critical-energy-demand-driven-by-data-center-development-3711601

Scott Yappen on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottyappen/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:

Why AI Data Centers Are Building Their Own Power
https://youtu.be/Yx7QGNQsJaQ

Why Every Data Center Pro is Talking About Power (Dan Crosby)
https://youtu.be/GJiBqvUl5rU?si=PyyLwfBINXWtI8oo

Why Data Centers Are Turning to Bloom Energy
https://youtu.be/Z-udNWq2bAg?si=vHOizsz7AqT5M7eQ

All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx