Energy has always been the silent dependency behind every layer of information technology. Networks, cloud platforms, data centers, and now artificial intelligence all assume abundant, reliable, and affordable electricity. That assumption no longer holds. Power demand is rising faster than grid capacity, infrastructure is aging, and costs are increasing even as digital systems are becoming more energy-intensive. What was once treated as a fixed operating expense is quickly becoming a strategic constraint.
For the IT channel, this shift represents more than a market disruption. It creates a new category of opportunity. As enterprises confront power limitations, energy management is moving into the same strategic tier as security, resiliency, and performance optimization. Customers are no longer asking only how systems run, but whether they can run at all — and at what cost. That reframes energy from a facilities issue into a technology problem that demands visibility, analytics, and control.
IoT is accelerating this transition. Sensors embedded in lighting, power panels, generators, and building systems now generate real-time data that can be analyzed, optimized, and automated. Energy becomes measurable, manageable, and improvable. This is familiar territory for channel partners that already deliver managed services, monitoring, and lifecycle optimization. The difference is that the outcomes now include kilowatt-hours, uptime guarantees, and cost avoidance, in addition to traditional IT metrics.
This convergence is also expanding the channel’s addressable ecosystem. Energy management spans physical infrastructure, software platforms, connectivity, and services. It touches ESG initiatives, regulatory compliance, operational continuity, and capital planning. Partners who can integrate these elements into a coherent offering are positioned to create differentiated value and unlock new, less saturated revenue streams than those in traditional IT markets.
Energy is no longer adjacent to technology. It is foundational to it. The channel’s ability to adapt to this reality may define its next phase of growth.
Vince Bradley, CEO and founder of Abundant IOT, a company focused on selling energy management solutions through the channel, joins Larry Walsh on the latest episode of Changing Channels to discuss how energy management is becoming the next greenfield opportunity for the channel.