What if your solar system could earn far more by powering AI compute than by selling electricity back to the grid?

In this episode of Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague talks with Karl Andersen, founder and CEO of Lektra, about a different approach to the growing power demands of AI. Lektra places GPU servers alongside distributed energy resources such as solar and batteries, turning homes, businesses, and other energy sites into small-scale data centers.

Instead of exporting excess solar to the grid, an energy host can use that electricity to power GPU workloads and earn revenue from the compute generated. Karl says Lektra typically gives energy hosts 80% of the resulting revenue while retaining 20% for providing the compute marketplace and infrastructure.

The conversation explores why rapidly growing AI demand is exposing limitations in today's electric grid, and whether distributed energy, microgrids, batteries, and edge computing could form part of a more decentralized Grid 2.0.

In this episode, Tim and Karl discuss:

• Why AI is creating a new market for distributed energy

• How Lektra turns solar and other energy assets into edge-scale data centers

• The economics of selling compute instead of electricity

• How Lektra's 80/20 revenue-sharing model works

• Why edge computing could benefit autonomous vehicles, robotics, logistics, and physical AI

• How distributed compute could help address data-center grid constraints

• Lektra's approach to data sovereignty and on-premises AI

• What a more decentralized energy system could look like over the next several decades

The future of AI will require enormous amounts of energy. This conversation explores whether some of that demand can be met where energy is already being generated, and whether compute can provide the economic incentive to build a more distributed and resilient energy system.

Connect with Karl Andersen, Lektra

Karl Andersen | LinkedIn

Lektra - Powering Intelligence

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The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com