Author: Stu

Are Data Centers Driving up Electricity Rates? Who is Responsible?

Electricity bills are rising across much of the United States, sparking heated debate. With AI fueling explosive data center growth, many point to hyperscale facilities as the culprit behind higher rates. But a new independent analysis from Energy + Environmental Economics (E3), released May 18, 2026, alongside corroborating work from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), […]

Iran Launches Bitcoin-Backed “Hormuz Safe” Shipping Insurance for the Strait of Hormuz

Iran has launched a new state-backed digital maritime insurance platform called “Hormuz Safe” for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. The platform accepts Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency payments, allowing instant blockchain-verified coverage in a clear attempt to bypass Western financial systems and sanctions. According to reports from […]

Oil Shortage Scenario is Starting to Surface

The warning signs are flashing brighter than ever. What began as a major supply disruption in the Middle East has rapidly evolved into a tightening global oil market where inventories are being drawn down at a record pace — and critically, not all of those barrels are actually accessible. A new analysis from Oilprice.com highlights […]

The data center doomers must be defeated – But not at the cost of our family farms and water

The Washington Examiner was right on target in its May 16, 2026, editorial: the “data center doomers” — the coalition of socialists, Democrats, and foreign-funded activists pushing moratoriums and fear-mongering — must be defeated. Data centers are the backbone of the AI revolution, national security, economic growth, and America’s edge over China. Blocking their hands […]

As Cuba Falls into Darkness, People See How Communism and Socialism Cannot Keep the Lights On

Havana is literally in the dark. On May 14, 2026, Cuba’s communist Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy delivered a stark admission: “We have absolutely no fuel oil, absolutely no diesel.” Power plants sit idle. Blackouts in the capital now stretch 20–22 hours a day, with electricity flickering on for as little […]

Commonwealth LNG Greenlights $13 Billion Export Facility in Louisiana

Houston, TX – May 17, 2026 – Caturus LLC announced a positive Final Investment Decision (FID) on May 15 for its Commonwealth LNG export facility in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, unlocking full construction on one of the most cost-competitive and efficient LNG projects in the United States. The $13 billion project, backed by $9.75 billion in […]

Iran Attacks UAE Nuclear Plant: Drone Strike Hits Barakah Facility Amid Escalating Tensions

In a significant escalation of regional conflict, a drone strike targeted the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE’s Al Dhafra region on May 17, 2026. The incident, which sparked a fire in an external electrical generator outside the plant’s inner perimeter, has raised immediate concerns about nuclear safety and energy infrastructure vulnerability in the […]

Midstream Companies are Critical Infrastructure to AI and Growth

The explosive growth of artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of energy demand. Hyperscale data centers powering AI training and inference are projected to consume vast amounts of electricity—much of it reliably supplied by natural gas-fired generation. Yet the real enablers aren’t the chipmakers or the hyperscalers themselves. They are the midstream operators who own […]

Vietnam’s Largest Refinery Sees ‘Stable’ Operations Through June

Vietnam’s largest refinery, the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC (NSRP), has confirmed it will maintain stable operations through the end of June 2026. According to a company statement reported by Bloomberg, the facility is actively diversifying its crude oil supply by strengthening cooperation with both domestic and international suppliers across multiple regions. The 200,000 […]

AI Investments Keep Lining Up, But Are We Sure About Returns?

The AI gold rush is in full swing. Hyperscalers like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta are pouring hundreds of billions into data centers, chips, and infrastructure to power the next wave of artificial intelligence. NVIDIA just posted record revenues driven almost entirely by AI demand. Yet one question looms large for investors and energy markets […]