Connell McGill

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐃𝐮𝐦𝐛 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 I recently sat down with Ryan Grant Little, the host of Another Climatetech podcast (but also a climatetech founder, advisor, and investor) to talk about why AI is the new electrification, and how it makes an increasingly complex energy system legible. Some other topics we covered: 🔋 Why electrification isn’t just inevitable - it’s the most capital-efficient climate solution on offer 🔄 What "sector coupling" means, and how heat pumps, EVs, and industry can all talk to each other ⚡ The distributed grid, smart meters, and how regulation is slowing everything down 🔐 Why cybersecurity for backyard solar systems might be our next national security crisis 🔌 The dark horses of climatetech: agrivoltaics and bi-directional EV charging At Vireo Ventures, we believe decarbonization is the greatest challenge and the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. Our investments, including - FLEXECHARGE, Atmen, nuuEnergy, dsb - are driving exactly that: the digital and electrified infrastructure needed to achieve net-zero and make our energy system work. Listen on Spotify 🎧 https://lnkd.in/dTUVs7id or Apple 🍏 https://lnkd.in/ddDHT_bS

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We keep hearing that AI will save the planet—optimizing energy use, accelerating climate solutions, even helping decarbonize. But look closer. In Memphis, xAI’s new data center is running on dozens of gas turbines with no proper permits, releasing toxic plumes of pollution into the air. The same technology marketed as “green” is being powered by fossil-heavy stopgaps that place the burden on already vulnerable communities. That’s not innovation—it’s hypocrisy. If AI companies want to wear the mantle of climate leadership, they need to prove it not with slogans but with how they power their infrastructure. Otherwise, it’s just another chapter of high-tech greenwashing at the expense of public health. https://lnkd.in/eq-hD5R4

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DISTRIBUTECH remains one of the industry’s most invigorating gatherings, connecting utility leaders, technology partners, and innovators driving grid modernization.   The energy sector faces increasing complexity right now — from grid management and DER integration to customer engagement, aging workforce optimization and peak load demands. Utilities are moving beyond fragmented operations, and the next operating model is a 360° view — where customer, workforce, business, and the grid operate in one connected flow, with decisions that are informed, timely, and intelligent.   At DTECH 2026, SEW.AI will share how Vertical AI is enabling this shift at enterprise scale, helping utilities operate as one intelligent ecosystem across grid automation, customer experience, workforce execution, energy efficiency, payments, and demand response.   #DISTRIBUTECH #DTECH #Utilities #EnergyTransition #AI #GridModernization #SEW

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CREW Carbon is, actually, "transforming" wastewater treatment into a carbon sink through its enhanced rock weathering process. Now they've partnered and expanded with HAMPTON ROADS SANITATION DISTRICT INC HRSD. Congrats!

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The future of smarter energy includes nuclear—and innovation at the intersection of AI and operations will help get us there. That’s why we’re proud to invest in Atomic Canyon through Energy Impact Partners Elevate Future Fund. Trey Lauderdale and the Atomic Canyon team are tackling one of the biggest pain points in nuclear—operational inefficiency—with a powerful solution: the Neutron platform. Currently deployed at Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Neutron cuts document search time from hours to seconds by scanning billions of pages of technical data. Think purpose built ai just for the nuclear industry. This is the kind of breakthrough we look for at Elevate—bold founders using cutting-edge tools to transform complex systems. The smarter energy transition needs nuclear, and nuclear needs innovation like this. Read Tim De Chant article on TechCrunch: https://lnkd.in/e4DbWfTi #SmarterEnergy #NuclearInnovation #AIforGood #EnergyTransition #ElevateFutureFund

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AI isn't just powering software. BrightAI just raised $51 million to automate inspection and other hardware-based AI capabilities. As Alexa von Tobel, co-founder of Inspired Capital put it: “So many people are so focused on the future of digital AI, but we’re excited about this new layer of AI: the physical world AI.” We are in the early innings of a series of AI-fueled innovations! https://lnkd.in/enhmafvH

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❓ Incentives, Regulations & Public Trust—What's Missing? Before CEA automation scales, we need systems that support adoption. Some key questions include: ➡️ Can utilities incentivize AI and robotics if we prove energy/water savings? ➡️ Can regulations stay focused on outcomes, not specific (and costly) technologies? ➡️ What can we do now to earn public trust in robot-assisted food production? None of these questions has one-size-fits-all answers, but they do require industry-wide discussion and collaboration. The CEA Accelerator AI & Robotics Primer offers a roadmap of what's coming and what we need to prepare. Let's plan not just for innovation, but for equity, transparency, and resilience. 📚 Read more in the guide: https://lnkd.in/eQR4zQS This guide was developed by Resource Innovation Institute with guidance from the AI & Robotics Working Group. #CEA #AI #AdvancedRobotics #AgTechPolicy #SustainableAgriculture #EnergyEfficiency

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