AI, Leadership, and the Grid: Leveraging Innovation for the Future of Energy with Matt Carrara

The latest episode of the FootBridge Energy Leadership Series takes us inside the office of Matt Carrara, President of Doble Engineering, for a candid conversation on leadership, technology, and the future of the grid. With more than three decades of experience spanning plastics, oil and gas, utilities, and now power grid diagnostics, Matt has a unique perspective on balancing legacy systems with innovation.

Leading by Listening

When Matt stepped into the role at Doble in 2023, he made a promise to himself and his team: spend six months listening before making any major changes.

He says, “I was going to learn about the people first, the numbers next, and then the industry. Six months and a day is when we really started changing and evolving Doble.”

This approach laid the foundation for a transformation built on trust, clarity, and a recognition that strong leadership means pulling the best out of your team rather than dictating from above.

Balancing Legacy and Innovation

The grid is under immense strain. Data centers are projected to grow from just 5% of U.S. load a few years ago to 15–18% by 2026. Add in EV adoption, new manufacturing plants, extreme weather, and aging infrastructure with transformers averaging over 45 years old, and it is being pushed to its limits.

Doble is meeting that challenge with both proven diagnostics and forward-looking analytics.

By extending the life of critical assets, Doble is helping utilities buy time while long lead times for new equipment, which are now up to five years, remain a barrier.

Closing the Talent Gap

One of the industry’s most pressing issues is a 20-year skills gap between retiring experts and new entrants. Doble is tackling this head-on through global events, webinars, and training programs that provide continuing education credits and practical knowledge.

Looking Ahead: AI and Analytics

Carrara believes AI will be transformative for utilities, not just as a tool but as a way of giving back. He says, “If we can take a hundred years of conference proceedings and customer insights and turn them into actionable analytics, that’s how AI can truly change our industry.”

For Matt, the future of energy is about balancing legacy diagnostics with innovation, leading through people, and building resilience into a grid that is more critical than ever.