Ep. 184 Wesley Powell, Chief Executive Officer at Open Origin

Episode 184 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features an interview with Wesley Powell, Chief Executive Officer at Open Origin.

Grasp how islanded, behind‑the‑meter power designs overcome grid constraints for gigawatt AI facilities.
Recognize why speed‑to‑power trumps incremental PUE gains in hyperscaler site selection.
Find who the true buyer is (real estate teams) and which gatekeepers to engage first.
Weigh the pros and cons of on‑site solar + batteries versus gas or grid‑tied builds.
Compare commercial models… lease structures, bonding, and technology reinsurance… that de‑risk deals.
Decode the role of extended tech risk insurance in guaranteeing delivery and covering liquidated damages.
Assess stakeholder alignment tactics across technical, finance, PR, and real estate groups.
Map a consensus‑building playbook that shortens approvals and avoids stalled projects.
Shorten proposal cycles by applying generative AI to energy modeling and cost optimization.
Secure buyer confidence with financial guarantees and bonded delivery commitments.
Apply dense solar deployment and automation strategies to reduce land footprint and accelerate build‑out.
Forecast market shifts from fuel price volatility, new battery chemistries (e.g., sodium), and manufacturing automation.

Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI

Special Guest:
Wesley Powell, Chief Executive Officer
Open Origin

Wesley Powell, CEO of Open Origin, discusses their innovative technology reinsurance program that insures for data center replacements, including business interruption and liquidated damages. He highlights the challenges of cutting through the noise in the crowded AI infrastructure market, emphasizing the need for speed and efficiency. Powell explains their non-grid connected islanded solutions, which use solar and battery technology to provide tier four power at a lower cost. He also discusses the importance of real estate partnerships and the shift towards renewable energy due to rising natural gas costs.

Outline

Insurance and Technology Reinsurance Program

Wesley Powell explains the insurance program that covers up to $10 billion for data center replacements, including liquidated damages and business interruption insurance.
The program covers failures of superconductors and the need to change vendors, ensuring the insurance company covers all costs.
Wesley highlights the unique stack of extended technology risk insurance created by Open Origin, which is not available publicly on the market.
The insurance program allows for quick replacements and repairs, ensuring minimal business interruption.

Introduction of Wesley Powell and Podcast Overview

Joshua Feinberg introduces Wesley Powell, CEO and founder of Open Origin, and sets the stage for the discussion on infrastructure energy demand and AI demand.
The focus is on the bottleneck of energy availability and deployment speed, outdated assumptions about centralized electric supply, and the go-to-market challenges for Open Origin.
Wesley Powell emphasizes the challenge of cutting through the noise in the market, with many players trying to sell power to hyperscaler data centers.
The discussion highlights the crowded market and the difficulty buyers face in evaluating numerous opportunities.

Emotional Preparedness and AI Infrastructure Build-Out

Joshua Feinberg asks if existing clients and partners are emotionally prepared for the massive AI infrastructure build-out.
Wesley Powell responds that no one is emotionally prepared because no one has yet built a truly massive gigawatt-plus facility.
The conversation touches on the difficulty of comprehending the scale of gigawatt-level power usage.
Wesley explains the rapid scaling from 100 megawatts to multiple gigawatts in a short period, which is unprecedented in human history.

Behind-the-Meter and Self-Generating Off-Grid Solutions

Joshua Feinberg inquires about Open Origin's work on behind-the-meter and self-generating off-grid solutions.
Wesley Powell explains that Open Origin focuses on non-grid connected islanded solutions because the grid was not designed for large industrial users.
Historical examples of dedicated power plants for large loads are discussed, highlighting the need for similar solutions today.
Wesley details the development of a customized solution that provides tier four power from renewable sources, using a reasonable amount of land and being more efficient and cost-effective.

Impact of Generative AI on Infrastructure Planning

Joshua Feinberg asks how high-density AI workloads have impacted infrastructure planning.
Wesley Powell shares that Open Origin was founded in 2018 to solve the problem of finding the right density and power for AI workloads.
The conversation highlights the difficulty of finding a host with the necessary power and density in 2018-2019.
Wesley explains the education process for buyers, focusing on the real estate level rather than the technical level.

Building Consensus and Stakeholder Involvement

Joshua Feinberg asks about building consensus and getting the right people on board for energy infrastructure projects.
Wesley Powell emphasizes the importance of having all the right answers when approaching the initial contact, typically a gatekeeper.
The conversation highlights the success of going through real estate agents and educating the real estate teams on the offering.
Wesley explains the importance of providing a guarantee to the service provider and the role of insurance in bonding and insuring the solutions.

Challenges in the Data Center Market

Joshua Feinberg inquires about go-to-market motions that are not working well in the data center market.
Wesley Powell discusses the challenge of building ahead of demand and the risks of starting construction without a solid client commitment.
The conversation highlights the example of former Governor Perry's data center project in West Texas, which faced challenges when the buyer bailed.
Wesley explains the importance of having a solid commitment from the client before starting construction.

Technical Content and Sales Momentum

Joshua Feinberg asks where technical content often fails to drive successful sales momentum.
Wesley Powell emphasizes that the focus should be on speed to power rather than technical efficiency.
The conversation highlights the importance of being able to commit to speed and provide a guarantee to the buyer.
Wesley explains that the hyperscalers are more interested in speed and reliability than in technical details.

Commercial Team Construction and Sales Strategy

Joshua Feinberg inquires about the construction of Open Origin's commercial team and go-to-market strategy.
Wesley Powell explains that the team includes resources dedicated to real estate partnerships, federal sales, and overall sales.
The conversation highlights the importance of having dedicated resources for each segment and the role of the CRO in managing the overall sales process.
Wesley explains the tight ship on the go-to-market side and the focus on qualified leads and decision time.

Future of Renewable Energy in Data Centers

Joshua Feinberg asks about Wesley's vision for the future of renewable energy in data centers.
Wesley Powell predicts a shift towards renewable energy due to the increasing cost of natural gas and the attractiveness of solar and battery solutions.
The conversation highlights the rapid advancements in solar and battery technology, making renewable energy more cost-effective.
Wesley explains the potential for solar and battery solutions to become the most cost-effective option for data centers, surpassing fossil fuels.

Guest Resources

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Resources

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Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast, Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast | Guest Interview

Ep. 184 Wesley Powell, Chief Executive Officer at Open Origin | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast