Microsoft’s oldest Dutch hyperscale data center in Middenmeer consumes over 1 percent of the Netherlands’ total electricity, totaling 1.17 TWh in 2025, as disclosed under the new European Energy Efficiency Directive. This transparency from Microsoft, a significant energy consumer in the Netherlands, comes as the company plans further expansions and other major players like Google also operate substantial facilities without public energy consumption data. With data centers already accounting for 4.6 percent of Dutch electricity consumption, projections indicate this figure could rise to around 15 percent by 2030, placing considerable strain on the nation’s power grid and water resources.
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The proposed elimination of the Energy Star program by the Trump administration, cloaked under the guise of an EPA “reorganization,” is sparking widespread outrage and concern. This isn’t simply a bureaucratic reshuffling; it’s a direct attack on a program demonstrably beneficial to American households and businesses. The program’s core function—encouraging energy-efficient appliance manufacturing and consumer purchases—has resulted in substantial savings for individuals and reduced strain on the national power grid. The claim of “reorganization” rings hollow in the face of such a significant cut to a program that has, for decades, delivered tangible, positive results.
Eliminating Energy Star directly undermines the financial well-being of American families already struggling with the rising cost of living.… Continue reading
Customers who save on electric bills could be forced to pay the utility company for lost profits. Sounds outrageous, right? Well, it seems like a dystopian nightmare where basic human needs are turned into profit-churning machines. The idea that just because people are using less electricity, they should be punished financially is absurd. Yet, here we are, facing the reality of being charged for not consuming goods or services at a rate deemed profitable by the corporation.
In Louisiana, customers who participate in energy efficiency programs could potentially face fees for the electricity they would have used if it weren’t for their efforts to save energy.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood