Energy Utilities

AI Reshapes Britain's Datacenter Map

AI is reshaping Britain's datacenter map away from London. Bit barns need to worry more about space, access to grid – overstuffed center no longer a must, say experts

Bitcoin mining data center slated for deployment at gas field in East Yorkshire, UK – report

A newly licensed gas field in East Yorkshire could be used to power Bitcoin mining, rather than deliver energy into the UK’s ailing power grid, according to reporting from the Telegraph. 01 May 2025 Welcome to Gas Land – how natural gas is powering the US AI boom As AI drives increasing energy consumption in […]

Growing AI power slurpage prompts MPs to examine low-energy computing

Committee launches inquiry into emerging chip designs to curb datacenter energy use MPs are probing whether radically different, low-energy chip designs can stop AI from turning the UK's power grid into a bottleneck.…

Towngas, Tencent partner on cloud, AI services, to co-build digital platforms for energy industry - Telecompaper

The Hong Kong and China Gas Company (Towngas) and Tencent have signed a strategic partnership agreement in Hong Kong. The two companies will collaborate extensively on unified cloud resource management, digital platform development, large AI models and applications, customer engagement enhancement, ...

AI Nuclear Power Developer Fermi Slumps After Abrupt Exit of CEO

Fermi Inc., a developer of nuclear power for AI data centers, slumped after the sudden departure of co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Toby Neugebauer along with the company’s chief financial officer.

AI is reshaping Britain's datacenter map away from London

Bit barns need to worry more about space, access to grid – overstuffed center no longer a must, say experts UK AI datacenter capacity could migrate away from London as power shortages, planning constraints and reduced reliance on low-latency connections to financial firms make other locations more attractive.…

Organizers Reveal Strategies to Successfully Resist a Data Center - El-Balad.com

Communities across the United States are increasingly resisting the rapid expansion of data centers that support artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. As the demand for these facilities continues to grow, local activists are mobilizing to combat their adverse effects, including water and ...

Industrial overcapacity can enable seasonal flexibility in electricity use

arXiv:2511.22839v3 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: In many countries, declining demand in energy-intensive industries (EIIs) such as cement, steel, and aluminum is leading to industrial overcapacity. Although industrial overcapacity is traditionally envisioned as problematic and resource-wasteful, it could unlock EIIs' flexibility in electricity use. Here, using China's aluminum smelting industry as a case study, we evaluate the system-level cost-benefit of retaining EII overcapacity for flexible electricity use in decarbonized energy systems. We find that overcapacity can enable aluminum smelters to adopt a seasonal operation paradigm, ceasing production during winter load peaks that are exacerbated by heating electrification and renewable seasonality. This seasonal operation paradigm could reduce the investment and operational costs of China's decarbonized electricity system by 23-32 billion CNY/year (11-15% of the aluminum smelting industry's product value), sufficient to offset the increased smelter maintenance and product storage costs associated with overcapacity. It may also create labor complementarities between the aluminum and thermal power sectors.

Tesla's Energy Storage Division to Pick Up Slack

Tesla's solar and energy business is likely to outshine the EV maker's challenged core business when it reports quarterly results.

AI Absorbs $242 Billion in Q1 Venture Funding, Exceeding All of 2025 Combined

AI took 80% of Q1 2026 venture funding at $242B while half of planned US data centers face delays or cancellation.

Reopening Strait of Hormuz Would Ease Oil Crisis but Only So Much

Analysts said energy and shipping companies would be reluctant to fully restore operations until they were confident that hostilities were over.

Strait of Hormuz Is Open During Cease-Fire in Lebanon, U.S. and Iran Say

Statements from President Trump and Iran aimed to raise confidence in the safety of the waterway, but shipping experts said risks remained.

Oil Prices Fall Sharply After Iran Says Strait of Hormuz Is Open

But analysts said it was not clear how quickly the oil industry in the Persian Gulf would be able to get back to normal.

The 400-Ton Giants That Keep Your AI Models Running

The customer list maps directly to the AI infrastructure buildout. GE Vernova is supplying turbines for natural gas power plants developed by Chevron and Engine No. 1 to support Microsoft’s AI data ce.

Data centre delays threaten to choke AI expansion

Almost 40% of such builds in US risk hold-ups, including projects tied to Microsoft and OpenAI.

Optimizing Earth Observation Satellite Schedules under Unknown Operational Constraints: An Active Constraint Acquisition Approach

arXiv:2604.13283v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Earth Observation (EO) satellite scheduling (deciding which imaging tasks to perform and when) is a well-studied combinatorial optimization problem. Existing methods typically assume that the operational constraint model is fully specified in advance. In practice, however, constraints governing separation between observations, power budgets, and thermal limits are often embedded in engineering artefacts or high-fidelity simulators rather than in explicit mathematical models. We study EO scheduling under \emph{unknown constraints}: the objective is known, but feasibility must be learned interactively from a binary oracle. Working with a simplified model restricted to pairwise separation and global capacity constraints, we introduce Conservative Constraint Acquisition~(CCA), a domain-specific procedure designed to identify justified constraints efficiently in practice while limiting unnecessary tightening of the learned model. Embedded in the \textsc{Learn\&Optimize} framework, CCA supports an interactive search process that alternates optimization under a learned constraint model with targeted oracle queries. On synthetic instances with up to 50~tasks and dense constraint networks, L\&O improves over a no-knowledge greedy baseline and uses far fewer main oracle queries than a two-phase acquire-then-solve baseline (FAO). For $n\leq 30$, the average gap drops from 65--68\% (Priority Greedy) to 17.7--35.8\% using L\&O. At $n{=}50$, where the CP-SAT reference is the best feasible solution found in 120~s, L\&O improves on FAO on average (17.9\% vs.\ 20.3\%) while using 21.3 main queries instead of 100 and about $5\times$ less execution time.

Allbirds Transforms into NewBird AI with $39M Asset Sale

Allbirds is transitioning to NewBird AI, selling its footwear assets for $39 million to focus on AI compute infrastructure.

Should Investors Watch Lynas (ASX:LYC) Amid Geopolitical Shifts?

Geopolitical and trade policy risks cut both ways for Lynas. Favourable US government support is a clear positive, but broader trade frictions — including potential tariffs, sanctions or export controls — could reshape supply chains in unpredictable ways. Managing relationships with customers in Japan, Korea, Europe ...

Data center energy consumption +17% in 2025

Data center energy consumption rises 17% in 2025, driven by AI growth. IEA highlights infrastructure limits and rising global demand.

New IEA report highlights the growing energy impact of AI

Energy use per AI task is falling quickly, and efficiency is improving at an unprecedented pace.

Top 10 Expansion Investments Powering AI, Energy, and Infrastructure Growth in Q1-2026 | Intellizence

Large-scale expansion investments are shaping the future of artificial intelligence, telecom, clean energy, semiconductors, robotics, and industrial infrastructure. Across the world, leading companies are committing billions of dollars to build data centers, strengthen energy networks, expand ...

The AI Energy Surge: Can Data Centers Scale Without Breaking the Grid? – ecoPreserve

How hyperscale AI infrastructure is reshaping energy demand, and the innovations redefining sustainable high-performance buildings.

The Regional Data Centre Revolution Powered by AI Demand - ScotlandIS

Mark Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer at Pulsant, offers his insights into why data centre hubs are gradually moving away from London.

War, Watts, and the AI Buildout That Won't Stop | InvestorPlace

The Iran blockade has injected real uncertainty into global energy markets. Oil is elevated. Inflation expectations are shifting. And the sectors that benefit from sustained energy disruption — defense, energy infrastructure, and AI compute — are not the same ones most investors are watching.

Synthetic Reflections on Resource Extraction

arXiv:2602.09299v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: This paper describes how AI models can be augmented and adapted to interpret landscapes. We present the technical framework of a Sentinel-2 satellite asset interpretation pipeline that combines statistical operations, human judgment, and generative AI models to produce succinct commentaries on industrial mining sites across the planet. To this end we introduce a novel bespoke landscape descriptor, the Urban Dwelling and Mining Index, and discuss how this metric can improve the performance of a multimodal language model in assessing the spatial distribution of mining operations.

A new monetary metric is found in the thermodynamic relation between energy and GDP

arXiv:2508.08723v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: A robust thermodynamic relation between inflation corrected monetary valuation and energy emerges from existing work. This is based on the energy used, the aggregate efficiency of all production processes ($\Lambda(t)$) in terms of Joules per dollar of gross world product, and the gross world product: $\frac{E_A(t) \text{[J]}}{\Lambda(t) \text{[J/\$]}} = Y(t) [\$]$ where: J = Joules, \$= currency. This directs us to the production system and all of its processes in addition to alternatives to carbon energy. The original relation appeared in 'Are there basic physical constraints on future anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide?' (Garrett 2011). There a foundation assumption was made that a variable $\lambda$ representing energy per dollar would disprove the presented model. However, because $\lambda$ has dimension [$\frac{E}{\$ \; GWP}$], it represents the aggregate efficiency of all global production, and cannot be a constant in an economic model. Thus, aggregate production efficiency is: $\Lambda(t) \equiv \sum {\lambda_i(t) \cdot \frac{P_i}{GWP}}$. The claimed 50 year constant relation of $W$ ($\sum_{i = n}^{t} Y_i \text{ [\$]}$) to the energy $E$ of the final year is incorrect -- the relation is not flat, nor should this be expected. The graph of $W$ from 1970 back in time is shown to have an historic minimum in 1970 driven by growth in energy consumption and increasing efficiency of energy use that is unlikely to be repeated. With improvements, a robust thermodynamic model is obtained that has general application to the relationship between money and energy and may be useable for evaluating the health of currencies and economies.

Mapping the causal structure of price formation in Texas's transitioning electricity market

arXiv:2604.14257v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Electricity markets are changing, driven by large-scale renewable integration and rising demand from electrification and digitalisation. This raises fundamental questions about how electricity prices form as the relationships among key price determinants evolve. Here we apply causal discovery to characterise these dynamics across major supply- and demand-side drivers of wholesale electricity prices in Texas, where rapid renewable growth intersects with surging demand. We show that wind generation has become the dominant causal driver of day-ahead electricity prices with effects more than 3 times larger than those of natural gas prices, overturning the view of the Texas market as gas-price-driven. Wind reduces prices locally but redistributes congestion costs across regions in seasonally varying patterns. Natural gas prices remain causally relevant, though their influence is modest and the dominant gas benchmark changes over time. Electricity demand also shows region- and period-specific causal effects. These findings highlight the need for causal models that capture time-varying relationships across both supply and demand to guide system planners and market participants navigating the ongoing transition.

AI tech collab takes on SA’s energy distribution crisis | ITWeb

Energy tech firm Plentify partners with local residential developer to roll out AI-driven home energy management system.

Is Energy the Real AI Bottleneck? What Investors Need to Know | The Motley Fool

U.S. AI data centers could consume 9–17% of U.S. electricity by 2030, up from 4–5% today. Here's what that means for investors

Utility companies planning to invest $1.4 trillion in power grids for AI, report finds - CBS News

U.S. utility companies are planning to invest $1.4 trillion over the next five years to help strengthen the nation's power grid, according to a new report released Tuesday by the nonpartisan nonprofit consumer education organization PowerLines. CBS News MoneyWatch reporter Megan Cerullo has ...

Data Farms To Power AI Are A New 'Not In My Back Yard' Flashpoint | Across America, US Patch

In town halls across the country, residents push back against data centers as some state legislatures question if tax breaks went too far.

UK AI Minister Hits Out at OpenAI for Stargate Project Pause

Britain’s AI minister dinged OpenAI for halting a major data center project in the UK and blaming the decision on the country’s energy costs and regulation.

Loud, power hungry - opposition grows to datacenters as Maine passes bit barn ban

If there's one thing folks want less than Copilot in their taskbar, it's a bit barn in their backyard Loud, thirsty, power hungry, and intensely unpopular with neighboring residents: datacenters are becoming the new nuclear waste dump. And many localities are now saying "not in my backyard."…

Green by Design? Investigating the Energy and Carbon Footprint of Chia Network

arXiv:2604.13044v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: This paper presents a detailed analysis of the environmental impact of Chia Network (Chia for short), a green-claimed blockchain, which uses a Proof of Space and Time (PoST) consensus mechanism. While Chia claims to be a sustainable alternative to Proof-of-Work-based blockchains, our results show that its resource-intensive initialization phase and ongoing operations lead to carbon emissions 18x higher than claimed (0.88 MtCO2/year), exceeding mainstream "green" blockchains by orders of magnitude. We combine experimental measurements from a controlled testbed (Grid'5000) with theoretical modeling of operational and embodied emissions to assess Chia's true sustainability profile.

Webinaire IA, énergie et environnement: la nouvelle équation concurrentielle

An online conference discussing the competitive equation between AI, energy, and the environment.

Maine becomes first US state to pass data centre construction ban

Closely watched legislation could provide a blueprint for others considering moratoriums

Britain gives Rolls-Royce the nod to sketch out its mini reactor future

Rolls-Royce has been contracted to begin design work on small modular reactors, though power generation is not expected until the mid-2030s.

Maine lawmakers pass nation's first statewide ban on large data ...

Maine lawmakers pass country’s first statewide ban on large data centers - The Washington Post Democracy Dies in Darkness Legislators in Maine on Tuesday passed the nation’s first statewide ban on large data centers, part of a growing backlash to the energy-intensive facilities that fuel the rise of artificial intelligence.

Va. enacts data center bills addressing energy demand, costs, environment

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed over half a dozen bills impacting data centers, focusing on energy demand, utility costs, and environmental concerns.

When Forecast Accuracy Fails: Rank Correlation and Decision Quality in Multi-Market Battery Storage Optimization

arXiv:2604.12082v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Battery energy storage systems (BESS) participating in multi-market electricity trading require price forecasts to optimize dispatch decisions. A widely held assumption is that forecast accuracy, measured by standard metrics such as mean absolute error (MAE), drives trading performance. We challenge this assumption using a hierarchical three-layer optimization system trading simultaneously on frequency containment reserve (FCR), automatic frequency restoration reserve (aFRR), day-ahead, and continuous intraday (XBID) markets in Germany and Switzerland over 2020-2025, with real market data from Regelleistung.net and Swissgrid. We find that rank correlation (Kendall tau), rather than MAE, is the primary predictor of intraday dispatch value: forecasts above an empirical threshold of tau approximately 0.85-0.95 capture up to 97-100% of perfect-foresight revenue, while persistence forecasts with near-zero tau capture only 33%. This threshold is stable across market regimes and volatility levels, and reflects the ordinal structure of the dispatch problem. Furthermore, under reserve market constraints, FCR capacity revenue exceeds XBID by 6.5x per MW, making capacity allocation -- not forecast accuracy -- the primary driver of total revenue. In the Swiss market, hydrological surplus anomalies are significantly associated with balancing market revenue (p = 0.0005), a mechanism absent from existing German-focused literature. These findings reframe forecast evaluation for BESS operators: the relevant question is not what the MAE is, but whether the forecast achieves tau-sufficiency.

Delska Launches One of the Baltics’ Most Advanced and Sustainable Data Centers in Riga

RIGA, Latvia, April 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Delska, one of the leading data center operators in the Baltics, officially launched EU North Riga LV DC1 – a 10 MW data center designed for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). The project has received the Latvian Construction Annual Award (1st place in the “Production […]

What Drives Energy Use? Prices, Efficiency Policies, and the Demand Frontier

arXiv:2604.12112v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: What drives cross-state differences in U.S. energy consumption? We combine LMDI decomposition, stochastic frontier analysis, and variable-importance methods on a panel of 50 states plus DC over the 2006--2022 period. The observed 12.8% decline in per capita energy use is driven almost entirely by intensity improvements. A variance decomposition attributes 63% of cross-state variation in log energy use to the demand frontier, 34\% to inefficiency above it, and 3% to noise. Within the frontier, energy prices account for roughly 26% of cross-state variation and state efficiency policies for about 13%, while GDP and climate together explain only around 10\%. Efficiency policies also operate through a second channel by reducing inefficiency, adding a further 6 percentage points to their total contribution. The results suggest that pricing and regulation are the primary drivers of cross-state energy use differences.

Amazon-backed X-energy files to raise up to $800M in IPO

The nuclear energy company, supported by Amazon, has initiated the process for an $800 million initial public offering.

Oracle taps Bloom for 2.8 GW of fuel cells to keep datacenter binge going

Oracle is turning to on-site fuel cells to power its datacenters amid grid and turbine supply constraints.

Veolia Sees €1 Billion Sales to AI Industries by 2030

France’s Veolia Environnement SA plans to nearly double revenue from artificial intelligence industries to €1 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2030 as it provides new services to the booming sector.

Utilities Plan to Spend $1.4 Trillion Over Next Five Years to Power AI Boom

Soaring spending plans by 51 investor-owned utilities will help patch up the aging power grid and meet rising electricity demand for AI, a new report finds.

AI Power Boom Is 'Accelerating' As Goldman Sachs Forecasts Data Center's Demand To Surge 220% By 2030 - C - Benzinga

Data centers currently account for roughly 6% of total U.S. electricity demand, but industry estimates project this could rise to 11% by 2030. With hyperscalers aggressively building out computing capacity, major regional power markets are rapidly approaching critical tightness. The looming energy crunch is actively rewriting the playbook for utility and energy infrastructure investments...

NAACP lawsuit accuses Elon Musk’s xAI of polluting Black neighborhoods near Memphis

Suit alleges the billionaire’s AI company is illegally spewing toxic pollutants from its datacenter in the Memphis area A new lawsuit accuses Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company of illegally spewing toxic pollutants into the Black neighborhoods on the border of Tennessee and Mississippi. The suit, filed on Tuesday in Mississippi federal court, alleges xAI is violating the Clean Air Act due to emissions from its makeshift power plant in Southaven, Mississippi, which powers its datacenters in south Memphis. The NAACP, represented by environmental groups Southern Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice, says xAI has been polluting the surrounding historically Black communities by using dozens of methane gas generators without permits. The organization is seeking to force the company to stop operating its unpermitted turbines in Southaven. Continue reading...

Explainable Planning for Hybrid Systems

arXiv:2604.09578v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The recent advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies facilitates a paradigm shift toward automation. Autonomous systems are fully or partially replacing manually crafted ones. At the core of these systems is automated planning. With the advent of powerful planners, automated planning is now applied to many complex and safety-critical domains, including smart energy grids, self-driving cars, warehouse automation, urban and air traffic control, search and rescue operations, surveillance, robotics, and healthcare. There is a growing need to generate explanations of AI-based systems, which is one of the major challenges the planning community faces today. The thesis presents a comprehensive study on explainable artificial intelligence planning (XAIP) for hybrid systems that capture a representation of real-world problems closely.

Oracle Agrees to Buy Power From Bloom for AI Data Centers

Oracle Corp. agreed to purchase as much as 2. 8 gigawatts of fuel-cell power from Bloom Energy Corp.

Hormuz blockade, Supreme Court retirements and powering AI with coal | Reuters

Trump says the U. S. will blockade the Strait of Hormuz.

China’s Electrostate Is Poised to Win From War in the Middle East

A cluster of Chinese firms is poised to win big from the energy crisis set off by the war in the Middle East, building on booming investment in artificial intelligence.

FinancialContent - Copper Markets Navigate "Triple Demand" Shock: AI, Defense, and Tariffs

Copper is no longer viewed merely ... and national security. The convergence of AI and defense demand represents a shift toward "priority" consumption, where buyers are willing to pay almost any price to secure supply. This mirrors historical precedents like the oil shocks of the 1970s, where resource scarcity dictated global foreign policy and industrial ...

Two former Green Mountain CEOs set up new Nordic data center company

A new Nordic data center firm has been launched by two former CEOs of Norwegian operator Green Mountain. Heim Datacenter has launched, with plans to develop data centers in Finland and Sweden. – Heim Datacenter The company was set up by Tor Kristian Gyland, who was CEO of Green Mountain from 2017 until 2023, and […]

AI Data Center Boom Falters as 60+ Projects Are…

AI Data Center Boom Falters as 60+ Projects Are… Get all your news in one place. 100's of premium titles. One app. Get all your news in one place. 100's of premium titles. One news app. inkl By Staff Reporter | Blackridge Research & Consulting # AI Data Center Boom Falters as 60+ Projects Are Scrapped or Stalled Dozens of Projects Scrapped Amid Grid Strain, Community Pushback, and Regulatory Pressure The United States is building AI data center infrastructure at a pace not seen since the interstate highway program, and the strains are beginning to show. Sixty-one major AI data center projects have been cancelled or placed on hold across the country over the past 15 months, according to the data from Blackridge Research’s data center project database. The figure reflects growing pre

Texas lawmakers held a hearing on data centers. Here are 4 key takeaways – Houston Public Media

The boom in data centers, many to support artificial intelligence, could strain the Texas power grid and increase energy costs.

The Need for a Green ICT Reference Framework

arXiv:2604.09307v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: The sustainability impacts of ICT systems are difficult to assess and govern due to structural complexity, fragmented measurement practices, and unclear responsibilities across system layers. We argue that these challenges cannot be addressed solely by metrics and motivate the need for a shared Green ICT reference framework that integrates sustainability across multiple perspectives and domains, lifecycle phases, and governance contexts. We present an initial framework developed within the Informatics Europe Green ICT Working Group as a first step towards a comprehensive reference framework.

How the Iran War Threatens the AI Economy - The American Prospect

Supply chain disruptions threaten the flow of computer chips, which power AI models.

iTWire - Responsible ESG AI enablement could become Australia's next great export if we start now

Peter Cardassis said, "Integrating ... modern grid capacity into AI expansion plans will ensure growth is sustainable rather than reactive." For business leaders and boards, the implications are clear. AI adoption can no longer be viewed only through the lens of software capability or experimentation with new tools. Organisations must also understand the infrastructure footprint of the AI systems they deploy. Peter Cardassis said, "Energy demand, sustainability ...

Rolls-Royce secures nearly £600m in UK government cash to develop small reactors

Engine-maker CEO hails ‘critical milestone’ for company in race to deliver SMR technology built at Wylfa plant on Anglesey Rolls-Royce has secured up to £599m from Britain’s national wealth fund as it races to develop the UK’s first small modular nuclear reactors. The fund will help support Rolls-Royce’s design of small modular reactors (SMRs) at Wylfa on the island of Anglesey (called Ynys Môn in Welsh). Continue reading...

Power and AI Boost Infrastructure Investing - Charles Schwab

Power and AI Boost Infrastructure Investing | Charles Schwab # Power and AI Boost Infrastructure Investments While infrastructure companies are not immune to a potential economic slowdown, they may provide a longer-term investment opportunity amid an uncertain macroeconomic backdrop. April 13, 2026• Michelle Gibley• Chris Ferrarone --- ## Key points: - A number of long-term, or secular, drivers are creating potential opportunities for infrastructure operators and builders. - Infrastructure companies can be both defensive and cyclical in nature. Infrastructure operators feature high barriers to entry and relatively stable growth and dividends, while builder-related companies are seeing opportunities from multi-year capital investment cycles tied to the increased demand for p

Stanford's AI Index for 2026 Shows the State of AI - IEEE Spectrum

The 2026 Stanford AI Index reveals how global AI trends 2026 are reshaping compute, emissions, and public trust in powerful models.

How do data centres scale for AI when power is the constraint?

Harting's Will Stewart explores how AI is forcing data centre operators to rethink power, cooling and maintainability as rack densities rise quickly.

AI Is Using So Much Energy That Computing Firepower Is Running Out | World News

AI companies are rationing their offerings and products, rankling users—a warning sign for a boom that depends on rapid adoption. | World News

Data Center Boom Alarms Arizona Energy Panel

A new report in the state warns that the ongoing boom in data centers and other “large-load” customers in Arizona is posing a challenge to grid reliability and the cost of electricity.

Data Center Boom Reaches West Georgia, Raising Questions Amid Mounting Opposition - Inside Climate News

A proposed data center campus in Muscogee County has become a flashpoint in Georgia’s expanding AI infrastructure boom. Residents say development is beginning to outpace public understanding—and some fear the land itself may bear the cost.

Insights from Farmer-Managed Decentralized Solar Irrigation Systems

arXiv:2604.09395v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Solar irrigation systems are increasingly deployed in rural regions, yet their distributed and remote deployment makes maintenance challenging for farmers. While formal monitoring processes and applications exist, they often fall short in practice. We present insights from grid-connected solar irrigation schemes that incentivize farmers to feed energy to the grid, focusing on how farmers maintain their systems. We found that farmers face multiple challenges but are also devising strategies, including the appropriation of WhatsApp to share daily generation data with peers and compare performance across installations to identify potential system anomalies. Our findings highlight how messaging platforms function as informal digital infrastructures enabling collective sensemaking around distributed energy systems. We discuss implications for designing agricultural energy technologies that support peer comparison, contextual interpretation, and community-driven maintenance, framing these as a socio-technical platform. Finally, we outline directions for future work integrating such practices with formal monitoring tools and explore their potential to support citizen science initiatives in environmental sensing.

China, Iran weaponized the global economy to beat the U.S. at its ...

Iran weaponizes global oil trade in war with the United States - The Washington Post Democracy Dies in Darkness By David J. Lynch Twice in one year, the United States has been humbled by an adversary’s ability to weaponize its control over one of the global economy’s main arteries. First, China wielded its dominance over rare earth minerals to secure a truce in President Donald Trump’s trade war. Then, Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, taking hostage global energy markets and leading to a ceasefire in its six-week war with the United States and Israel.

Opinion: A data center moratorium would be a gift to China | Staff columnists, Editorials | thegazette.com

If the U.S. is to win the AI race, global adoption is critical. While hardware and model innovation for top performance is significant, it is arguably more important that the

Intellectia

Energy storage companies, grid infrastructure providers, and power generation firms all stand to benefit from this demand surge. The most significant constraint facing AI infrastructure expansion is power availability. Utilities cannot add gigawatts of capacity overnight, and transmission ...

It Took AI to Make Big Tech Love Fossil Fuels, But Now We’re All Going to Pay for Their Tardiness

The AI industry is doubling its capacity in months. The grid operates on a timeline measured in presidential administrations. The core problem is a mismatch in development timelines. AI technology and demand are growing exponentially, while energy infrastructure — new high-voltage transmission ...

Solar Power Accelerator (SPA) rebrands to RPX: Adds customised AI and BaaS offering

RPX strategically pivots to electrify Europe’s heavy transport with innovative renewable energy offerings, AI software and Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) solutions. STOCKHOLM, Apr. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Solar Power Accelerator (SPA) today announced that it has officially rebranded to Renewable Power Accelerator (RPX) following a strategic repositioning to accelerate the electrification of Europe’s heavy duty transport sector through […]

Criteria for the economic viability of fusion power plants

arXiv:2604.07367v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Commercial fusion energy requires frameworks to assess both the scientific and economic viability of a wide variety of fusion concepts. Inspired by the Lawson criterion's ability to universally describe fusion energy gain, a generalized framework is developed to determine the economic gain of fusion power plants. The model exploits temporal equilibrium, and engineering and cost parameters normalized to the energy capture surface. The derived criteria for economic gain are therefore independent of the power plant's absolute power, impartial to the particulars of its fusion technology, and can be applied to any fusion confinement concept. The derivation of the economic gain factor, $Q_{econ}$, results in nonlinear equations with ten controlling normalized design parameters ranging from fusion power density and surface component lifetime to energy fluence, price of energy, and component efficiency and cost. These ten controlling parameters are varied over a wide range to provide high-level insights in design, finance and operational tradeoffs that improve the prospects for economically viable fusion energy.

OpenAI Pauses Stargate UK Project Amid Energy Costs and Regulatory Hurdles

OpenAI has temporarily halted its Stargate UK project due to high energy costs, grid connection delays, and regulatory uncertainties regarding copyright rules.

AI model providers asked to contribute to EU study on energy consumption, efficiency

The European Commission has opened a public consultation to gather data on AI energy consumption to inform the AI Act and support the design of a potential energy label.

How AI Data Centers Are Fueling Energy Infrastructure ETFs

A series of large energy infrastructure projects underscore the critical role of natural gas in supporting data centers.

Big Tech puts financial heft behind next-gen nuclear power as AI demand surges | Reuters

April 9 (Reuters) - Big Tech is reshaping the funding landscape for new nuclear technologies as it seeks to bolster electricity supply for ​power-hungry AI data centers, inking deals that offer nuclear companies both funding and a clearer path to making money.

Global energy demands within the AI regulatory landscape | Brookings

Similarly, Meta’s 2025 sustainability ... sustainable data centers for AI, but it does not detail specific model energy demands. Even in model-specific reporting, methodological differences including what is in scope (training or inference, infrastructure or AI accelerators), ...

Data Centers Hinder States from Achieving Clean Energy Goals - El-Balad.com

Data centers are presenting significant challenges to states striving to meet clean energy goals. In Nevada, the demand from these facilities threatens the state’s commitment to achieving 50% renewable energy by 2030. According to NV Energy, the primary utility provider, the electricity needed ...

AI Data Centers Power Crisis: Massive Energy Demand Threatens Emissions Targets and Latest Delays Signal Market Shift

AI data centers are driving massive power demand, straining grids, boosting emissions risk, and reshaping global energy and carbon markets.

OpenAI Freezes UK AI Data Center Plans Over Power Prices, Red Tape | OilPrice.com

OpenAI has paused its Stargate UK data center project, citing high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty as barriers to long-term AI infrastructure investment.

Why Your AI Infrastructure Could Be Your Biggest Sustainability Risk in 2026 | Knowledge Hub Media

Enterprise AI infrastructure is becoming one of the fastest-growing contributors to corporate energy consumption. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global data center electricity demand is projected to nearly double to around 945 TWh by 2030.

Need for speed: The regulatory detour slowing grid expansion

On the Left and Right are those who believe data centers should not be supplied with electricity. This view is both unlawful and unwise.

NuScale Power: SMRs for AI Data Center Energy Demand | 2026 Outlook - News and Statistics - IndexBox

Analysis of NuScale Power's positioning to capitalize on the nuclear energy renaissance driven by surging electricity demand from AI data centers, with insights from Bank of America.

AI struggles to model for angry Main Street mobs - Reuters

AI struggles to model for angry Main Street mobs | Reuters Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionalsLearn more aboutRefinitiv RJ45 cables are pictured inside the data centre operated by French telecoms operator Iliad in Paris, France, March 4, 2019. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab NEW YORK, April 10 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Artificial intelligence is getting stumped by angry and anxious humans. Facing the fastest-rising electricity bills in ​the country, Maine’s House of Representatives advanced, opens new tab a proposal to ban new data centers larger than ‌20 megawatts until late 2027. Local

Here's how to get the $7 trillion AI hardware buildout right

Here's how to get the $7 trillion AI hardware buildout right | World Economic Forum Hardware is king in the ongoing global AI buildout – and getting it right is crucial. Image: REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier ##### Navin Chaddha Managing Partner, Mayfield ##### Share: ##### Explore and monitor how Artificial Intelligence is affecting economies, industries and global issues ##### Stay up to date: #### Artificial Intelligence Follow - An estimated $7 trillion in data centre investment is expected through 2030. - Much of that is spent on cooling, power generation and other adjacent hardware. - Getting this buildout right requires businesses, governments and international bodies focus on building coordination and cooperation into the system early. We are in the middle of the largest physical infrastructure buildout in modern history. The choices leaders make now will determine whether

How the AI boom derailed clean‑air efforts in one of America's most ...

How the AI boom derailed clean‑air efforts in one of America's most polluted cities | Reuters Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionalsLearn more aboutRefinitiv Item 1 of 7 Beth Gutzler views air quality data on the AirWatchSTL website on a laptop in Florissant, Missouri, U.S., February 18, 2026. REUTERS/Lawrence Bryant [1/7]Beth Gutzler views air quality data on the AirWatchSTL website on a laptop in Florissant, Missouri, U.S., February 18, 2026. REUTERS/Lawrence Bryant Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab - Summary - Companies - Trump administrati

PJM Targets 15 Gigawatts of New Power for Data Center Boom

PJM Interconnection LLC is seeking 15 gigawatts of new power supplies in an emergency proposal to address potential electricity shortages stemming from the boom in artificial intelligence.

OpenAI halts Stargate UK data centre project

Company blames high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty in blow to Starmer’s effort to build ‘sovereign’ AI

Opinion | The anti-data center movement is growing — and becoming more unhinged

As Wisconsin and Maine move against AI , an Indianapolis councilor experiences an act of violence.

OpenAI puts Stargate UK on ice, blames energy costs and red tape

Sam Altman's datacenter dreams hit a wall of watts and wonkery, cooling Britain's AI ambitions OpenAI is pausing its planned Stargate datacenter project in the UK just months after announcing it, citing the regulatory environment and cost of energy as reasons for putting it on hold.…

CATL invests in China's Zhongheng Electric as AI demand surges

As artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates the buildout of data centers, the race to supply their enormous energy demands is drawing new alliances between China's technology and industrial giants.

UK's AI Datacenters Face Energy Demand Challenges

Investors are going nuclear to keep UK's AI datacenters fed. Market watcher says money is pouring into British atomic and fusion startups amid massive energy demand.

Franco-American startup Plume raises €3.3 million to speed up renewable energy site selection with geospatial AI

Plume, a Franco-American startup specialising in geospatial AI for renewable energies, has announced a €3.3M funding round to expand the team, as well as for European and American expansion. The round was led by AENU, with participation from Y Combinator, Kima Ventures, Raise Phiture, Better Angle and Collab Fund. “Plume tackles the most critical bottleneck […]

OpenAI Pauses Stargate UK Data Center Citing Energy Costs

OpenAI said it is pausing its Stargate artificial intelligence infrastructure project in the UK, as it reins in ambitious spending plans ahead of a highly anticipated public listing.

OpenAI pauses Stargate UK over energy costs

Stargate UK will move forward when 'right conditions' enable 'long-term infrastructure investment', OpenAI said. Read more: OpenAI pauses Stargate UK over energy costs

Breaking: AI Data Centers Not Driving Up Your Electric Bill - QuantoSei News

Are booming AI data centers causing your electricity costs to soar? A comprehensive new analysis debunks this widespread concern, revealing no measurable link between the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure and rising consumer electricity rates across the United States.

OpenAI pauses UK data centre deal over energy costs and regulation

The project was part of a package of tech investment promising the UK could become an AI superpower.

FinancialContent - The $58 Billion Power Play: How the Devon-Coterra Merger is Fueling the AI Revolution

The $58 Billion Power Play: How the Devon-Coterra Merger is Fueling the AI Revolution

States are struggling to meet their clean energy goals. Data centers ...

States are struggling to meet their clean energy goals. Data centers are to blame - The Washington Post Democracy Dies in Darkness By Jessica Hill | AP LAS VEGAS — Nevada’s largest utility says it will need three times the electricity required to power Las Vegas just to handle proposed data centers — and it probably can’t do that without fossil fuels.

Where AI data centers are reducing power bills : The Indicator from Planet Money : NPR

Over the last half decade, wholesale electricity prices have increased 267% in places close to data centers. That’s contributed to a backlash against new ones. But some experts believe data centers are a scapegoat for long-term issues with an aging U.S. grid.

Digital Realty Trust Builds Japan AI Hub While Testing Capital Strength - Simply Wall St News

Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR) has opened its NRT14 data center in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, built to support advanced AI workloads with hybrid liquid and air cooling. The NRT14 facility is among the first in Japan to receive DGX-Ready Data Center certification, aimed at enterprise customers ...

New study finds no link between rising electricity rates and AI data centers | National | thedesertreview.com

There is no measurable correlation between increasing electricity demand due to the rapidly increasing construction of new artificial intelligence (AI) data centers in multiple states and the rising costs in

Desert Bytes: Why Gulf AI Ambitions Must Align with Energy and Water Realities - Middle East Council on Global Affairs

This policy brief outlines four ... and energy efficiency standard; (3) mandate non-potable water use for all new data centers; and (4) invest in promising technologies and solutions that reduce the burden on water resources. Together, these solutions form a summer-neutral approach to AI infrastructure that flattens seasonal impacts. The extreme summer heat already presents an annual stress test for Gulf infrastructure. Since air-conditioning demand soars in the ...

Fact Check Team: AI data centers spark local backlash across the US

As AI technology surges across the country, it’s not just chatbots drawing attention.

Concentrated siting of AI data centers drives regional power-system stress under rising global compute demand

arXiv:2604.06198v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is driving unprecedented growth in global computational demand, placing increasing pressure on electricity systems. This study introduces an AI-energy coupling framework that combines large language models (LLMs)-based analysis of corporate, policy, and media data with quantitative energy-system modeling to forecast the electricity footprint of AI-driven data centers from 2025 to 2030. Results show that the new AI infrastructure is highly concentrated in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia-Pacific, which together account for more than 90% of projected compute capacity. Aggregate electricity consumption by the six leading firms is projected to increase from roughly 118 TWh in 2024 to between 239 TWh and 295 TWh by 2030, equivalent to about 1% of global power demand. Regions such as Oregon, Virginia, and Ireland may experience high Power Stress Index (PSI) values exceeding 0.25, indicating local grid vulnerability, whereas diversified systems such as those in Texas and Japan can absorb new loads more effectively. These findings demonstrate that AI infrastructure is evolving from a marginal digital service into a structural component of power-system dynamics, underscoring the need for anticipatory planning that aligns computational growth with renewable expansion and grid resilience.

Fact Check Team: AI data centers spark local backlash across the US

While AI’s impact on jobs and ... physical infrastructure behind the technology. AI isn’t just digital. It’s powered by massive data centers that require huge amounts of electricity and water. Communities near these sites are raising concerns about resource strain, noise, land use, and tax incentives. In some areas, there are also concerns that the massive energy demand from these ...

Oil Prices Fall, but Energy Firms Remain Frozen After U.S.-Iran Deal

Analysts said oil and natural gas energy companies would not quickly restore production unless attacks stopped and ships started moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

Locals Are Using AI to Fight Data Centers Being Built in Their Backyards

Community activists in rural regions are leveraging artificial intelligence to assist in their battle against technology hyperscalers.

Fast energy: How Europe can power the AI revolution and stay competitive - PubAffairs Bruxelles

Europe can no longer afford to be slow. Too often, Europeans seem resigned to a pace of political decision-making that once symbolised deliberation and prudence but now means stagnation. Slowness is not harmless—it directly undermines European security, prosperity and political stability.

Data Center Push Hits Resistance as Energy Concerns Mount

The race to build AI-fueled data centers facing pushback over power and water, but not only from local communities. More than a dozen investors are pushing companies ahead of annual meetings to disclose more information about water usage, energy consumption and community impacts. The scrutiny underscores a growing risk for developers and landlords tied to data center growth...

FinancialContent - NextEra Energy and TerraPower Announce Landmark SMR Partnership to Fuel Google and Microsoft AI Data Centers

This strategic alliance is specifically ... AI data centers operated by industry giants Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL). By integrating TerraPower’s Natrium™ technology with NextEra’s massive development pipeline, the partnership aims to solve the "energy trilemma" of reliability, affordability, and sustainability that has threatened to stall the growth of large-scale ...

The Planetary Cost of AI Acceleration, Part II: The 10th Planetary Boundary and the 6.5-Year Countdown

arXiv:2604.04956v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: The recent, super-exponential scaling of autonomous Large Language Model (LLM) agents signals a broader, fundamental paradigm shift from machines replacing the human hands (manual labor and mechanical processing) to machines delegating for the human minds (thinking, reasoning, and intention). This uncontrolled offloading and scaling of "thinking" itself has profound consequences for humanity's heat balance sheet, since thinking, or intelligence, carries thermodynamic weight. The Earth has already surpassed the heat dissipation threshold required for long-term ecological stability, and projecting based on empirical data reveal a concerning trajectory: without radical structural intervention, anthropogenic heat accumulation will breach critical planetary ecological thresholds in less than 6.5 years, even under the most ideal scenario where Earth Energy Imbalance (EEI) holds constant. In this work, we identify six interacting factors that govern the global heat dissipation rate and delineate how their interplay drives society toward one of four macroscopic trajectories: legacy, accelerationist, centrist, or restorative. We propose that the integration of artificial intelligence and its heat dissipation into the planetary system constitutes the 10th planetary boundary (9+1). The core measurement of this new boundary is the net-new waste heat generated by exponential AI growth balanced against its impact on reducing economic and societal inefficiencies and through which the baseline anthropogenic waste heat emissions. We demonstrate that managing AI scaling lacks a moderate middle ground: it will either accelerate the imminent breach of critical thermodynamic thresholds, or it will serve as the single most effective lever capable of stabilizing the other planetary boundaries and the survival of human civilization.

How AI Data Centers Are Shaping Politics | Lawfare

How AI Data Centers Are Shaping Politics | Lawfare --- Meet The Authors Across the United States, the rapid buildout of hyperscale data centers to support artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure is no longer just a technological or economic development, but a political flashpoint with intense bipartisan pushback from local communities. The scale of the backlash has escalated a sense of urgency to act from both ends of the ideological spectrum. President Trump’s recent deal with major technology companies, also included in the White House’s National AI Legislative Framework—aimed at protecting American consumers from rising electricity costs tied to the AI data center boom—and the [A

U.S. Energy Outlook 2026: AI, Data Centers and Renewables to Reshape Power Demand Through 2050 - GreentechLead

The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the Annual Energy Outlook 2026 (AEO2026), offering a comprehensive view of how the United States energy system could evolve

Data centers are creating ‘heat islands’ on land around them – warming them by up to 16 degrees, researchers warn

Researchers found that roughly 340 million people now live within 6.2 miles of a data center. Independent 31st March 2026 The rapid global expansion of data centers used to power artificial intelligence is creating “data heat islands” that significantly warm the surrounding environment, ...

Sustainable, liquid-cooled data centres for next-gen workloads - IT-Online

Today, single AI query uses roughly 10-times the electricity of a typical Internet search, and demand is climbing at lightning speed. By Steven Santini, secure power vice-president at Schneider Electric Sub-Saharan Africa In fact, projections suggest data centres could account for approximately ...

Opinion: Supply Chains of Power: How Critical Minerals Are Shaping China–U.S. Competition in Central Asia - The Times Of Central Asia

Central Asia is no longer a distant frontier for global geopolitics. It is developing into a central arena of competition for critical minerals, supply

Recalibrating the social license for AI infrastructure in the United States | Utility Dive

To counter a public backlash, data center developers must embrace economic reciprocity while utilities and regulators must design rates that penalize grid stress and reward flexibility, write Fred Bailey of Gideon Arktos and Frank Willey at the Atlantic Council.

AtkinsRéalis on nuclear powered AI factories and the future of infrastructure - Global Construction Review

AtkinsRéalis on nuclear powered AI factories and the future of infrastructure - Global Construction Review # AtkinsRéalis on nuclear powered AI factories and the future of infrastructure Joe Quirke Image courtesy of Vladimir Timofeev/Dreamstime ###### Canada’s AtkinsRéalis has partnered with American technology manufacturer Nvidia to develop a range of nuclear powered, large-scale AI factories. AtkinsRéalis claims the new framework will allow collaboration with developers and the implementation of AI infrastructure by deploying Nvidia technologies in the delivery process. AtkinsRéalis’ aims to use its CANDU portfolio alongside Nvidia’s Omniverse DSX Blueprint for AI computing workloads to meet rising AI infrastructure demand as it outpaces the current available power supply. - [Transformation Project Director (Avon Riversides 2100) Bristol City Council £78,158 – £86,607 As the Tra

China Started Preparing for an Energy Crisis Long Before the Iran War

Long concerned about geopolitical crises, China redoubled efforts to secure energy security when President Trump started raising the stakes in his first term.

Routeware Expands UK Presence with Acquisition of PermiServ

Strengthening Routeware’s commitment to UK local authorities with enhanced resident engagement and service delivery solutions LONDON, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Routeware, a global provider of innovative, AI-powered solutions for waste and environmental services, today announced the acquisition of PermiServ, the UK market leader in garden waste permit management for local authorities. Together the combined platform […]

A Risk-Based Equilibrium Analysis of Energy Imbalance Reserve in Day-Ahead Electricity Markets

arXiv:2511.08736v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Energy imbalance reserve (EIR) product is introduced into the Independent System Operator (ISO) of New England's day-ahead wholesale electricity market to provide a better fuel procurement incentive for generating resources. Different from existing forward reserve products, EIR is a novel real option product, which is settled against real-time energy price rather than reserve prices. This novel product has not been analyzed in the research literature in terms of its effects. In this paper, we develop a stochastic long-run equilibrium model that incorporates the risk preference of generator and demand agents participating in the energy and reserve market in both day-ahead and real-time time frame. In a risk neutral environment, we find that the presence of the EIR product makes little difference on market outcomes. We also conduct a series of numerical simulations with risk-averse generators and demand, and observed increased advanced fuel procurement when the EIR product is present.

Europe's AI Ambition is Running Into a Power Constraint - Techerati

AI power constraint in Europe is reshaping data centre growth as data centre energy constraints limit how quickly AI can scale.

US energy regulator should allow data center moratorium, civil society group says

A civil society group is urging the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allow grid operator PJM Interconnection to pause new data centers due to energy capacity concerns amid the AI boom.

These Cities and States Are Taking Aim at Data Centers

The efforts reflect concerns over rising demand for electricity and environmental impact.

The Power Hunger AI: Why Data Centers New Energy Giants - Linkdood Technologies

AI data centers require enormous and stable power supplies. A single hyperscale facility can consume hundreds of megawatts of electricity. This demand presents several challenges for regional energy systems. Some regions may struggle to supply enough electricity without upgrading infrastructure.

AI-Optimized Renewable Systems Market Set to Surge at 29.1% CAGR, Driven by Smart Energy Transformation Through 2035

Wilmington DE USA 7th April 2026 According to MarketGenics Global Research the global AI optimized renewable systems market is valued at USD 0 4 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach approximately USD 5 5 billion by 2035 expanding ...

Freedom Forever Automates Permit Workflows with Claude

A case study detailing how an AI agent system successfully automated permit-processing workflows, handling 19,000 emails in the first month with 71% handled without human intervention.

Coastal Measures: $1.2 Million Raised For AI-Powered Coastal Data Platform

Coastal Measures announced it has secured over $1.2 million in combined equity and non-dilutive funding to advance its AI-driven coastal intelligence platform, CUMULUS. The funding includes support from Amazon Web Services through its generative AI incentive program, with an additional $400,000 expected to close in the coming months as part of the company’s pre-seed round. The post Coastal Measures: $1.2 Million Raised For AI-Powered Coastal Data Platform appeared first on Pulse 2.0.

NOVA Infrastructure: $1.45 Billion Raised For Fund II

NOVA Infrastructure announced it has closed its second managed fund, NOVA Fund II, with $1.45 billion in aggregate capital commitments, exceeding its fundraising target by more than 30 percent. The raise also marks more than double the size of its inaugural fund, which closed in 2022, signaling strong momentum for the middle-market infrastructure investment firm. The post NOVA Infrastructure: $1.45 Billion Raised For Fund II appeared first on Pulse 2.0.

Redundant Energy Grids and Micro-Nuclear Market: The Sovereign Power Fortress in an Age of Kinetic Sabotage

The Redundant Energy Grids and Micro Nuclear Market has violently transitioned from a speculative clean energy concept into the ultimate geopolitical survival mechanism As the escalating 2026 military conflict involving the United States Israel and Iran permanently shatters the illusion ...

AI's Power Demands Keep Growing, and So Does the Bill - Traders Magazine

The biggest constraint on the AI buildout may not be money or technology, Goldman Sachs says.

Europe's AI Ambition is Running Into a Power Constraint - Techerati

Europe's AI Ambition is Running Into a Power Constraint - Techerati MENU Subscribe to our Newsletter # Europe’s AI Ambition is Running Into a Power Constraint 9 hours ago AI adoption is accelerating across Europe, but the infrastructure required to support it is increasingly constrained by energy availability. Grid limitations, connection delays and shifting energy market dynamics are shaping where data centres can be built, how they operate and how quickly AI workloads can scale in practice. Ahead of Tech Show Frankfurt, we sat down with Lasse Kari, Global Resources & Energy Research Lead at Accenture, who works at the intersection of energy systems and digital infrastructure. From that vantage

Will AI Make Fashion More or Less Sustainable? | Vogue

In April 2025, the International ... the IT infrastructure needed to train and deliver AI services) accounted for 1.5% of global energy consumption in 2024, set to rise to 3% by 2030. While data centers don’t solely power AI, it is estimated that AI workloads will represent half of all data center capacity by 2030, demonstrating its significant, and growing, energy demand...

Desalination plants in the Middle East are increasingly vulnerable

MIT Technology Review Explains: Let our writers untangle the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here. As the conflict in Iran has escalated, a crucial resource is under fire: the desalination technology that supplies water across much of the region. In early…

US Warns That Iranian Hackers Are Targeting Water, Energy Sectors

The FBI and NSA say Iranian-connected hackers appear to be focusing on vulnerable programmable logic controllers used in industrial processes. As the US-Iran war simmers, the FBI and the NSA are raising alarm bells about Iranian hackers targeting US critical infrastructure, especially services related to water, energy, and local municipalities. The agencies today issued a joint alert about Iranian hackers working to …

Evaluating Digital Inclusiveness of Digital Agri-Food Tools Using Large Language Models: A Comparative Analysis Between Human and AI-Based Evaluations

arXiv:2604.03252v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Ensuring digital inclusiveness is a critical priority in agri-food systems, particularly in the Global South, where digital divides persist. The Multidimensional Digital Inclusiveness Index (MDII) offers a comprehensive, human-led framework to assess how inclusive digital agricultural tools (agritools) are. However, the current evaluation process is resource intensive, often requiring months to complete. This study explores whether large language models (LLMs) can support a rapid, AI-enabled assessment of digital inclusiveness, complementing the MDII's existing workflow. Using a comparative analysis, the research benchmarks the performance of four LLMs (Grok, Gemini, GPT-4o, and GPT-5) against prior expert-led evaluations. The study investigates model alignment with human scores, sensitivity to temperature settings, and potential sources of bias. Findings suggest that LLMs can generate evaluative outputs that approximate expert judgment in some dimensions, though reliability varies across models and contexts. This exploratory work provides early evidence for the integration of GenAI into inclusive digital development monitoring, with implications for scaling evaluations in time-sensitive or resource-constrained environments.

AZZO: Acquisition Of Qubits Energy To Expand Data Center Energy Management Capabilities

AZZO announced that it has acquired Qubits Energy, a provider of Electrical Power Management Systems, automation, and energy management solutions for data centers and other mission-critical facilities. The transaction is aimed at strengthening AZZO’s ability to deliver scalable, standardized energy management systems across global infrastructure portfolios while expanding its footprint into Latin America. The post AZZO: Acquisition Of Qubits Energy To Expand Data Center Energy Management Capabilities appeared first on Pulse 2.0.

US power use to beat record highs in 2026 and 2027 as AI ... - Reuters

US power use to beat record highs in 2026 and 2027 as AI use surges, EIA says | Reuters Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionalsLearn more aboutRefinitiv - Summary - Rising power demand attributed to AI and crypto data centers, electrification trends - Renewables' share of power generation to increase, coal's share to decline, EIA forecasts - Natural gas use for power

Ukraine’s drones dent Russia’s war-fuelled oil windfall

Moscow’s disrupted energy exports add pressure to markets already reeling from Iran conflict

JPMorgan, UBS, and RBC Capital Raise Venture Global (VG) Price Targets - Insider Monkey

Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG) is one of the 10 Best Performing Stocks of Q1 2026 to Watch for Q2. On March 27, JPMorgan increased its price target for Venture Global, Inc.

OpenAI Stargate Data Center in Abu Dhabi Faces Iran's Threat

OpenAI Stargate Data Center in Abu Dhabi Faces Iran's Threat 7 April 2026 09:00 # OpenAI Stargate Data Center in Abu Dhabi Faces Iran's Threat Iran warns it will destroy the OpenAI Stargate facility in Abu Dhabi if the US attacks. The geopolitical crisis presents massive risks for the global AI market. Elena Whitmore· 6 April 2026 13:27 · 3 dk okuma · 74 reads Geopolitical Tensions Target Tech Infrastructure The ongoing military conflict and diplomatic friction in the Middle East have placed the physical infrastructure of global technology companies directly in the crosshairs. In a formal announcement, Iran stated that if the United States attacks its energy facilities, it will retaliate by striking the Stargate campus currently under construction in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarte

FinancialContent - 15.9% Growth Forecast: How AI and Data Centers are Driving a Global Infrastructure Supercycle in 2026

15.9% Growth Forecast: How AI and Data Centers are Driving a Global Infrastructure Supercycle in 2026

Gas power plants: How the energy demand of AI data centers undermines climate protection

The increasing energy demandof AI data centers threatens to undermine existing climate goals, as there is an increasing reliance on gas.

AI data center boom ‘stress tests’ insurers as private capital floods in

Rapid technological advancements and the huge sums of money flowing into the data center are posing both risks and rewards for insurers.

Data centers are straining the grid. Can they be forced to pay for it? • Spotlight PA

The “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” signed by Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI, and Amazon lacks oversight mechanisms to ensure that they follow through on promises.

Climate pressure forces Big Tech to rethink AI data center expansion as investors step up scrutiny - GreentechLead

Rising climate commitments and environmental activism are forcing companies to reconsider their AI data center expansion

BTC Digital Ltd. Enters into Joint Development and Operation Agreement with Aurora Energy Ltd. for Natural Gas-Powered Computing Infrastructure and AI Compute Platform in Canada

/PRNewswire/ -- BTC Digital Ltd. ("BTCT" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: BTCT), a blockchain technology company, today announced that it has entered into a Joint...

Edo turns office buildings into virtual power plants | Fox News

As AI drives electricity demand higher, virtual power plants are emerging as a fast way to cut grid stress without new infrastructure.

Antitrust watchdog flags power competition issues | The Manila Times

COMPETITION among electricity suppliers needs to be improved, antitrust authorities said during a recent dialogue with the operator of the spot power market.

Investors press Amazon, Microsoft and Google on water, power use ...

Investors press Amazon, Microsoft and Google on water, power use in US data centers | Reuters Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionalsLearn more aboutRefinitiv Item 1 of 2 A car drives past a building of the Digital Realty Data Center in Ashburn, Virginia, U.S., March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis [1/2]A car drives past a building of the Digital Realty Data Center in Ashburn, Virginia, U.S., March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab - Summary - Companies - Water, power usage, pollution, land driving protests - Trillium Asset Management seeks detail on Alphabet's climate strategy - Investors

AI breakthrough cuts energy use by 100x while boosting accuracy | ScienceDaily

AI is consuming staggering amounts of energy—already over 10% of U.S. electricity—and the demand is only accelerating. Now, researchers have unveiled a radically more efficient approach that could slash AI energy use by up to 100× while actually improving accuracy.

The Month in Infrastructure: Getting real about data centers

The month's biggest trend was increased concern for the growing mismatch between AI's appetite and the aging systems that feed it.

The power challenges UK data centers face | IT Pro

The company is also pushing grid ... digital infrastructure growth. In a consultation dated 12 March 2026, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero put forward reforms, which include · prioritizing data centers, especially AI-linked ones, over less critical or speculative projects. There will be tough queue management rules and fast-tracking procedures for critical projects facing delays. The Confederation of British Industry welcomed the move. Operators still have challenges to overcome ...

Iran threatens to destroy OpenAI's Stargate data centre in Abu Dhabi | TNW

Iran threatens to destroy OpenAI's Stargate data centre in Abu Dhabi | TNW In short: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has released a video threatening “complete and utter annihilation” of OpenAI’s $30bn Stargate AI campus in Abu Dhabi, singling out the facility by name for the first time and warning it will strike if the US proceeds with threatened attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure. A senior officer in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to destroy OpenAI’s flagship AI data centre in Abu Dhabi, releasing a video that opens on a blurred satellite view of the desert site before switching to sharp night-vision footage of the sprawling Stargate campus. The message overlaid on screen reads: “Nothing stays hidden to our sight, though hidden by Google.” The video was released on 3 April 2026 by Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari of the IRGC, and represe

Why the Power Boom Could Break the Grid | OilPrice.com

Policy uncertainty, global conflicts, and overreliance on just-in-time planning leave the power sector vulnerable to disruptions and potential future crises.

Five Concerns About AI Data Centers, and What to Do About Them | Reports & Briefings | Apr 6, 2026 | ITIF

# Five Concerns About AI Data Centers, and What to Do About Them # Overview For decades, data centers were the quiet, reliable engines of the information economy, operating in the background of global commerce and daily life. But with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), these facilities have been thrust into the public and political spotlight. Concerns continue to grow about what this expansion means for energy systems, water resources, and local infrastructure. But the root causes of these anxieties are poorly understood and frequently misattributed. Too often, policy responses target the scale of AI deployment rather than its systemic impact. This report examines five of the most consequential claims in that debate—electricity use, grid access, pricing, reliability, and water—and reaches a consistent conclusion: the core challenge is not AI infrastructure per se, but rather th

Power hardware shortages are delaying AI data centre expansion, despite record investment | Digital Watch Observatory

US AI data-centre expansion is being constrained by shortages of power-delivery equipment such as transformers, switchgear and batteries, Bloomberg reports. Despite Big Tech planning over $650bn in AI spending in 2026, nearly half of US data-centre projects may be delayed or cancelled due to ...

A Comprehensive Framework for Long-Term Resiliency Investment Planning under Extreme Weather Uncertainty for Electric Utilities

arXiv:2604.02504v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Electric utilities must make massive capital investments in the coming years to respond to explosive growth in demand, aging assets and rising threats from extreme weather. Utilities today already have rigorous frameworks for capital planning, and there are opportunities to extend this capability to solve multi-objective optimization problems in the face of uncertainty. This work presents a four-part framework that 1) incorporates extreme weather as a source of uncertainty, 2) leverages a digital twin of the grid, 3) uses Monte Carlo simulation to capture variability and 4) applies a multi-objective optimization method for finding the optimal investment portfolio. We use this framework to investigate whether grid-aware optimization methods outperform model-free approaches. We find that, in fact, given the computational complexity of model-based metaheuristic optimization methods, the simpler net present value ranking method was able to find more optimal portfolios with only limited knowledge of the grid.

Kingdom Holding: $68 Million Investment In Breakthrough Energy Ventures

Kingdom Holding Company announced that it has acquired a stake in Breakthrough Energy Ventures for SAR 255 million, equivalent to $68 million, through a transaction with its chairman, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. The deal was executed through a share purchase agreement signed on April 1, 2026, with Kingdom Holding Company purchasing the stake from Prince […] The post Kingdom Holding: $68 Million Investment In Breakthrough Energy Ventures appeared first on Pulse 2.0.

NEWT GINGRICH: What Trump can teach us about energy and America’s future

As AI and data centers drive electricity demand higher, Trump and Republicans argue a demand-led, source-neutral energy policy is key to winning the race against China.

Data centers are straining the grid. Can they be forced to pay for it? | Grist

As backlash grows, a nationwide search is underway for solutions to the AI energy crunch.

Daily Alpha Insights: AI Power Tax — Capex ROI Cracks (April 6, 2026)

Daily Alpha Insights: AI Power Tax — Capex ROI Cracks (April 6, 2026) SubscribeSign in # Daily Alpha Insights: AI Power Tax — Capex ROI Cracks (April 6, 2026) Apr 06, 2026 31 4 Share As of: 4:00 PM ET | Market Regime: Energy-Constrained AI Buildout Format: Educational only—not investment advice. Executive Summary The single most important driver today is the persistent energy premium (~$109 Brent) quietly repricing AI data center economics. Consensus still prices unlimited hyperscaler capex. Reality: power costs now eat 20-30%+ of AI opex in many models, forcing ROI recalibration and a forced pivot toward efficient agentic/edge systems. Three most exposed assets: pure-play AI software (high-multiple longs getting squeezed), GPU/infra names (holding but vulnerable to delay risk), and power-advantaged utilities/data-center REITs (catching flow). Price action in software (down >2

'Nothing stays hidden to our sight, though hidden by Google': Iran Threatens OpenAI’s $30B Stargate AI Hub in UAE | Republic World

Republic WorldR.BharatR.BanglaR.Kannada Updated 6 April 2026 at 13:51 IST ## The ongoing Iran-Israel-US conflict is shifting from military bases to economic engines like energy systems and AI data centers. Iran released a video threatening OpenAI’s $30B Stargate facility in Abu Dhabi, showing Google Maps imagery and simulated night‑vision views of the 1GW hub. Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari warned of retaliation against power plants, ICT firms, and cloud networks tied to American interests, promising “complete and utter annihilation.” - Tech News - 3 min read Follow : - ➦ Share 'Nothing stays hidden to our sight, though hidden by Google': Iran Threatens OpenAI’s $30B Stargate AI Hub in UAE | Image: Republic New Delhi: The ongoing war between Iran- Israel- United States, along with its regional allies, is entering a new and more dangerous

Central banks live in fear of their last mistake: waiting too long to raise rates in the postpandemic boom. But there’s a difference between that boom and this oil shock.

Investors mistakenly think the oil shock will push central banks to tighten policy.

Is AI the new fracking?

The backlash against data centres chimes with energy Nimbyism of the past

Texas Economy: Energy, Chips and Ambition

A newsletter update from Clara Durodié discussing the economic landscape of Texas regarding energy and semiconductor industries.

AI Inference: The Next Stress Test for Global ...

AI Inference: The Next Stress Test for Data Center Infrastructure - Networking - AI Data Centers - Infrastructure - Commentary Insight and analysis on the data center space from industry thought leaders. # AI Inference: The Next Stress Test for Global Data Center Infrastructure AI inference is rapidly becoming the dominant driver of network demand, requiring scalable optical connectivity to support its explosive growth and multimodal complexity. Francisco Sant’Anna, [Industry Perspectives](https://www.

AI boom drives clash between grid power vs. energy islands

US Data Centers Drive Natural Gas Expansion

Working to Advance the Nuclear Renaissance

Dean Price, assistant professor in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, sees a bright future for nuclear power, and believes AI can help us realize that vision.

Q1 2026: The Quarter AI Infrastructure Became Energy-Constrained

Adani's $100B plan positions India as global AI infrastructure hub anchored in renewable energy. Nscale's GPU-backed debt facility introduces new financing model for compute capacity.

AI Lifts Asia Pacific Data Centre Costs

In Asia Pacific, access to power, supply chain resilience, and cost of building for AI are now determining where new data centre projects can proceed.

AI Data Centers Now Use More Power Than 30 Countries

AI data centers now consume more power than 30 countries. Embedded energy costs will flow through to subscription prices, advertising rates, and enterprise software fees.

Republicans Seek Protections for Oil Giants Against Climate Lawsuits

Utah passed a law to insulate oil companies against efforts to make them pay for their role in global warming. A nationwide version is in the works.

Data to start your week: The AI buildout - Megawatts, golf courses and bipartisan peace

Montis VC: €50 Million Raised For Energy And Industrial Tech Fund

Montis VC, a Warsaw-based venture capital firm, has announced the first close of a €50 million seed fund aimed at backing startups across Europe focused on energy, industrial technology, and resilience. The fund will target early-stage companies developing transformative solutions at the intersection of energy transition, industrial automation, and artificial intelligence. The post Montis VC: €50 Million Raised For Energy And Industrial Tech Fund appeared first on Pulse 2.

Renewables Reach Nearly 50% of Global Electricity Capacity

Renewables reached nearly 50% of global electricity capacity last year. Cool, but fossil-fuel additions and AI-era power demand still muddy the climate math.

Microsoft and Chevron enter exclusivity deal on powering West Texas AI data center complex

The colocated data center and power plant campus would start with 2.5 gigawatts of power and the potential to double that size.

Renewables reached nearly 50% of global electricity capacity last year

Cool, but fossil-fuel additions and AI-era power demand still muddy the climate math.

Microsoft, Chevron and Engine No. 1 sign exclusive deal for power supply

Microsoft, Chevron and Engine No. 1 have signed an exclusive deal for power supply.

Former BP CEO takes over Wyoming data center developer, as first woman leader of Big Oil giant becomes new BP chief

The former BP chief is entering the AI age with American data center projects.

Eurozone Inflation Jumps as Iran War Raises Energy Prices

Consumer prices rose at the fastest pace in more than a year as the war pushed energy prices up.

Top energy developer warns on overbuilding power supplies for AI

David Crane says data centres should bear the cost of developing infrastructure to serve their demand

Trump warns of hitting Iran’s energy sites, adieu to Air Canada’s CEO and what “The Jetsons” got right and wrong. Read more in today’s What’s News newsletter:

Plus, adieu to Air Canada’s embattled CEO and what ‘The Jetsons’ got right and wrong

Google-Backed Nexus Data Centers to Power Anthropic's AI with On-Site Gas Turbines

Google is supporting a Nexus Data Centers project in Texas to house Anthropic's AI infrastructure, with plans to provide construction loans and attract bank financing by mid-year.

Bitcoin Miners Are Pivoting to AI Instead of Losing $10,000 on Every Coin They Mine

Bitcoin Miners Are Pivoting to AI Instead of Losing $10,000 on Every Coin They Mine.

The Other Markets Being Rattled by the Blockage of Hormuz

It isn’t just oil and gas. Supply-chain disruptions are rippling through markets for fertilizer, semiconductors, packaged consumer products and cotton.

Meta: $2 Billion Agreement To Fund Energy Infrastructure For Louisiana AI Data Center

Meta Platforms has entered into a new agreement with Entergy Louisiana that will deliver approximately $2 billion in customer savings while supporting the buildout of energy infrastructure for one of the largest AI data center projects in the United States. The post Meta: $2 Billion Agreement To Fund Energy Infrastructure For Louisiana AI Data Center appeared first on Pulse 2.0.

Meta orders 10 gas-fired power plants for its Hyperion AI campus in rural Louisiana—more than triple the initial plan

The Meta AI complex represents an over 30% increase to Louisiana’s total power grid capacity.

Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Edge Up, Brent Crude Gains

Oil rises despite Trump's move to delay Iran energy strikes

Iran Keeps a Tight Grip on Strait of Hormuz, Pressuring Shipping and Energy Sectors

Iran has allowed a small number of vessels to pass, but that won’t alleviate pressure or risk for the shipping industry and energy markets any time soon.

Social Battery AI Energy Monitor

Social Battery: AI Energy Monitor

Periodic Labs Raises Hundreds of Millions

Periodic Labs, an AI startup founded in May 2025 in San Francisco, is in discussions to raise hundreds of millions at a valuation of around $7 billion, up from $1.3 billion during its September seed round. The company aims to leverage AI for materials science in energy storage and electronics.

The Download: a battery pivot to AI, and rewriting math

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Why this battery company is pivoting to AI  Qichao Hu doesn’t mince words about the state of the battery industry. “Almost every Western battery company has either died or is going to die.

Middle East Conflict to Push U.S. Inflation Sharply Higher, Says OECD

The research body lifted its inflation forecast for the U. S. to 4.

Trump Says the Energy Shock Will Be Short-Lived. CEOs Paint a Scarier Picture.

Some executives are privately expressing frustration with the administration’s optimistic messaging and say the disruption is already far-reaching.

As Bombs Rain Down, U.S. Firms Press Ahead With Gulf Expansion

The Iran conflict adds risks to megaprojects by Western companies looking to tap the Middle East for much more than oil.

Datacenter batteries are selling out years in advance, because AI, says Panasonic

Shifting production from automotive to compute and working on supercapacitors as another way to protect workloads Major memory makers have already sold all the kit they can make this year, creating shortages and price increases. Datacenter infrastructure buyers may soon face the same issues when trying to get their hands on backup batteries.…