Trump administration is convinced massive Alaska energy project will find investors despite steep cost
The Trump administration is confident that a massive liquified natural gas project in Alaska will find investors despite its enormous cost.
President Donald Trump has pushed Alaska LNG as a national priority since taking office. Alaska has already spent years trying to build an 800-mile pipeline from the North Slope above the Arctic Circle south to the Cook Inlet, where the gas would be cooled and shipped to U.S. allies in Asia.
But Alaska LNG has never gotten off the ground due to a stratospheric price tag of more than $40 billion. Trump has pushed Japan and South Korea in particular to invest in the project, threatening them with higher tariffs if they don’t offer trade deals that suit him.
“If you get the commercial offtakers for the gas, financing is pretty straightforward,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC’s Brian Sullivan in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. “There [are] countries around the world looking to shrink their trade deficit with the United States, and of course, a very easy way to do that is to buy more American energy,” Wright said.
Energy analysts, however, are skeptical of the project. Alaska LNG “doesn’t have a clear cut commercial logic,” Alex Munton, director of global gas and LNG research at Rapidan Energy, told CNBC in April.
“If it did, it would have had a lot more support than it has thus far, and this project has been on the planning board for literally decades,” Munton said.
Defense Department support
Wright said the project would be built in stages and initially serve domestic demand in Alaska, which faces declining natural gas supplies in the Cook Inlet. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the Department of Defense is ready to support the project with its resources.
“They’re ready to sign on to take an offtake agreement from this pipeline to get gas to our super strategic, important bases across Alaska,” Burgum said of the Pentagon in a CNBC interview at Prudhoe Bay.
Alaska LNG, if completed, would deliver U.S. natural gas to Japan in about eight days, compared to about 24 days for U.S. Gulf Coast exports that pass through the congested Panama Canal, Burgum said. It would also avoid contested waters in the South China Sea that LNG exports from the Middle East pass through, the interior secretary said.
Wright said potential Asian investors have questions about the timeline and logistics of Alaska LNG. The pipeline could start delivering LNG to southern Alaska in 2028 or 2029, with exports to Asia beginning sometime in the early 2030s, Wright said.
Glenfarne Group, the project’s lead developer, told CNBC in April that a final investment decision is expected in the next six to 12 months on the leg of a proposed pipeline that runs from the North Slope to Anchorage. Glenfarne is a privately-held developer, owner and operator of energy infrastructure based in New York City and Houston.
Environment
Verge unveils wild-looking TS Pro electric motorcycle with hubless motor, longer range, and faster charging
Verge Motorcycles just took the wraps off the next evolution of its flagship Verge TS Pro electric motorcycle at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, revealing a dramatically upgraded version of its best-selling model. And we’re here to see it firsthand.
The Verge TS Pro first hit the scene in 2022 as a futuristic, hubless-wheeled electric motorcycle packed with power and sleek styling. Now, the company is doubling down with a lighter, more refined, and more powerful version of the TS Pro that improves nearly every aspect of the bike’s design and performance.
At the heart of the upgrade is Verge’s eye-catching hubless Donut Motor 2.0. The patented motor still pumps out a massive 1,000 Nm of torque, but now weighs 50% less, contributing to a total motorcycle weight of 507 lbs (230 kg). That power translates to a 0–60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of 3.5 seconds.
Alongside the motor upgrade, Verge added a new 20.2 kWh battery that delivers up to 217 miles (350 km) of range and supports ultra-fast charging, adding 60 miles (96 km) of range in just 15 minutes. Verge says full charging takes under 35 minutes, and the bike now supports CCS fast charging in Europe and NACS in the US.
Verge also introduced a series of rider-focused upgrades. The TS Pro now sports larger displays, an improved user interface, and better Bluetooth connectivity through its Verge HMI system. The riding posture has been made more ergonomic with a 25-degree angle adjustment, while suspension and damping tweaks promise a smoother ride.
Software takes center stage with the inclusion of Verge’s Starmatter platform, first launched in 2023. Starmatter combines AI, sensors, and OTA updates to tailor each ride and future-proof the bike for new features, no wrenching required.
The updated Verge TS Pro is available for reservation now via Verge’s website and US showrooms, with test rides starting in early 2026. Pricing information to be updated soon.
Electrek’s Take
Verge’s first hubless electric motorcycle took the internet by storm and launched a new style of design. Now the company is showing that its playbook of electric motorcycle innovation is still alive and well. Between the hubless motor tech, blazing-fast charging, and tech-forward design, the TS Pro feels both futuristic and realistic. Sure, it’s still limited in highway range like all electric motorcycles, but for mixed riding, that 20+ kWh pack is going to help alleviate range anxiety – and is twice as large as the pack in my LiveWire, for example.
This is one I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on.
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