Hi there! Welcome to the latest edition of The Sidekick! 

Imagine waking up one day to find that your energy supply is no longer secure. It sounds dramatic, but look across the Atlantic where this is a harsh reality.

With Russia’s stranglehold on gas supplies and countries like the UK scrambling to import LNG from halfway around the world, it’s clear that energy security is heavily impacted by geopolitics. Unless, that is, you’re in the enviable position of the United States where we currently produce more energy than we consume.

But how long can this last? Read more below. 

That’s not all. Scroll down to check out more technology news, some curated highlights from social media, words of wisdom, people to follow, and more. 

Let’s dive in. 

While Europe grapples with skyrocketing prices and supply fears, the US finds itself in a unique position: producing more energy than it consumes since 2019.

As you can see below, this hasn’t happened since the late 1950s. 

Last year, we produced about 102.83 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) while consuming only 93.59 quads. What’s behind this energy surplus? A big part of the story is shale oil.

The US shale boom has transformed us into a major producer on the global energy stage, allowing us to tap into vast reserves that were previously out of reach.

Today, the US is the largest crude producer in the world by a long shot, pumping out over 13 million barrels per day and accounting for nearly 20% of the world’s total oil production.

At the moment,  the US is now producing more oil than any country in history.

One of the biggest threats coming down the pipeline is the rapid proliferation of energy-hungry data centers, even hungrier AI, crypto, and electric vehicles.

The push for EVs alone is projected to increase electricity purchases for transportation from just 0.1 quads in 2022 to between 0.6 and 1.3 quads by 2050 - a staggering increase of 900% to 2,000%. 

I know, I know. With the incoming administration’s “drill, baby, drill” policy, fracking and the shale boom isn’t going anywhere soon. But a renewable future is inevitable, even if it doesn’t happen before 2050. Fossil fuels are a one-time gift to humanity, and we’ve almost used it up. 

The only question is when. According to the EIA, the global supply of crude oil, other liquid hydrocarbons, and biofuels is expected to be adequate to meet the world's demand for liquid fuels through 2050. Other estimates put it closer to 2070. 

Climate action aside, the reality is that long before fossil fuels are physically exhausted, we will have turned away from them on the basis of the growing cost of extraction. 

If we truly envision a future powered by renewables, we need to ensure that we produce more renewable energy than we consume. The risk is real: we could find ourselves at the mercy of a new OPEC-like organization, but this time for renewable resources.

Countries that dominate the production of key materials - like lithium for batteries, copper for wiring, and rare earth metals for wind turbines - could wield significant power. For instance, Chile holds the largest reserves of lithium, while China is a major player in copper and plenty of crucial rare-earth minerals.

Imagine a scenario where those countries decide to restrict exports, leaving the US scrambling for resources. The irony is that while we’ve made strides in energy independence, our future energy security might hinge on global geopolitics just the same.

We need to ramp up our renewable energy production to match our future consumption. The goal should be to create a robust infrastructure that allows us to harness abundant resources like wind and solar, ensuring that we’re not left vulnerable to the whims of foreign nations.

Ideally, we should aspire to become the renewable energy superpower for our region, exporting our surplus to our neighbors. If we don’t do this… Canada or Mexico will. 

In essence, the US stands at a crossroads. We’ve enjoyed a rare moment of energy surplus, but that status is extremely fragile.

If we want to secure our energy future, we must learn from Europe’s struggles and proactively work to not just maintain, but enhance our energy independence.

What’s going on in the world of technology? Plenty. Here’s some news that caught my attention:

The U.S. Army is taking another run at exoskeletons. They’ve been attempting this for decades now, but the latest photos of harness-wearning troops hauling heavy munitions with the help of exoskeletons made by SUITX show a lot of promise. I’ll take two, please!

Undersea cables are way too easy to cut: NATO warships are currently surrounding a Chinese bulk carrier suspected of sabotaging Baltic cables. The technique for doing so was not at all sophisticated - the vessel simply dragged its anchor for 100 miles. 

Australia has banned kids under 16 from social media: Citing the mental health risks of excessive use, the Australian Government has passed a world-first law restricting the use of all social media platforms to people above 16. But is it enforceable? If there’s one thing today’s kids can do well, it’s getting around parental bans on devices.

Annie Jacobsen is an American investigative journalist, author, and a 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist. She writes for and produces television programs, including Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan for Amazon Studios, and Clarice for CBS.

Annie was also a contributing editor to the Los Angeles Times Magazine from 2009 until 2012 and has been on many podcasts, which is where I found her!

Annie has interviewed some of the most prestigious of titles who have led some of the most confidential and controversial "projects" in our nation's history; she is definitely worth a follow!

"Poor is not somebody who hasn't a lot. Poor are the ones who never get enough."

- Scandinavian Proverb

If you’d like to see more, please hit the “subscribe” button below and please share with a friend. 

See you next time!

– Kris

Connect with me on LinkedIn!