Adam Bell
@adambell.bsky.social
"Former energy czar" - the Guardian. "Energy big brain" - Politico.
Clearly therefore Starmer's next move should be to force public sector middle managers to participate in reality TV.
November 16, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Clearly therefore Starmer's next move should be to force public sector middle managers to participate in reality TV.
Absorption chillers perhaps, or more likely just dump it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Absorption chillers perhaps, or more likely just dump it.
That is absolutely the plan - I know of at least one project already building to do that.
November 16, 2025 at 9:29 AM
That is absolutely the plan - I know of at least one project already building to do that.
This is quite possibly why Ed Miliband ends up being Prime Minister: he has an argument he wants to win.
November 15, 2025 at 11:29 AM
This is quite possibly why Ed Miliband ends up being Prime Minister: he has an argument he wants to win.
has he considered simply not doing stupid things and thus communicating stability
November 14, 2025 at 8:50 AM
has he considered simply not doing stupid things and thus communicating stability
Oh no, you add them to your enormous herd of stolen English sheep.
November 14, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Oh no, you add them to your enormous herd of stolen English sheep.
If we're able to do this, then the prize could be great. We had the world's first commercial fission reactor, even if we ultimately failed to capitalise on our early advantage. We can learn from that experience! /fin
November 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM
If we're able to do this, then the prize could be great. We had the world's first commercial fission reactor, even if we ultimately failed to capitalise on our early advantage. We can learn from that experience! /fin
Our paper advocates for making it as easy as possible to build a fusion plant in the UK - to make this the place that novel tech comes first. This means broadening our fusion strategy to be more tech agnostic, and defining the regulatory regime in advance. /4
November 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Our paper advocates for making it as easy as possible to build a fusion plant in the UK - to make this the place that novel tech comes first. This means broadening our fusion strategy to be more tech agnostic, and defining the regulatory regime in advance. /4
We are therefore in a global race to make it happen. Currently we plan to build our first commercial reactor in 2040. China plans to do it by 2035. Students of maths will realise the problem. /3
November 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM
We are therefore in a global race to make it happen. Currently we plan to build our first commercial reactor in 2040. China plans to do it by 2035. Students of maths will realise the problem. /3
Essentially some of the hard problems of fusion have now been solved - how to contain the intense bursts of neutrons, how to repeat a reaction without disassembling the chamber, and how to actually get the energy out of a tremendously hot box. /2
November 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Essentially some of the hard problems of fusion have now been solved - how to contain the intense bursts of neutrons, how to repeat a reaction without disassembling the chamber, and how to actually get the energy out of a tremendously hot box. /2
In fairness, although the AGRs were partly driven by industrial policy the reasons why they flopped were driven by their assumed unique advantages - inflight refuelling, for example - never materialising. The plan here is to build a boring old PWR, just wee. Much lower risk as a result.
November 13, 2025 at 12:40 PM
In fairness, although the AGRs were partly driven by industrial policy the reasons why they flopped were driven by their assumed unique advantages - inflight refuelling, for example - never materialising. The plan here is to build a boring old PWR, just wee. Much lower risk as a result.
Some blog posts are very good! But yes, long-form analysis is not something most policymakers have sufficient exposure to.
November 13, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Some blog posts are very good! But yes, long-form analysis is not something most policymakers have sufficient exposure to.
Notorious demogogue Cicero demands to be heard
November 13, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Notorious demogogue Cicero demands to be heard
Indeed! And working in policy and politics one very quickly realises that simple messaging is never sufficient to win; a platform must reflect a narrative, and so simple appeals to emotion are necessary but not sufficient to secure power.
November 13, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Indeed! And working in policy and politics one very quickly realises that simple messaging is never sufficient to win; a platform must reflect a narrative, and so simple appeals to emotion are necessary but not sufficient to secure power.
If we just do enough education liberalism will succeed!*
Source: every liberal since Mill
(I remain a liberal regardless but social media really is testing the whole thing to destruction)
Source: every liberal since Mill
(I remain a liberal regardless but social media really is testing the whole thing to destruction)
November 13, 2025 at 7:37 AM
If we just do enough education liberalism will succeed!*
Source: every liberal since Mill
(I remain a liberal regardless but social media really is testing the whole thing to destruction)
Source: every liberal since Mill
(I remain a liberal regardless but social media really is testing the whole thing to destruction)
It rather implies that we should restrict access to social media on the basis of a willingness to demonstrate at least a de minimis version of critical thinking. Sometimes it is hard to see how you can square the moral prescriptions of liberalism with the social attitudes it requires.
November 13, 2025 at 7:26 AM
It rather implies that we should restrict access to social media on the basis of a willingness to demonstrate at least a de minimis version of critical thinking. Sometimes it is hard to see how you can square the moral prescriptions of liberalism with the social attitudes it requires.
I have literally never wondered what's happening on Twitter now, because it's doubtless just raining racism and I don't need to check.
November 10, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I have literally never wondered what's happening on Twitter now, because it's doubtless just raining racism and I don't need to check.
The answer does not necessarily imply a role for Government, but rather something that sounds cripplingly cringe: a Posters' Guild. Something that communicates standards through peer review and example, rather than central imposition. /fin
November 10, 2025 at 2:44 PM
The answer does not necessarily imply a role for Government, but rather something that sounds cripplingly cringe: a Posters' Guild. Something that communicates standards through peer review and example, rather than central imposition. /fin