How Distributed Energy and AI Are Changing Who Builds the Grid with Michael Wood
As electrification accelerates and AI-driven demand reshapes the grid, the energy industry is facing a pivotal moment. Power availability, infrastructure constraints, and talent shortages are no longer abstract future risks. They are immediate business challenges.
In this episode of the FootBridge Energy Leadership Series, host Luke Somers, Client Business Manager, sits down with Michael Wood, Chief of Staff at DG Matrix, and founder of Energy Terminal, to explore how distributed energy systems, AI-native platforms, and new skill sets are redefining how energy projects are built, staffed, and scaled.
What follows is a curated Q&A highlighting the most relevant insights for energy leaders, developers, EPCs, and professionals navigating what comes next.
Q: Michael, what first drew you into the energy industry?
A: I grew up around energy long before I realized it. My family is from South Texas, right in the heart of the Eagle Ford. During the shale boom, I watched a town of 5,000 people double almost overnight. You could see firsthand how energy investment transformed communities.
At the same time, I was deeply involved in land management and sustainability on my family’s ranch. Add in a lifelong interest in entrepreneurship and engineering, and energy became the natural place where all of those interests converged.
That realization solidified during college, when I saw how innovation, infrastructure, and people all intersect in this industry.
Q: That intersection led you to found Energy Terminal. What problem were you trying to solve?
A: There was a clear information gap. On campus and among young professionals, energy was misunderstood. Many believed you had to be an engineer to work in energy, or that the industry was stagnant and purely traditional.
Meanwhile, I was surrounded by founders and executives building genuinely transformative technologies. Energy Terminal started as a podcast to replicate the short, impactful conversations I was having with leaders and bring those insights to the next generation.
It quickly became about bridging a generational divide. Senior leaders have deep institutional knowledge. Younger professionals bring new perspectives, especially around software and AI. The industry needs both.
Q: How did that journey eventually lead you to DG Matrix?
A: Through Energy Terminal, I spent years speaking with senior executives who were struggling to attract the next generation of talent. One of those relationships was with Haroon Anam, now CEO of DG Matrix.
When he showed me the early concept for what DG Matrix was building, it was immediately clear this wasn’t incremental innovation. It was a fundamental rethinking of energy infrastructure.
He described it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape how power systems are designed. That’s not something you pass up.
Q: For those unfamiliar, how do you explain what DG Matrix does?
A: The simplest metaphor is that the DG Matrix is the heart and the brain of the energy system.
We sit at the center, integrating multiple power sources and loads simultaneously. That means routing power between the grid, solar, batteries, data centers, EV fleets, and buildings.
We’re also the brain because our software optimizes how power flows. Customers come to us with three core questions:
- How do we get more power faster?
- How do we lower energy costs?
- How do we improve reliability?
Our platform addresses all three.
Q: Grid constraints are a growing concern. Where are the biggest bottlenecks today?
A: Grid interconnection is the major challenge. Many projects face five- to seven-year timelines just to secure utility upgrades. Transformer lead times alone can stretch two to three years.
AI data centers add another layer of complexity. Their loads are spiky and fast-ramping, which creates issues utilities weren’t designed to handle.
The fastest solution is simplified, behind-the-meter distributed energy. By shifting flexibility into software and standardizing hardware, you can deploy faster, scale more efficiently, and reduce strain on the grid.
Q: From a talent perspective, what skills are most in demand right now?
A: Adaptability is number one. Architectures, voltages, and standards are changing quickly. Teams need to think beyond legacy assumptions.
Systems thinking is equally critical. Energy is becoming software-defined. Understanding how components interact matters more than rigid adherence to old models.
And finally, AI fluency. At DG Matrix, we embed AI across engineering, testing, and go-to-market functions. The productivity gains and reliability improvements are substantial.
This shift is creating demand for professionals who can bridge physical infrastructure with digital intelligence.
Q: What advice would you give to early-career professionals—or experienced ones looking to pivot?
A: Have conversations because careers accelerate through relationships, not just resumes. Second, start something before you feel ready—a project, a blog, a podcast, a company. Action creates clarity. And don’t underestimate your perspective. Senior leaders don’t expect you to have all the answers. They value fresh thinking and the right questions.
Q: Looking ahead, what defines the future of energy infrastructure?
A: Two things – distributed and software-defined as smaller, modular projects scale faster and more efficiently than massive centralized builds. Also, flexibility matters when use cases and technologies evolve so quickly.
I’d also recommend Freeing Energy by Bill Nussey for anyone who wants to understand why local, distributed energy is foundational to what comes next.
Why This Conversation Matters for Energy Leaders
The themes emerging from this discussion, including distributed energy, AI-native systems, grid constraints, and evolving skill sets, mirror what FootBridge sees daily across energy, power, and infrastructure projects.
As demand accelerates, companies need specialized talent that understands both legacy systems and emerging technologies. That is where focused staffing partnerships matter most.
Watch the Full Episode
▶ Full Interview: https://youtu.be/_WONMp3rqCY
