Zachary Shahan’s review of the Bluetti Elite 400 battery made me smile, I have to admit. Let me explain. Perhaps you might smile as well. I have been interested in getting a solar power system for a very long time. So long, in fact, that I remember talking about such … [continued]
In recent remarks, John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy, laid out a curious and somewhat baffling narrative: renewables should serve as a transition solution toward expanding natural gas generation. Yes, you read that correctly. After decades of framing gas as a so-called “bridge fuel” to a renewable future, the argument … [continued]
The world is electrifying at an accelerating pace, and while solar panels and wind turbines grab most of the headlines, the real power behind the transition lies buried in rocks and embedded in chemistry. Batteries and the critical minerals that go into them are the plumbing of the clean energy … [continued]
The Trump administration’s latest round of tariffs is drawing scrutiny, but the real concern isn’t just the cost of Chinese EVs—it’s the impact on the materials those tariffs affect. Nickel, cobalt, and platinum-group elements (PGEs) are indispensable to the U.S. economy, yet the country is overwhelmingly reliant on imports, often … [continued]
Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with one of the leading experts on electrical generation in China to discuss the absurd scales of all forms of electrical generation and storage. In the first half of our conversation, we talked coal, gas, and nuclear. In the second half — … [continued]
The Power Construction Corporation of China drew 76 bidders for its tender of 16 GWh of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage systems (BESS), according to reports. Bids averaged $66.3/kWh, with 60 bids under $68.4/kWh. The tender, covering supply, system design, installation guidance, 20-year maintenance, and safety features, targets … [continued]
In the past couple of months, an idea has been percolating through Washington and entities dependent on the United States’ good will that the US should reach back into history and create a Clean Energy Marshall Plan for developing countries. This idea is US economic wunderkind Brian Deese’s brainchild, or … [continued]
I have been thinking about the idea that some people propose that the United States and a few other countries which emit greenhouse gases in high amounts should pay reparations to people in undeveloped countries. It really feels like a horrible idea, but I have been thinking about it anyway. … [continued]
Recently I sat down with Laurent Segalen and Gerard Reid, European cleantech investors, on their podcast Redefining Energy to talk about Breakthrough Energy Venture’s big misses. This followed our conversation about the cognitive biases of the billionaires such as Bill Gates which have persisted due to a bubble of confirmation … [continued]
A recent online discussion on gravity storage brought the usual suspects out of the woodwork. Proponents of heavy fluid pumped hydro reared their sludgy heads this time. Follow along for why this is a silly idea, as all gravity storage options that aren’t pushing water uphill turn out to be. … [continued]
