Tope Alake
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake
@topealake.bsky.social
110 followers 16 following 18 posts
Power & EV charging reporter for Bloomberg News. Views my own
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Reposted by Tope Alake
laurenthal.bsky.social
Lauren Rosenthal @laurenthal.bsky.social · 6d
NEW: Weather models were performing worse ahead of a devastating storm in Alaska compared to a year ago. As one scientist @ecmwf.int put it, "the fact that all the models mis-captured this event tells us something." From me + @joewertz.bsky.social (gift link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Deadly Alaska Storm Hit After a Month of Wider Forecast Errors
Scientists say outages at federal monitoring sites in the state may have contributed to confusion over the storm’s predicted track.
www.bloomberg.com
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Reposted by Tope Alake
cocojournalist.bsky.social
Coco Liu @cocojournalist.bsky.social · 7d
Why has Beijing decided to curb the export of its batteries? My latest with @lilipike.bsky.social @topealake.bsky.social for @bloomberg.com

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
China’s New Weapon in US Trade Talks: Batteries
The US is heavily reliant on Chinese batteries as it seeks to stabilize the grid and support explosive data center demand for power.
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 26
US investments in renewable energy projects plunged 36% in the first half of the year as developers responded to White House policy shifts targeting the sector.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
US Renewable Investments Fell 36% on Trump’s Policies, BNEF Says
US investments in renewable energy projects plunged this year as developers responded to White House policy shifts targeting the sector.
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 15
The good news is the researchers say the risks can be reduced by adding filters and choosing smarter locations. Gift link:
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
EV Fast Chargers Have a Surprising Health Downside
The fans that keep them cool appear to kick up particulate matter, but there are fixes.
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 15
Here’s something to keep in mind. A recent study found that the air around some fast-charging stations contains higher levels of fine particulate pollution, raising questions about how “clean” the charging experience really is.
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 15
Ever stopped at a fast EV charger to top up your battery or thinking about using one soon?
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 5
Skipper predicts that if ConEd gets approval for the rate increases it’s seeking, consumers will revolt. “We are going to see mayhem in and around our city and the county if these rates increase any more,” she said.
Gift link to full story here: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
ConEd Power-Bill Backlash Threatens New York's Climate Goals
Higher electricity rates are needed to fortify the power grid against extreme weather, the utility says.
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 5
The mounting anger over power bills comes as Americans grapple with stubbornly high inflation, while climate change and AI-driven demand further strain the grid. Con Edison said the requested hikes are needed to fund grid resilience against extreme weather.
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 5
Another 62-year-old customer, Debbie Wangenstein, fears the soaring cost of electricity may force her and her husband to sell the home they have been living in since 1984 and move somewhere cheaper.
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 5
Yonkers resident Kisha Skipper said her energy bill is so high, she can’t decide whether to feed her child or pay her medical bill. She was one of dozens of people who attended a ConEd public input session organized by the Westchester County Board of Legislators in June.
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 5
But the proposal is facing stiff resistance from residents and top officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul, amid mounting pressure on politicians to rein in consumer costs.
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Aug 5
New Yorkers may soon see double-digit increases in their utility bills, as Con Edison seeks to raise electricity rates by more than 11% and gas charges by over 10%.
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Reposted by Tope Alake
laurenthal.bsky.social
Lauren Rosenthal @laurenthal.bsky.social · Aug 4
Neil Jacobs - the weather scientist who was in charge at NOAA during "Sharpiegate" - is poised to come back.

“I’m hopeful that he’s learned how to fight within the political system," one former NOAA chief said, "because he is going to have to fight." / 1

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
US Weather Boss During ‘Sharpiegate’ Nears Return to a Shrinking Agency
Trump’s appointee to run the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has vowed to support the president's massive cuts.
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Jun 24
Fluence Energy Inc. said it can work with US Senate Republicans’ latest version of President Donald Trump’s fiscal package, which would preserve tax credits for the industry while gutting incentives for wind and solar power.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Battery CEO Says US Senate’s Clean Energy Bill Is ‘Workable’
Battery storage company Fluence Energy Inc. said it can work with US Senate Republicans’ latest version of President Donald Trump’s fiscal package, which would preserve tax credits for the industry wh...
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Jun 23
Blistering heat is straining power grids across the eastern half of the US, leading to a blackout in part of New York City’s borough of Queens as the local utility issued a warning to conserve electricity.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article... via Bloomberg. @naurtorious.bsky.social
NYC Heat Triggers Blackout as Soaring Temperatures Stress US Grids
Blistering heat is straining power grids across the eastern half of the US, leading to a blackout in part of New York City’s borough of Queens as the local utility issued a warning to conserve electri...
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · Jun 23
Over $15.5 billion in new factories and clean energy projects have been canceled or delayed since January, including $9 billion worth of investments in GOP districts, which would have created nearly 12,000 new jobs.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
US Clean-Energy Project Cancellations Hit GOP Districts Hardest
Clean energy investments in the US are shrinking fast amid the rollback of tax incentives and policy uncertainties under President Donald Trump’s administration, with Republican districts hardest hit.
www.bloomberg.com
Reposted by Tope Alake
laurenthal.bsky.social
Lauren Rosenthal @laurenthal.bsky.social · Jun 6
FEMA has lost staff + cut back on grants. Its current top boss lacks emergency management experience. As hurricane season opens, "it is a disaster waiting to happen," one expert told @bloomberg.com. Story w/ the excellent @zhirji.bsky.social (free link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
What Trump’s FEMA Cuts Mean for Hurricane Season
The nation’s top agency for response and recovery work has endured significant upheaval since Trump’s return to the White House, and now Atlantic hurricane season is underway.
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · May 20
Meanwhile, tariffs could delay the rollout of EVs in the $25,000 range, crucial for a broader EV adoption and charging deployment, according to WoodMac.
Read the full story here: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Charging Installations Drop as Trump Ramps Up Attacks on EVs
The prospect of House Republicans’ cuts to electric vehicle subsidies threatens to further dim the outlook.
www.bloomberg.com
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · May 20
BloombergNEF's 2030 charging installation outlook could be cut by 30% "if we continue in this direction", analyst Ash Wang said. Wood Mackenzie has also lowered its forecast for this year.
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · May 20
The moves may trigger a negative feedback loop of fewer charger installation and EV adoption. This outcome risks setting EV transition back years, further deepening the range anxiety of EV buyers.

Analysts are already slashing projections of plug installations as a result.
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topealake.bsky.social
Tope Alake @topealake.bsky.social · May 20
Addition of high-speed EV chargers across the US fell by more than 21% in the first quarter compared to last year. The slowdown may just be beginning as Trump steps up attacks on EVs, and Republicans push to end subsidies.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Charging Installations Drop as Trump Ramps Up Attacks on EVs
The prospect of House Republicans’ cuts to electric vehicle subsidies threatens to further dim the outlook.
www.bloomberg.com
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Reposted by Tope Alake
brianreports.bsky.social
Brian Eckhouse @brianreports.bsky.social · May 19
If there was any lingering doubt about whether gas-fired generation plants are the hottest targets in the US power system, the recent flurry of deals likely extinguished it.

My column here:

www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Gas Power Is Cheaper to Buy Than Build in the US
Companies are adding capacity at comparative bargains to satisfy AI’s thirst for energy.
www.bloomberg.com
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Reposted by Tope Alake
brianreports.bsky.social
Brian Eckhouse @brianreports.bsky.social · May 6
Buffett runs a renewables heavyweight and has written that climate change is “highly likely” a “problem for the planet.”

Yet Berkshire is a major investor in oil, gas and coal — a position poised to endure well after the 94-year-old retires.

My analysis here: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Buffett Handing Complicated Climate Legacy to Berkshire Energy Head
Berkshire Hathaway is at once a renewables powerhouse and a big investor in fossil fuels.
www.bloomberg.com
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Reposted by Tope Alake
michellema.bsky.social
Michelle Ma @michellema.bsky.social · May 8
Each time you ask an AI chatbot a question, it sends a request to a data center and strains an increasingly scarce resource: water.

A 🧵on our investigation into how the data centers that power AI are increasingly being built in highly water-stressed places:

www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
The AI Boom Is Draining Water From the Areas That Need It Most
A Bloomberg News analysis finds that roughly two thirds of new data centers built or in development in the US since 2022 are in places with high levels of water stress.
www.bloomberg.com
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Reposted by Tope Alake
michellema.bsky.social
Michelle Ma @michellema.bsky.social · May 8
To read our full story that details why this is happening, how communities are responding and what tech companies are doing to address their water footprint, here's a gift link to the story (lifts paywall for a week): www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
The AI Boom Is Draining Water From the Areas That Need It Most
A Bloomberg News analysis finds that roughly two thirds of new data centers built or in development in the US since 2022 are in places with high levels of water stress.
www.bloomberg.com
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