Powering Progress | Ep. 2 – Financing at Scale: Structured Capital for AI and Data Center Portfolios
Welcome back to Powering Progress, where we explore the legal and commercial frameworks powering the rapid growth of AI infrastructure and data centers. Behind every major data center development is a sophisticated capital structure. Financing these projects requires balancing construction risk, power availability, long-term operational stability, and the evolving expectations of lenders and investors. In this episode, Vinson & Elkins' Chief Innovation Officer Aubrey Bishai is joined by Project Development & Finance Partner Eamon Nolan, who works with clients on construction financing, structured finance solutions, and portfolio-level capital strategies supporting large-scale infrastructure projects. The conversation focuses on how the market is underwriting these developments and what financing structures are emerging as the AI infrastructure landscape continues to evolve.
Welcome to Powering Progress, a series exploring the legal and regulatory frameworks shaping the next generation of digital infrastructure. As AI and data center development accelerates, regulatory considerations are becoming increasingly central to project planning — from federal energy policy and state utility rules to permitting, environmental compliance, and tax structures. In this episode, Vinson & Elkins' Chief Innovation Officer Aubrey Bishai is joined by Energy Regulation Partner Jaren Taylor, who brings deep experience in regulatory and environmental policy affecting energy and infrastructure projects. Together they discuss how evolving regulatory frameworks may shape the pace, location, and economics of future data center development.