One of the least glamorous parts of the energy transition might be one of the most important: the transformer.

At One Earth Summit 2026, Peiran Jing, Chief Strategy Officer at JST Power, pointed out that most transformers on the US grid are oil-filled, and that newer designs can cut energy losses by more than 65%. With AI pushing electricity demand up, that kind of efficiency matters a lot.

🤖 Earlier in the day, Prof. Ya-Qin Zhang’s keynote explored how AI is moving from connected devices to connected agents, with real-world cases like agentic hospitals and robots in the home.

🔍 Our take: The two sessions describe the same future from different ends. AI will run on agents and connected devices, and all of it needs a grid that can carry the load. We see a big opportunity in the companies building that infrastructure.

🇮🇪 We heard the same message at the Impact Ireland Convention in Dublin, and the numbers back it up: the International Energy Agency estimates grid investment must rise around 50% by 2030.

🤝 On the AI for Good panel, Boon Heong Ng, CEO of Temasek Foundation, spoke about what AI can do for people, and why the humanity in it matters. It’s a good reminder of the question we ask of every company we meet: who does this help, and how?

🚀 Congratulations to the One Earth NextGen winners HydroForge Tech, CropNow and Oklin International, and thank you to Poman Lo and the One Earth team for bringing government, investors and founders into one room.

Building in grid infrastructure or applied AI for impact? We’d love to hear what you’re working on. 👇

#OneEarthSummit #OneEarth #EnergyTransition #GridModernization #ClimateTech #AI #ImpactInvesting