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Stargate’s half-a-trillion dollar vision

January 23, 2025

OpenAI’s Stargate Plans $500B AI Infrastructure Expansion

  • Bold Vision: OpenAI launches Stargate with a $500B investment plan for U.S.-based AI data centers over four years.

  • Big Bucks: $100B upfront, with tech partners like Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and Arm.

  • Key Backers: SoftBank leads financing with Masayoshi Son as chairman; OpenAI spearheads operations.

  • Strategic Edge: Enhances U.S. re-industrialization, job creation, and national security.

  • First Stop: Texas buildout kicks off, with other sites under evaluation nationwide.

SLB Capturi Launches Modular Carbon Capture Plant in Netherlands

  • Capacity: Captures up to 100,000 metric tons of CO2 annually for use in horticulture and food sectors.

  • Innovation: Features SLB’s Just Catch™ design, reducing installation complexity and costs.

  • Impact: Collaboration with Twence highlights the growing role of modular solutions in emission reduction strategies.

Torch Clean Energy Partners with Morgan Stanley Infrastructure for U.S. Growth

  • Investment: Backed by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, enabling Torch to evolve into an integrated clean power platform.

  • Track Record: Torch has developed and sold over 1.2 GW of renewable assets across the U.S.

  • Focus Areas: Expansion into Mid-Atlantic and Southwestern markets driven by electrification and data center demand.

Heliogen Wraps Capella Solar Demo, Advances Gen 3 CSP

  • Tech Highlights: Advanced a 5-MWe concentrated solar power (CSP) prototype with milestones in Gen 3 particle receiver design and supercritical CO₂ turbine tech.

  • Project Outcome: Co-funded by Woodside Energy and DOE; construction halted due to cost escalation, but partnerships for future CSP deployments remain intact.

  • Next Steps: Heliogen focuses on deploying proven Gen 2 CSP tech amid growing low-carbon energy demand.

Apex and Great River Energy Partner on 300 MW Big Bend Wind

  • Pioneering Agreement: Combines a PPA and surplus interconnection service, addressing transmission hurdles using existing MISO injection rights.

  • Project Impact: The Minnesota-based Big Bend Wind will generate $38M in tax revenue, create 300 construction jobs, and support Great River Energy’s goal of 90% carbon-free retail electric sales by 2035.

  • Timeline: Commercial operations begin in 2028, with $1.8M allocated for local community initiatives.

Bedrock Energy Raises $12M to Scale Geothermal HVAC

  • Funding: $12M Series A led by Titanium Ventures, with participation from Energy Impact Partners and Sustainable Future Ventures.

  • Focus: Expand R&D and deployments in Colorado, Utah, and neighboring states, with geothermal systems cutting energy bills by 50% and pollutants by 90%.

  • Tech Advantage: Advanced geothermal designs enable faster, accurate installations for single or district systems.

Ormat Signs 10-Year PPA with Calpine for 15MW Geothermal Power

  • Agreement Details: Ormat will supply up to 15 MW of carbon-free geothermal energy from its Mammoth 2 plant in California starting Q1 2027.

  • Transition: Replaces a prior PPA with Southern California Edison, reflecting higher production capacity and updated pricing.

  • Market Context: Aligns with California’s Renewable Portfolio Standards and growing corporate demand for zero-emission power.

  • Company Impact: Ormat, with a global 3,400 MW portfolio, strengthens its geothermal leadership while expanding into energy storage and solar projects.

FlexGen Secures $75M to Power Energy Storage Growth

  • Funding: A $75M revolving credit facility from J.P. Morgan will fuel FlexGen’s expansion in energy storage technologies.

  • Key Achievement: FlexGen’s HybridOS™ software has enabled over 8 GWh of deployed energy storage with 98% availability.

Tamboran and Santos Advance Darwin LNG Expansion Plans

  • MOU Agreement: Collaborative studies on Darwin LNG Train 2 expansion and EP 161 gas resources in the Beetaloo Basin.

  • Expansion Scope: DLNG facility, currently approved for 10M tonnes LNG/year, exploring up to 6M tonnes additional capacity.

  • Beetaloo Basin Focus: EP 161 spans 300,000 acres, with promising results from two Tanumbirini wells drilled in 2022.

  • Strategic Goals: Supply domestic and international markets, unlock Beetaloo's substantial shale gas resources, and contribute to job creation and local royalties.

  • Key Partner Roles: Santos operates DLNG (43.4% interest), while Tamboran leads pre-FEED studies for the proposed Northern Territory LNG project.

Stardust Power Begins Construction on Lithium Refinery in Oklahoma

  • Scale: Aims to produce 50,000 metric tons/year of battery-grade lithium in two phases.

  • Location: 66-acre site in Muskogee, strategically chosen for workforce access and logistics.

  • Economic Impact: Expected to create hundreds of jobs, strengthening U.S. critical mineral supply chains.

ONEOK Boosts Quarterly Dividend 4% to $1.03

  • Dividend Update: Annualized dividend reaches $4.12/share, payable Feb. 14, 2025, reflecting a 4% increase.

Kinder Morgan Posts 11% EPS Growth, Reveals $1.7B Pipeline Project

  • Q4 Financials: EPS rose 11% to $0.30/share, net income reached $667M, and adjusted EBITDA grew 7% to $2.06B.

  • Key Projects: $1.7B Trident Intrastate Pipeline Project and $1.6B Mississippi Crossing Project to support natural gas demand.

  • Segment Performance: Growth across Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, and Terminals, with backlog reaching $8.1B (89% natural gas projects).

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.