Superconducting cables are letting data centers grow without power holding them back
Today’s show is about superconducting power delivery to data centers. Delivering electricity is nothing new, but VEIR’s platform of low- and medium-voltage superconducting systems unlocks power density levels that far exceed legacy approaches, letting data centers grow without power holding them back. With up to 200 gigawatts of new data center capacity potentially coming online worldwide over the next 5 years, speed-to-power has become the single most important issue that data center customers face. VEIR sits right at the intersection of that story.
In this episode, Lisa sits down with Tim Heidel, co-founder and CEO of VEIR, to discuss how VEIR’s superconducting power cables, which are ten times smaller and lighter than the copper they replace, are changing how power gets delivered inside data centers. Tim describes why VEIR’s initial focus was on high-voltage transmission; how data center customers pulled the company in a new direction; and what he & his team had to rethink in making that pivot. Tim also dives into why he started VEIR and why the company’s North Star is a return to transmission and the power sector.
Lisa and Tim discuss:
- Why speed-to-power is the biggest barrier to AI and data center growth
- How superconducting cables shrink data center power systems
- VEIR’s start with high-voltage superconducting transmission lines
- The pivot from transmission to data centers: same technology but different economics, different voltages, and different timelines
- Role of strategic investors
- VEIR’s deeply collaborative culture
- Fun energy facts
Credits: Host and Executive Producer, Lisa Wood; Associate Producer, Adam Cooper
Recorded September 2026
Find us at: https://podcast.energytransitiondesk.com/
Find us at: https://podcast.energytransitiondesk.com/
