Kevin J. Kircher
@kevinjkircher.com
Engineering prof (mechanical + electrical) at a big Midwest state school. Energy, climate, buildings, power grid, control, optimization, data science. He/him. Personal account. https://kevinjkircher.com/ Email: my last name at purdue dot edu
Pinned
Kevin J. Kircher
@kevinjkircher.com
· Nov 4
New paper! Heat-pump water heaters could cut energy costs and pollution, but installs often require 💰 electrical work to accommodate backup resistance heat. My student Levi Premer developed prediction and control software to eliminate the need for backup heat and ⬆️ efficiency and flexibility. 🧵1/
It's always funny when a research paper mode-switches from linear storytelling to sounding like a Wikipedia article: "Other papers say X, but here X doesn't apply, except sometimes it does, but the effect is small, probably, but future work should investigate it." Reviewer #2 strikes again!
January 24, 2026 at 10:50 AM
It's always funny when a research paper mode-switches from linear storytelling to sounding like a Wikipedia article: "Other papers say X, but here X doesn't apply, except sometimes it does, but the effect is small, probably, but future work should investigate it." Reviewer #2 strikes again!
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
in case you're curious about how angry Minnesota is about ICE, it was -20 today
January 24, 2026 at 12:38 AM
in case you're curious about how angry Minnesota is about ICE, it was -20 today
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
As impressive as the images coming out of Minneapolis today are, a friend there just told me they don't do it justice - "the whole city was at a full standstill."
in case you're curious about how angry Minnesota is about ICE, it was -20 today
January 24, 2026 at 12:52 AM
As impressive as the images coming out of Minneapolis today are, a friend there just told me they don't do it justice - "the whole city was at a full standstill."
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
It’s cool walking past 2 Hanson Place, the Williamsburg bank building, having just read yesterday how it’s saving money and cutting pollution to comply with Local Law 97, which NYCC and yours truly have had a bit to do with 😀
January 24, 2026 at 12:07 AM
It’s cool walking past 2 Hanson Place, the Williamsburg bank building, having just read yesterday how it’s saving money and cutting pollution to comply with Local Law 97, which NYCC and yours truly have had a bit to do with 😀
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Between talk of outsourcing development of a GHG reporting program to the American Petroleum Institute and adding a steel industry rep to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, this EPA has become a joke of an environmental regulator:
www.eenews.net/articles/pus...
www.eenews.net/articles/pus...
Push to seat industry rep on EPA panel ‘very uncommon’
If approved by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the steel industry official would have a role in high-stakes reviews of air quality standards.
www.eenews.net
January 23, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Between talk of outsourcing development of a GHG reporting program to the American Petroleum Institute and adding a steel industry rep to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, this EPA has become a joke of an environmental regulator:
www.eenews.net/articles/pus...
www.eenews.net/articles/pus...
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Keep hearing "don't talk about climate anymore, talk about affordability" narrative trickle down and out and I gotta say that it feels one step away from being an outright climate denier. Same tactics are being applied to race, trans and queer issues, and more. Why are many people falling for it?
January 23, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Keep hearing "don't talk about climate anymore, talk about affordability" narrative trickle down and out and I gotta say that it feels one step away from being an outright climate denier. Same tactics are being applied to race, trans and queer issues, and more. Why are many people falling for it?
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Minnesota nice means prosecute ICE is soooo good. Solidarity to all of you!!
Police have arrived. Arrests seem imminent. The crowd chants “let them pray” and “Minnesota nice means prosecute ICE”
January 23, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Minnesota nice means prosecute ICE is soooo good. Solidarity to all of you!!
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
when i say that the american left needs to be more welcoming to religious folks i am talking about the upstream of this kind of stuff!!!!
Hundreds of clergy descend on Minneapolis and go on lookout for ICE
MINNEAPOLIS (RNS) — The faith leaders, who hail from across the country and represent a range of religious traditions, deployed to neighborhoods with significant immigrant populations, where DHS agent...
religionnews.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:28 PM
when i say that the american left needs to be more welcoming to religious folks i am talking about the upstream of this kind of stuff!!!!
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Trump's "board of peace" seems mainly like a post-presidency grift for the trump family - yes a way to usurp the UN but also to keep monetizing the presidency out of office.
Not unlike the Clinton Global Initiative, I'm afraid. But with more private $$ to the family and less do-gooder veneer.
Not unlike the Clinton Global Initiative, I'm afraid. But with more private $$ to the family and less do-gooder veneer.
January 23, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Trump's "board of peace" seems mainly like a post-presidency grift for the trump family - yes a way to usurp the UN but also to keep monetizing the presidency out of office.
Not unlike the Clinton Global Initiative, I'm afraid. But with more private $$ to the family and less do-gooder veneer.
Not unlike the Clinton Global Initiative, I'm afraid. But with more private $$ to the family and less do-gooder veneer.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Look at these beautiful images of peaceful resistance in Minneapolis today 😍😍 #inspiring!
It’s -9 degrees. Downtown Minneapolis is packed for the anti-ICE rally and the crowd keeps growing
January 23, 2026 at 10:39 PM
Look at these beautiful images of peaceful resistance in Minneapolis today 😍😍 #inspiring!
No one could have seen this coming. Just like it's inconceivable that driving a Tesla could expose you to worse data privacy and security practices than driving a Chinese electric car (imports of which the federal government functionally bans, a massive subsidy to Tesla's US EV business).
BREAKING: Now that TikTok is under US-based ownership, the social media app potentially collects more detailed information about its users, including precise location data.
My latest for @wired.com:
www.wired.com/story/tiktok...
My latest for @wired.com:
www.wired.com/story/tiktok...
TikTok Is Now Collecting Even More Data About Its Users. Here Are the 3 Biggest Changes
According to its new privacy policy, TikTok now collects more data on its users, including their precise location, after majority ownership officially switched to a group based in the US.
www.wired.com
January 23, 2026 at 11:09 PM
No one could have seen this coming. Just like it's inconceivable that driving a Tesla could expose you to worse data privacy and security practices than driving a Chinese electric car (imports of which the federal government functionally bans, a massive subsidy to Tesla's US EV business).
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Dig down here to read a large collection of emails between DOE and the five authors of the contrarian 'climate working group' report. Very interesting...
Ugh. Is the Administration illegally undermining climate work in America…?
www.edf.org/media/newly-...
www.edf.org/media/newly-...
Newly Disclosed Records Show Trump Administration’s Unlawful Actions Related to Secretly Formed “Climate Working Group”
The records are part of more than 68,000 pages of records obtained by EDF and the Union of Concerned Scientists as as the result of a lawsuit.
www.edf.org
January 22, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Dig down here to read a large collection of emails between DOE and the five authors of the contrarian 'climate working group' report. Very interesting...
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
The clergy just keep coming to this anti-ICE protest.
Genuinely unclear where they all will go — it’s packed outside on the sidewalk already.
Genuinely unclear where they all will go — it’s packed outside on the sidewalk already.
January 23, 2026 at 4:18 PM
The clergy just keep coming to this anti-ICE protest.
Genuinely unclear where they all will go — it’s packed outside on the sidewalk already.
Genuinely unclear where they all will go — it’s packed outside on the sidewalk already.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
As a Jew, one question that crosses your mind when you make a friend is, "Would this person hide me?"
These people would hide us. These people are Righteous Among the Nations.
These people would hide us. These people are Righteous Among the Nations.
The clergy just keep coming to this anti-ICE protest.
Genuinely unclear where they all will go — it’s packed outside on the sidewalk already.
Genuinely unclear where they all will go — it’s packed outside on the sidewalk already.
January 23, 2026 at 6:06 PM
As a Jew, one question that crosses your mind when you make a friend is, "Would this person hide me?"
These people would hide us. These people are Righteous Among the Nations.
These people would hide us. These people are Righteous Among the Nations.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
ICE detain yet another minor child—chase him down his own street and tackle him to pavement.
"I am legal! I am legal!" he cries over and over in Spanish.
Agent pins the boy down in snow—he desperately tries to keep his exposed hands from freezing at -25°F wind chill temperature.
Minneapolis, MN
"I am legal! I am legal!" he cries over and over in Spanish.
Agent pins the boy down in snow—he desperately tries to keep his exposed hands from freezing at -25°F wind chill temperature.
Minneapolis, MN
January 23, 2026 at 4:45 PM
ICE detain yet another minor child—chase him down his own street and tackle him to pavement.
"I am legal! I am legal!" he cries over and over in Spanish.
Agent pins the boy down in snow—he desperately tries to keep his exposed hands from freezing at -25°F wind chill temperature.
Minneapolis, MN
"I am legal! I am legal!" he cries over and over in Spanish.
Agent pins the boy down in snow—he desperately tries to keep his exposed hands from freezing at -25°F wind chill temperature.
Minneapolis, MN
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
A few other quick shots from the protest:
January 23, 2026 at 6:26 PM
A few other quick shots from the protest:
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
These pictures mean so much. Look at which stoles they've chosen, what those mean (that giraffe!). Look at the pads they brought so they could kneel in the cold. The looks on their faces, their arms linked. I'm in awe.
A few other quick shots from the protest:
January 23, 2026 at 6:40 PM
These pictures mean so much. Look at which stoles they've chosen, what those mean (that giraffe!). Look at the pads they brought so they could kneel in the cold. The looks on their faces, their arms linked. I'm in awe.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
At a time when everyone is talking about data centers and electric affordability, Gov. Murphy's pocket veto of this bill was a big mistake for his legacy. Also makes things harder for his successor ...
www.utilitydive.com/news/nj-gove...
www.utilitydive.com/news/nj-gove...
NJ governor seeks changes to ‘weaken’ large load tariff bill, lawmaker says
“We are not willing to bend to any changes to this bill,” Assemblyman David Bailey Jr. told Utility Dive. “If he does nothing, in essence, he pocket vetoes it ... That’s on him.”
www.utilitydive.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:44 PM
At a time when everyone is talking about data centers and electric affordability, Gov. Murphy's pocket veto of this bill was a big mistake for his legacy. Also makes things harder for his successor ...
www.utilitydive.com/news/nj-gove...
www.utilitydive.com/news/nj-gove...
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
“The industry feels strongly that these [utility] commissions, the regulatory bodies, are best positioned in order to craft the details of the tariffs, of the rates, to ensure flexibility"
Data center industry flacks know they can control regulators & manipulate outcomes & just say so out loud.
Data center industry flacks know they can control regulators & manipulate outcomes & just say so out loud.
At a time when everyone is talking about data centers and electric affordability, Gov. Murphy's pocket veto of this bill was a big mistake for his legacy. Also makes things harder for his successor ...
www.utilitydive.com/news/nj-gove...
www.utilitydive.com/news/nj-gove...
NJ governor seeks changes to ‘weaken’ large load tariff bill, lawmaker says
“We are not willing to bend to any changes to this bill,” Assemblyman David Bailey Jr. told Utility Dive. “If he does nothing, in essence, he pocket vetoes it ... That’s on him.”
www.utilitydive.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:50 PM
“The industry feels strongly that these [utility] commissions, the regulatory bodies, are best positioned in order to craft the details of the tariffs, of the rates, to ensure flexibility"
Data center industry flacks know they can control regulators & manipulate outcomes & just say so out loud.
Data center industry flacks know they can control regulators & manipulate outcomes & just say so out loud.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
"Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is suing some of the world’s largest oil companies, accusing them of colluding for decades to keep renewable energy and electric vehicles on the margins."
There's a thought!
There's a thought!
Michigan AG Dana Nessel sues big oil over ‘cartel’-like plot to kill clean energy
In a lawsuit expected to be filed today, Nessel alleges some of the world’s largest oil companies colluded to suppress the development of EVs and clean energy to keep Americans reliant on fossil fuels...
bridgemi.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:08 PM
"Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is suing some of the world’s largest oil companies, accusing them of colluding for decades to keep renewable energy and electric vehicles on the margins."
There's a thought!
There's a thought!
Cool energy modeling job! $64-100k salary and a great team.
We are hiring at the 2035 Initiative at UC Santa Barbara! We are looking for a Senior Energy Analyst to take on analysis, research, and project management tasks, with a particular focus on energy systems modeling and analysis. Check out the job posting here: www.2035initiative.com/jobs
Jobs — The 2035 Initiative at UC Santa Barbara
The 2035 Initiative at UCSB is a "think and do tank" aimed at confronting the climate crisis.
www.2035initiative.com
January 23, 2026 at 10:36 PM
Cool energy modeling job! $64-100k salary and a great team.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
This gives me hope.
It’s -9 degrees. Downtown Minneapolis is packed for the anti-ICE rally and the crowd keeps growing
January 23, 2026 at 9:15 PM
This gives me hope.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
"The core danger we identified is now emerging: a violent confrontation between state and federal military forces in a major American city."
We ran high-level US civil war simulations. Minnesota is exactly how they start | Claire Finkelstein
Developments in Minnesota closely mirror a scenario explored in a 2024 exercise conducted at the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law at the University of Pennsylvania, which I direct
www.theguardian.com
January 23, 2026 at 9:38 PM
"The core danger we identified is now emerging: a violent confrontation between state and federal military forces in a major American city."
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Instead of trading dependency on Putin for dependency on Putin's best buddy, perhaps the EU should build out its own clean domestic power supply.
Trump has growing stranglehold over EU and UK energy supply, study shows
European countries now reliant on US liquified natural gas shipments, creating risk of higher bills amid recent tensions
www.theguardian.com
January 23, 2026 at 9:50 PM
Instead of trading dependency on Putin for dependency on Putin's best buddy, perhaps the EU should build out its own clean domestic power supply.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
To understand just how badly we want #ICEout in #Minnesota, I remind you that the HIGH temperature in Minneapolis today was -8 F. We are being murdered, our children are being kidnapped. ICE is out of control.
Demonstrators as far as the eye can see. Current status of the march in Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota for Ice Out of Minnesota. They are turning onto 3rd Street from 5th Avenue.
January 23, 2026 at 10:23 PM
To understand just how badly we want #ICEout in #Minnesota, I remind you that the HIGH temperature in Minneapolis today was -8 F. We are being murdered, our children are being kidnapped. ICE is out of control.