Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
🎞️ In this clip, Matt and Bradford dive into Elon Musk’s ambitious post about adding a terawatt of power generation—and how that might involve… Starships? Yeah. They break down the technical (and practical) hurdles of converting rocket thrust into usable electricity, debate whether data centers belong in the Saudi desert or even in space, and explore why the economics of powering AI aren't as simple as "just add solar."
From grid bottlenecks and diesel generators to microwave space beams and the cost of being bold—this one goes deep.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Elon's terawatt power generation idea: Thought experiment or master plan?
00:30 – Could Starships power the entire U.S.? Let’s break that down
01:44 – The fuel math: Why it's not remotely practical
02:24 – The real challenge: Converting thrust into electricity
03:04 – Is Elon serious? And what role does AI play in the plan?
04:25 – Scaling up compute: 100K GPUs, 200K... now aiming for a million
05:00 – Where’s the power coming from? Diesel gen sets, TVA, and a ticking clock
06:00 – The inefficiencies of going fast with dirty power
07:20 – TVA fallback agreements and the price of 99.99% uptime
08:14 – Demand response: Can data centers afford to be flexible?
08:41 – Should we plug into Saudi solar?
09:12 – Solar’s promise vs. base load realities
10:10 – The $100/MWh problem: No matter the source
11:33 – Why “cheap” solar isn’t really cheap when you factor in delivery
11:40 – Are we heating the planet with data center power?
12:56 – Waste heat, CO2, and hot water discharge
13:07 – Eric Schmidt’s wild idea: Data centers in space
14:00 – Space-based solar and microwave energy transmission
14:52 – Bold ideas, SMRs, and why we need long-term bets on energy
—
Watch 'til the end if you’ve ever wondered whether the future of AI will be powered by rockets, rivers, or the sun—and which ones make financial sense now versus 20 years from now.
Subscribe to stay up to date on AI, energy, and tech investing at the bleeding edge.
Tune in every Tuesday at 4PM EDT for our livestream.
Rebellionaire is a brand of Halter Ferguson Financial. hffinancial.com/disclaimer
As of May 16th, 2025, clients and employees of our firm Halter Ferguson Financial own Tesla stock and/or options and thereby stand to materially benefit from a rise in the share price. Past performance is no assurance of future results. Halter Ferguson Financial, Inc. (“Halter Ferguson Financial”) is a registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of Indiana. A complete list of all recommendations will be provided if requested for the preceding period of not less than one year. It should not be assumed that recommendations made in the future will be profitable or will equal the performance of the securities in this list. Opinions expressed are those of Halter Ferguson Financial, Inc. and are subject to change, not guaranteed and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security.
Halter Ferguson Financial is registered as an investment advisor with the SEC and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. Registration as an investment advisor does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission nor does it indicate that the advisor has attained a particular level of skill or ability.
Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author/presenter as of the date of publication and are subject to change and do not constitute personalized investment advice. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the strategies presented. No content should be construed as an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein.
Halter Ferguson Financial does not represent, warranty, or imply that the services or methods of analysis employed by the Firm can or will predict future results, successfully identify market tops or bottoms, or insulate clients from losses due to market corrections or declines.
Investments are subject to market risks and potential loss of principal invested, and all investment strategies likewise have the potential for profit or loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that any specific investment will either be suitable or profitable for a client's portfolio. There are also no assurances that any portfolio will match or outperform any particular benchmark.
🎞️ In this clip, Matt and Bradford dive into Elon Musk’s ambitious post about adding a terawatt of power generation—and how that might involve… Starships? Yeah. They break down the technical (and practical) hurdles of converting rocket thrust into usable electricity, debate whether data centers belong in the Saudi desert or even in space, and explore why the economics of powering AI aren't as simple as "just add solar."
From grid bottlenecks and diesel generators to microwave space beams and the cost of being bold—this one goes deep.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Elon's terawatt power generation idea: Thought experiment or master plan?
00:30 – Could Starships power the entire U.S.? Let’s break that down
01:44 – The fuel math: Why it's not remotely practical
02:24 – The real challenge: Converting thrust into electricity
03:04 – Is Elon serious? And what role does AI play in the plan?
04:25 – Scaling up compute: 100K GPUs, 200K... now aiming for a million
05:00 – Where’s the power coming from? Diesel gen sets, TVA, and a ticking clock
06:00 – The inefficiencies of going fast with dirty power
07:20 – TVA fallback agreements and the price of 99.99% uptime
08:14 – Demand response: Can data centers afford to be flexible?
08:41 – Should we plug into Saudi solar?
09:12 – Solar’s promise vs. base load realities
10:10 – The $100/MWh problem: No matter the source
11:33 – Why “cheap” solar isn’t really cheap when you factor in delivery
11:40 – Are we heating the planet with data center power?
12:56 – Waste heat, CO2, and hot water discharge
13:07 – Eric Schmidt’s wild idea: Data centers in space
14:00 – Space-based solar and microwave energy transmission
14:52 – Bold ideas, SMRs, and why we need long-term bets on energy
—
Watch 'til the end if you’ve ever wondered whether the future of AI will be powered by rockets, rivers, or the sun—and which ones make financial sense now versus 20 years from now.
Subscribe to stay up to date on AI, energy, and tech investing at the bleeding edge.
Tune in every Tuesday at 4PM EDT for our livestream.
Rebellionaire is a brand of Halter Ferguson Financial. hffinancial.com/disclaimer
As of May 16th, 2025, clients and employees of our firm Halter Ferguson Financial own Tesla stock and/or options and thereby stand to materially benefit from a rise in the share price. Past performance is no assurance of future results. Halter Ferguson Financial, Inc. (“Halter Ferguson Financial”) is a registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of Indiana. A complete list of all recommendations will be provided if requested for the preceding period of not less than one year. It should not be assumed that recommendations made in the future will be profitable or will equal the performance of the securities in this list. Opinions expressed are those of Halter Ferguson Financial, Inc. and are subject to change, not guaranteed and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security.
Halter Ferguson Financial is registered as an investment advisor with the SEC and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. Registration as an investment advisor does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission nor does it indicate that the advisor has attained a particular level of skill or ability.
Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author/presenter as of the date of publication and are subject to change and do not constitute personalized investment advice. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the strategies presented. No content should be construed as an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein.
Halter Ferguson Financial does not represent, warranty, or imply that the services or methods of analysis employed by the Firm can or will predict future results, successfully identify market tops or bottoms, or insulate clients from losses due to market corrections or declines.
Investments are subject to market risks and potential loss of principal invested, and all investment strategies likewise have the potential for profit or loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that any specific investment will either be suitable or profitable for a client's portfolio. There are also no assurances that any portfolio will match or outperform any particular benchmark.
