MenuThe world economy has mostly recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, but nonetheless, US inflation remains well above the desired 2% threshold at an estimated 3.7% in August. Core inflation for the year 2023 is expected to be 4.3%. It is possible that the Fed would need to apply another rate hike to drive inflation down,
Category Archives: Energy Security
BRICS Expansion: China’s Energy Victory?
At a recent summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) group, which some believe can counter-balance the West, for the first time in over a decade, opted to invite six new members: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE UAE0.0%). This disparate group of emerging economies has one
Nuclear Fusion: Energy Breakthrough or Ballyhoo?
After scientists worldwide dispelled the false promises surrounding the purported superconductor LK-99, another scientific breakthrough in nuclear fusion naturally drew scrutiny. Nuclear fusion has been “10 years away” for decades – why should this be any different? This narrative and accompanying headlines mean fusion advances are sometimes lost in technobabble. The latest developments in nuclear
The LK-99 Discovery May Fail, But Hopes of Superconductivity Persist
A team of South Korean scientists claims they discovered the first room temperature and ambient pressure superconductor that could revolutionize energy policy. Room-temperature semiconductors under normal pressure would not just enable cheap advanced computing but it would also enable the unlimited transmission of energy without any losses. The policy and business implications of this are
Electric Reliability Council Of Texas (ERCOT) Ruling Dims Energy Prospects
In February 2021, the Lone Star State’s standalone energy grid buckled under the pressure of unprecedented blizzards. The deregulated Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) proved unequal to distributing energy under extreme pressure, resulting in widespread blackouts and wholesale electricity prices going from $25 per megawatt-hour (MWh) to $9,000 per MWh. In June 2023, the
Putin’s Threats To Zaporizhhia Nuclear Power Plant Endangers Energy Transition
Carl Sagan once said, “The nuclear arms race is like two sworn enemies standing waist-deep in gasoline, one with three matches, the other with five.” The near-universal recognition of the futility of an all-out nuclear war led to widespread cuts in nuclear armaments since Gorbachev’s perestroika and the Soviet collapse in 1991. Even anti-communist hawks
Russia’s War & China’s Ambition Remake Eurasian Energy Routes
Putin’s chef and international villain par excellence, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s half-baked coup against Russia’s Vladimir Putin highlighted just how toxic Russia has become as a global business partner. While Prigozhin ostensibly failed and his power base is being purged, his failed coup revealed the fragility of the Russian state. Read the full article here.
New Iceland Tech Shakes Up Global Geothermal Energy
Amongst the many common facts about Iceland (Björk, Chess in Reykjavik, and Viking Sagas), many know the island’s nickname, “The Land of Fire and Ice.” Beautiful landscapes draw tourists to volcanos and geysers, contributing to an internationally renowned clean energy model that derives 99% of power from clean energy through a combination of geothermal and
The Promise and Peril of AI in the Energy Sector
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the energy industry, driving digitalization and predictive capabilities. While boosting efficiency, it also exposes vulnerabilities that require careful management. Cyberattacks, which will increasingly leverage AI, experienced a significant surge of 2000% between 2018 and 2019, but the frequency has since stabilized. Read the full article here.
India’s Green Energy Potential Hampered By Pakistan’s Turmoil
The environmental costs of extracting lithium present another barrier to local lithium production which may exacerbate tensions. The mining of lithium, like other minerals, will pollute the surrounding areas, potentially contaminating the groundwater and exposing local populations to toxic chemicals. The fact that Jammu and Kashmir are the origin points for Pakistan’s primary river, the Indus River,