Redefining Where Enterprise Value Is Created: At The Intersection Of Energy And Technology

InnovationRedefining Where Enterprise Value Is Created: At The Intersection Of Energy And TechnologyByJay Bhatty,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)May 26, 2026, 01:45pm EDT​Jay Bhatty is the CEO and founder of NatGasHub.com. gettyEnergy costs affect every business in every industry. Whether you're the CEO of an airline, a retailer or an automotive parts manufacturer, energy is a necessity on your balance sheet that you’re paying close attention to. ​Research indicates widespread nationwide increases in utility costs from 2019 to 2023, though state-level trends vary greatly. Average retail electricity rates jumped more than 5% from 2025 to 2026, according to data from the Energy Information Agency. There isn’t a single reason for this increase. Multiple factors influence electricity rates, including incidences of natural disasters, fluctuations in natural gas prices and changes in customer loads and renewables portfolio standards. ​The current conflict in the Middle East is driving up energy prices for consumers and businesses around the world, affecting the cost of items from consumer goods to transportation fees. I’ve heard speculation that backlash from this price hike will push industries to make urgent investments in renewable energy, but I predict the opposite will happen. ​Building out the infrastructure necessary to support renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, is costly, complex and time-consuming. I support reducing carbon emissions as a long-term goal, but it’s not practical as a short-term solution. If we could flip a switch and use renewable energy instead of oil and gas, we would have done so already. ​The U.S. has a large, readily available supply of oil and gas and the existing infrastructure to support it. Solar and wind power, on the other hand, require a massive inve...