Soluna Holdings has appointed Ryan Carver, a senior executive who spent over a decade building some of the world's largest AI data center campuses at Microsoft, as its new Chief Development Officer. Carver's hire signals growing confidence in the renewable-powered data center model as AI infrastructure demands continue to strain global power grids.

Carver joins Soluna from Microsoft, where he most recently served as Senior Director of AI Construction and Site Development, overseeing a construction portfolio worth tens of billions of dollars. During his tenure at Microsoft, he led the construction program at the Fairwater campus in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, and held senior leadership roles across the company's global data center construction portfolio.

What Makes Soluna's Approach Different?

Unlike traditional data centers that connect to the existing power grid, Soluna operates a model that co-locates digital infrastructure directly with renewable energy generation sources such as wind, solar, or hydroelectric plants. This approach aims to solve a critical bottleneck facing the AI industry: the massive and growing energy demands of training and running large language models and other compute-intensive applications.

In his new role, Carver will oversee the full lifecycle of Soluna's AI and high-performance computing data center platform. This spans site origination, power procurement, design, construction, commissioning, and ongoing operations. He will report directly to CEO John Belizaire and sit on the company's Senior Leadership Team.

"Soluna's model, co-locating digital infrastructure directly with renewable generation, is one of the most compelling approaches I've seen to solving the power constraints facing this industry," said Carver.

Ryan Carver, Chief Development Officer at Soluna Holdings

Carver's background includes engineering and project management roles at Turner Construction and Jacobs, where he contributed to major infrastructure projects including World Trade Center Tower 2 and Yankee Stadium. He holds a degree in International Business from The Ohio State University and is a Certified Construction Manager.

Why This Hire Matters for AI Infrastructure

The appointment reflects a broader industry shift toward solving AI's energy problem through renewable-powered infrastructure. As AI companies race to build out data centers to meet soaring demand from generative AI applications, power availability has become a critical constraint. Carver's expertise in managing large-scale construction projects and integrating power systems directly into data center design positions him to accelerate Soluna's growth.

Meanwhile, the broader energy sector is also responding to AI's power appetite. Global private investments in nuclear fusion, another potential solution to AI's energy demands, surged 69 percent to $4.48 billion in 2025, driven largely by the booming energy needs of AI data centers and rising global energy security concerns. Fusion companies are now signing binding power purchase agreements with major tech firms, signaling confidence that commercial fusion power could help meet future demand.

How Soluna Integrates Power and Computing Operations

• Site Selection: Carver will identify locations where surplus renewable energy generation exists, ensuring data centers can operate on clean power without competing with consumer electricity demand.
• Power Procurement: He will negotiate and secure long-term power agreements that lock in renewable energy supply for the data center's operational lifetime.
• Unified Delivery: Carver will integrate development, construction, technology operations, and power management into a single coordinated platform, eliminating silos that typically slow large infrastructure projects.

Soluna's proprietary software, MaestroOS, helps optimize the interaction between the data center and the renewable grid, allowing the company to deliver computing resources while supporting grid stability.

The company's model addresses a fundamental challenge in AI infrastructure: traditional data centers must connect to existing power grids, which are increasingly strained by AI's exponential energy consumption. By building directly adjacent to renewable generation sources, Soluna avoids grid congestion and reduces the carbon footprint of AI computing.

Carver's appointment comes as the AI infrastructure market faces intense scrutiny over its environmental impact and power consumption. His track record at Microsoft, where he managed construction at scale across multiple geographies, suggests Soluna is preparing to expand its footprint significantly in the coming years.