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The surge in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure has turned data centers into the fastest-growing source of new electricity demand in North America. Grid operators and policymakers are racing to keep up, and for energy providers, this wave of demand could open new frontiers of opportunity. Challenge 1: Capacity bottlenecks Data center developers are demanding power within tight timelines, while interconnection queues for new generation and transmission projects can stretch for years. Some operators are now building private…
Much of the hydrogen discourse over the past decade has been aspirational: visions of a clean hydrogen economy, deep decarbonization of industry and transport, and futuristic power systems built around electrolysis. In many of my earlier pieces on OilPrice, I warned that hydrogen was entering a “reality phase” — where hype must give way to execution, economics, and scaling. Now we are beginning to see real projects crossing the threshold, and the balance is shifting. But the path forward is fragile: execution, policy alignment,…
Concern has been rising that artificial intelligence is killing jobs, and there is evidence to support this. But in the energy industry, executives are loving AI. A fifth of energy companies are already using the technology, and an overwhelming majority of executives believe AI is a force for good. For energy, it has been. AI is driving energy demand much higher than ever before, and it has reasserted the reliability of supply as a top priority. In a report released this week, the UAE’s ADNOC and Microsoft reported that 87% of companies they…
Oil prices were little changed in the current week, with bearish sentiment still ruling the markets after the U.S. agreed to a one-year truce to its trade war with China, despite reports that Indian refiners are ditching Russian oil following fresh U.S. sanctions. Brent crude for December delivery traded at $65.07/bbl at 2.22 pm ET on Friday, a slight drop from $66.48/bbl a week ago, while the corresponding WTI contract was changing hands at $60.92/bbl, down from $61.95/bbl. Last week, the Trump administration announced fresh sanctions targeting…

