The useful question is what changes for users, developers or buyers, and whether the announcement stays industry context or becomes something people can actually use.

Utilities are struggling to meet rapidly escalating electricity demand from AI infrastructure, hyperscale data centers, and broader electrification, as traditional grid expansion timelines lag behind urgent customer needs. Interconnection queues are lengthening, with over half of utility leaders reporting worsening wait times, while equipment availability and community acceptance also pose growing challenges. The gap between demand acceleration and grid buildout is widening, forcing utilities to explore alternative solutions to avoid losing large-load customers to delays. Behind-the-meter (BTM) onsite power is emerging as a structural solution, with utilities increasingly viewing it as permanent infrastructure rather than a stopgap measure.

Nearly two-thirds of data center developers surveyed by Bloom Energy’s 2026 Utilities Insights Report now prioritize onsite power when grid access is delayed, preferring to remain in their chosen utility territories rather than relocate. Utilities have adjusted their perspectives, with 80% now recognizing BTM generation as a permanent component of the energy ecosystem, expected to serve a significant share of large-load demand by 2030 and an even greater share by 2035. The report highlights a shift toward integrated, hybrid energy systems where utilities provide combined front-of-the-meter and behind-the-meter power solutions to meet modern demands efficiently.

Behind-the-meter power refers to generation assets located on the customer’s side of the utility meter, designed to operate alongside the grid rather than in isolation. Bloom Energy’s fuel cell platforms enable large-load customers to draw reliable onsite power while maintaining full grid interconnection, allowing utilities to serve new demand without waiting years for transmission and distribution buildout. This approach helps alleviate stress on existing infrastructure and supports regional economic growth by accelerating power delivery to critical facilities.

The 2026 Utilities Insights Report examines how regulated and unregulated utilities are adopting different strategies for onsite power, with emerging commercial structures reflecting the evolving energy landscape. The report provides detailed projections for BTM demand share by 2030 and 2035, broken down by utility type and region, offering insights into the commercial and operational shifts utilities are making to address the grid capacity crunch.