The European Commission is seeking support from heavy industry to include a “Made in Europe” component in the upcoming Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), aiming to boost the competitiveness of energy-intensive industries against international competition. This initiative mirrors a previous EU bill prioritizing domestic clean technologies. The IAA aims to support domestic production through measures like quotas, state aid adjustments, and the creation of “lead markets” to drive demand. Industry leaders are receptive, emphasizing the need for economic independence and financial support to address trade deficits and ensure economic security.
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Venezuela to Send US Up to 50 Million Barrels of Oil, Trump Says, and it’s certainly a headline that grabs your attention. It’s almost unbelievable, isn’t it? The core of this story is the potential for the United States to receive a significant influx of oil from Venezuela, as touted by the former president. The figure of up to 50 million barrels is being floated around.
Venezuela to Send US Up to 50 Million Barrels of Oil, Trump Says, and it’s important to understand the scale of that number in the grand scheme of things. Considering the US consumes around 20 million barrels of oil *per day*, that 50 million barrel figure, while substantial, only equates to roughly two and a half days’ worth of American consumption.… Continue reading
Last year, data centers in the Netherlands consumed nearly 5,100 gigawatt hours of electricity, equivalent to the power usage of almost 2 million homes. This represents a near doubling of consumption in five years, with data centers now using almost 5% of the country’s total electricity. The largest centers, numbering approximately 45, have seen their combined consumption almost quadruple in a decade. However, the data does not include consumption from companies and institutions that store their own data, meaning the total electricity usage could be even higher.
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A recent report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed that India imported 5.4 million tonnes of Russian oil worth €2.1 billion between January and September 2025 using 30 vessels sailing under false flags. This comprised the largest single national destination for crude transported by Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which is comprised of aged tankers operating in legal grey areas. The report indicated a concerning rise in the number of Russian vessels utilizing false flags, with 113 such vessels transporting 13% of all Russian crude oil during the first nine months of the year. CREA emphasized the need for global reforms, urging the EU and UK to address the environmental and security threats posed by these practices and to disrupt the logistics that support Russia’s war effort.
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The discount on Russian Urals crude versus Brent surged to $19.40 per barrel on November 10th, the highest in a year, according to Kommersant citing industry sources. This increase followed new US sanctions targeting Russian energy companies Lukoil and Rosneft. Previously, discounts had reached a peak of $31.90 per barrel in the second quarter of 2022. Key buyers like India and China are reportedly reducing Russian crude imports, and declines in exports have been the steepest since January 2024.
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OpenAI, faced with the immense energy demands of its AI models like Sora 2 and ChatGPT, has secured another major power deal. This agreement, totaling 10 gigawatts, reflects the significant energy consumption required to train and run large language models and video generators. The deal underscores the rapid growth of AI and the substantial infrastructure needed to support it. This ongoing expansion highlights the increasing pressure on energy resources as the field of artificial intelligence continues to advance.
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Ukraine and Japan have coordinated sanctions against the Russian Federation, targeting leaders and companies involved in supplying the Russian military. President Zelenskyy announced the synchronization and highlighted that Ukraine has implemented eight sanction packages since June, aligning with the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, and the EU. These sanctions, affecting 281 individuals and 633 legal entities, are part of a global effort to hold Russia accountable. Japan’s contribution includes a loan of over US$3 billion backed by frozen Russian assets, demonstrating further international support.
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Russia loses one million tons of fuel in September alone as strikes and sanctions converge, a staggering figure that highlights the complex challenges facing the Russian energy sector. It’s a situation that paints a picture of significant disruption, with a combination of factors contributing to this massive loss of fuel production.
The Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, specifically, are a key part of this story. While precise numbers are always tricky to pin down, with some news outlets claiming up to 38% of Russian oil refining capacity is offline, the situation isn’t quite that simple. Considering that Russia can refine 327 million tons of oil annually, or roughly 6.5 million barrels per day, the impact of these attacks, targeting 16 refineries, is significant.… Continue reading
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently addressed the nation, highlighting successful strikes against Russian logistics and fuel infrastructure. These targeted attacks have resulted in Russia importing petrol from various sources, including Asia and Belarus. Zelenskyy attributed these outcomes to the work of the Ukrainian Security Service, Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, and domestic weapons manufacturers. He also announced plans to increase long-range capabilities and prepare new sanctions in collaboration with international partners, specifically targeting individuals and companies supporting the Russian defense industry.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood