Switched On

The geography of data center development is being redrawn at speed. BloombergNEF is tracking nearly 23 gigawatts of new capacity under construction worldwide, as AI and cloud workloads drive the next phase of digital infrastructure growth. But siting decisions are becoming more complex. Energy availability and land permitting now dominate, while taxes, fiber connectivity and existing ecosystems still shape competitiveness. As AI demand scales and ambitions grow, regions from the Nordics and Iberia to the Middle East and Latin America are positioning for the next wave. So which markets are best placed to win, and what really determines where the next gigawatt gets built? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Lloyd Arnold, an analyst from BNEF’s technology and innovations team, to review findings from their note “Data Center Development: Regional Drivers and Hurdles.”
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
Data Center Development: Regional Drivers and Hurdles - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38579
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A US Supreme Court ruling is shaking up global clean-tech trade. By striking down Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, the justices have created an opening for some solar equipment and stationary storage batteries. Yet not everyone will benefit equally, and with the administration moving to put new tariffs in place, just how durable is this reprieve? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by Derrick Flakoll, a senior policy associate for North America, and Matthew Hales, an associate on BNEF’s trade and supply chains team, to discuss their analyst reaction “Trump’s Tariff Loss Opens Window for Clean Tech Imports.”
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
Trump’s Tariff Loss Opens Window for Clean Tech Imports: React - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/tarz9pt96osl00
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustainable finance has entered what might be its “messy middle.” For years, governments leaned into reporting regulations and other policies in support of ESG-aligned financial activities. Then came 2025, with the European Union weakening flagship rules, the US rolling back federal guidance, and other markets pausing or delaying new standards. Yet investors still demand standardized data on how companies are spending their money. So is this retreat a sign that the era of sustainable finance is coming to an end, or simply part of the shift to its next phase? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Maia Mesanger, a BNEF specialist in finance policy and transition risk, to review findings from her note “Sustainable Finance Policy Quarterly: 4Q 2025.”
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
Sustainable Finance Policy Quarterly: 4Q 2025 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38471

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate adaptation is increasingly a matter of financial resilience, not just physical protection. Across the US, climate risk is filtering into rising insurance costs, shifting property values and heavy reliance on property tax revenues, exposing some cities and counties to mounting fiscal strain and potential spillovers into municipal bond markets. With climate exposure, tax dependence and access to federal aid varying sharply by location, risks are emerging unevenly across the country. So how are climate stresses reshaping municipal finances, and what should investors and policymakers be watching? On today’s show, Tom Rowands-Rees is joined by Danya Liu, a BNEF specialist in climate resilience and adaptation, to discuss findings from her note “Climate Risk and US Municipal Finances: Storm Ahead.”
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
Climate Risk and US Municipal Finances: Storm Ahead? - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38257
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As AI drives a new wave of data center expansion, the focus is shifting from chips to the infrastructure that powers and cools them. Denser AI workloads are accelerating the move toward liquid cooling, higher-capacity electrical equipment and new power architectures, putting pressure on traditional supply chains and forcing rapid innovation across the ecosystem. So how is AI reshaping the hardware behind data centers, and what does it mean for the future of power, cooling and grid infrastructure?
At the BloombergNEF Summit San Francisco, Mark Daly, BNEF’s head of technology and innovation, moderated a panel titled “Seeing Beyond the Chips: Innovations in Data Center Supply Chains.” This episode brings listeners that panel, which featured Steven Carlini, chief advocate for data centers and the AI energy management business unit, at Schneider Electric; Haroon Inam, the co-founder and chief executive officer of DG Matrix; Jill Macari, the chief financial officer of VEIR; and Angela Taylor, the chief of staff and head of strategy at LiquidStack.
To learn more about BNEF’s Summits taking place around the world and to see recordings of BNEF Talks at previous Summits, head to https://about.bnef.com/events/type/summit/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.