Month: January 2023

Lubrizol and iXora Partnership Provides State-of-the-art Immersion Cooling Systems in Data Centers

Post author By David Mazor
Post date January 11, 2023

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s The Lubrizol Corporation has announced a partnership with Netherlands-based iXora BV, the leader in rack mountable immersive cooling.

Data centers are primarily cooled by inefficient, expensive air conditioners that consume unnecessary energy. Lubrizol’s immersion cooling ecosystem, using CompuZol immersion fluids, addresses the limitations posed by air-cooled methods by delivering turn-key, sustainable solutions that enable superior thermal management and more infrastructure density.

iXora BV, the leader in rack mountable immersive cooling, has become a certified partner of this ecosystem, coupling its innovative closed cassette server housing solution exclusively using Lubrizol’s CompuZol immersion fluids to deliver a unique and versatile cooling system to the marketplace.

After recent announcements regarding partnerships with other key industry stakeholders in the chip manufacturing, digital infrastructure, and service and support markets, Lubrizol’s partnership with iXora provides another critical piece to its ecosystem solution in the fast-growing market of immersive cooling. iXora’s unique modular architecture used in combination with CompuZol immersion cooling fluids, protects customers’ enterprise infrastructure investments and simplifies serviceability, easing key barriers to market adoption.

“We are excited by our common vision for immersion cooling and how engineering excellence and innovation can achieve those ambitions,” said Job Witteman, CEO and cofounder of iXora. “iXora’s rack mountable, silent immersive cooling solution per individual server, is a well-suited partner for Lubrizol’s industry leading immersion cooled ecosystem solution. Fully compatible with industry-standard 19” racks, it will allow data centers to migrate to immersion cooling without having to change existing workflows and infrastructure.

“And, when paired with Lubrizol’s CompuZol immersion fluids, it will provide the market with a powerful solution to maximize data center power efficiency while minimizing data center and carbon footprints.”

“Lubrizol’s immersion cooled ecosystem solution delivers advantages to today’s data center operators ranging from lower energy costs and higher computing densities to longer server life, all through a more sustainable solution than conventional air cooling,” said Matt Joyce, Vice President, Corporate Business Development for Lubrizol. “Our partnership with iXora adds a unique immersive cooling solution to our ecosystem, enabling the market to accelerate the adoption of game-changing immersion technology using today’s infrastructure.”

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Tags Lubrizol

Minority Stock Positions

BYD Brings Cloud Game Streaming to Its EVs With NVIDIA GeForce NOW

Post author By David Mazor
Post date January 9, 2023

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway-backed BYD is working with NVIDIA to bring NVIDIA GeForce NOW cloud game streaming to its vehicles.

BYD demonstrated how technological innovation is enhancing the automotive smart cockpit and bringing users an immersive gaming experience during NVIDIA’s CES 2023 special address.

NVIDIA GeForce NOW can stream a real-time, full PC gaming experience to desktops, laptops, TVs, and mobile devices, and now to software-defined cars. GeForce NOW will enable occupants of these vehicles to stream games while parked or charging a NEV.

“We are excited to offer our customers the best in technology, comfort, and design from BYD and now the latest in gaming through NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW high-performance cloud gaming service. The experience of driving our cars is becoming increasingly sophisticated, entertaining, and sustainable”, said Stella Li, Executive Vice President of BYD Company Limited and CEO of BYD Americas.

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Tags BYD Co

Lessons From Warren Buffett

Lessons From Warren Buffett: In the Short Run the Market Is a Voting Machine, in the Long Run a Weighing Machine

Post author By David Mazor
Post date January 7, 2023

Stock prices can become disassociated from the underlying value of companies, especially in times when extreme speculation grips the market, but in the long run they more closely align. It is something that Benjamin Graham noted years ago in The Intelligent Investor, and Warren Buffett firmly agrees.

“Ben Graham was right when he said that in the short run it’s a voting machine, and the long run it’s a weighing machine,” Buffett said at the 2000 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. “Sooner or later, the amount of cash that a business can disgorge in the future governs the value it has, that the stock commands in the market. But it can take a long time.”

Hear Buffett’s full explanation

See the complete Lessons From Warren Buffett series

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Tags Value Investing, Warren Buffett

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Announces New Leadership Roles in UK Executive & Professional Lines Business

Post author By David Mazor
Post date January 6, 2023

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) has announced the following leadership appointments in its UK Executive & Professional Lines business: Jess Kirby has been named Head of Executive & Professional Lines, responsible for the management and leadership of BHSI’s Commercial Management Liability, Financial Institutions and Professional Indemnity businesses. Jess is stepping into the role previously occupied by Chris Warrior who will focus on driving technical underwriting excellence across each of BHSI’s Executive & Professional Lines segments. Additionally, Tom Harris has been named Head of Commercial Management Liability, replacing Jess Kirby.

“BHSI moves into 2023 with exceptionally strong momentum in our Executive & Professional Lines business,” said Chris Colahan, Head of BHSI UK and Europe. “We look forward to continuing to provide customers and brokers with much-needed solutions that come with BHSI’s financial stability, service excellence and CLAIMS IS OUR PRODUCT philosophy.”

Jess was previously Head of Commercial Management Liability, UK. She joined BHSI in 2018 as Senior Underwriter, Commercial D&O. With 15 years in the industry, she has held a variety of increasingly senior-level positions in the Executive & Professional Lines Business. Chris Warrior joined BHSI in 2019 as Head of Management Liability, UK. Chris has 40 years of insurance experience and will be driving continued technical development across Executive and Professional Lines.

Tom Harris joined BHSI in 2021 as Senior Underwriter, Commercial Management Liability. During his 15-year career, Tom has held a variety of increasingly senior financial lines-focused positions with both insurers and brokers.

Rounding out BHSI’s UK Executive & Professional Lines leadership team are Janine McGriskin, Head of Financial Lines, Dave Harries, Executive Underwriter and Maeve Kelleher, Head of Claims.

Tags Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

BNSF

Clean Hydrogen Developer Bakken Energy Announces Alliance With BNSF

Post author By David Mazor
Post date January 5, 2023

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Bakken Energy, an innovative developer of affordable clean hydrogen, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BNSF Railway to work together on the design of the Heartland Hydrogen Hub, specifically the role of railways as consumers and transporters of clean hydrogen.

“We see our work with Bakken Energy and the Heartland Hydrogen Hub as part of our commitment to a more sustainable energy and transportation system, including exploring the role railways can play in a hydrogen economy” said John Lovenburg, VP of Environment and Sustainability at BNSF.

In collaboration with the States of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Montana, Bakken Energy is working on the design of the Heartland Hydrogen Hub, a regional clean hydrogen hub competing to obtain federal funding through the Department of Energy’s $7 billion Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program announced on September 22, 2022 as part of the larger $8 billion hydrogen hub program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The foundation of the industry-led Hub is Bakken Energy’s large scale affordable clean hydrogen production using natural gas that would otherwise be flared, including carbon capture and sequestration.

“It is a privilege to be partnered with BNSF” said Bakken Energy Founder and Chairman Steve Lebow. “Railways could play a critical role in distributing our clean hydrogen production, and could also be consumers as trains transition from diesel. BNSF is the ideal partner to work out the role of railways in our Heartland Hydrogen Hub.”

“For Bakken Energy, and our Heartland Hydrogen Hub, it is all about making clean hydrogen abundant and affordable” said Bakken Energy CEO Mike Hopkins. “Part of the equation is production, but the other part is distribution and that’s where BNSF will be invaluable. Being able to transport our hydrogen by rail would dramatically reduce our distribution costs and therefore the cost to consumers.”

Tags BNSF

Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Berkshire Hathaway’s NV Energy Selects Energy Vault for 440 MWh Energy Storage System in Nevada

Post author By David Mazor
Post date January 3, 2023

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s Nevada utility, NV Energy, has chosen Energy Vault Holdings, Inc., a leader in sustainable grid-scale energy storage solutions, to provide a 440 MWh Energy Storage System.

The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), will be one of the largest in Nevada and is expected to start construction in Q2 2023 with commercial operation expected by the end of 2023.

The 220MW/440MWh grid-tied BESS will be deployed at a site located near Las Vegas. The 2-hour energy storage system is designed to store and dispatch excess renewable energy, including wind and solar power.

The BESS will be charged and discharged on a daily basis and designed to dispatch stored renewable energy at peak consumption hours to help meet the high demand during Nevada’s peak load hours.

“Energy Vault is pleased to be selected by NV Energy for a mission critical project supporting Nevada’s largest electric provider in achieving its goal of net zero emissions by 2050,” said Marco Terruzzin, Chief Commercial and Product Officer, Energy Vault. “This is Energy Vault’s first public utility customer for our short duration energy storage solutions, which furthers our strategy to be the energy storage company of choice for utilities, IPPs and large energy users. We look forward to beginning our relationship with NV Energy to help them meet their IRP needs for both short and long duration energy storage.”

Tags Berkshire Hathaway Energy