Recently, I represented Enchanted Rock at the DUG Gas 2025 Conference & Expo in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was great to be among industry leaders, innovators, and professionals in the natural gas space to discuss how the ever-changing landscape of natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and midstream technologies is helping ensure that America’s energy future is both diverse and sustainable.

I also had the rewarding opportunity to participate in a dynamic panel discussion, AI Data Center Power Demand: Understanding the Impacts and Risks, with John A. Harpole from MERCATOR ENERGY, LLC and William Sellers from DartPoints. Our session unlocked valuable insights into retail electric providers’ ability to meet near-term forecasted demand, with natural gas playing a key role in the solution.

Collaboration is power

Our conversation, and events like the DUG Conference, highlight how the natural gas sector can collaborate with users of large power loads to explore new ways of delivering power, including generation from distributed energy resources (DERs) and microgrids. Whether localized or on-demand, dispatchable power systems can enhance grid stability and support critical infrastructure.

With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC), there’s been a significant shift in how commercial data centers approach power management. As digital technologies require more computational resources, data centers increasingly seek reliable, resilient, and energy-efficient solutions to ensure continuity during peak demand or grid stress — especially during extreme weather events.

Adapting to the rising demand for AI and power

The shift to localized power generation enables better management of energy consumption. It allows data centers to meet the growing demands of AI and HPC applications without disruption, underscoring the need for adaptable, sustainable power strategies in an increasingly power-hungry industry.

Whether it’s resiliency, prime power, or bridge power, many industrial customers are exploring the benefits of dispatchable generation to power their operations. At Enchanted Rock, we’re changing the game for those customers. Localized, dispatchable power systems — like our natural gas generators — can provide the flexibility they need, delivering reliable backup power during unplanned outages while helping stabilize the grid and support critical infrastructure during times of stress.

DUG 2025 made it clear: The goal is to ensure power resiliency and reliability in the face of rising demand from AI and an aging grid infrastructure. And our onsite, multi-purpose backup offering is a proven solution for large loads that need to maintain essential operations without disruption.

Kudos to Hart Energy for showcasing the best and brightest at DUG Gas 2025!

This article was originally published on LinkedIn.