An Octopus Energy US executive argues data centers will struggle to connect to the grid unless residents see real savings on electricity bills. The company points to load flexibility, shifting EV charging and home cooling to cheaper hours, as a faster path than building new transmission and gas plants. A California example: moving 10 kWh of EV charging to off-peak rates can save about $60 a month. Octopus is working with Voltree and Google on a virtual power plant in PJM territory that targets 1 GW of capacity by aggregating household batteries and smart thermostats. The residential side is expected to commercialize in 2027. The broader point: AI power demand does not have to mean new fossil generation if grid operators pay households to shift when they use power.
