Good morning, Team! It’s Friday!

I read an article recently from Todd Gagne titled “Scaling Like Alexander the Great: When systems Break Empires”

The money line-

“When modern companies encounter scaling obstacles, they blame their tools or teams. But the math suggests a more fundamental problem: some limits can’t be engineered around.”

The mathematical laws-

“The math holds true today: Double your speed, quadruple your costs. Triple your distance, multiply your resources by nine. These aren’t management problems…”

Think about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the number of data centers being built by tech- based companies today. They all require power, lots of power. The electric grid is aging and requires significant maintenance, hardening due to extreme weather and upgrades due to load growth. This won’t happen overnight. It’s been in the works for decades and will require hundreds of billions of dollars each year just to keep pace with maintenance and the energy transition without adding 25% load growth due to super high, concentrated loads in congested areas. 

We have limitations to be aware, both in our electric grid and our personal lives. Pushing harder or cracking the whip is not always the answer. Understanding limitations and the math behind it should help with optimization; working smarter, not just harder.

Have a blessed weekend!

Eric