David Paolella
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davidpaolella.bsky.social
David Paolella
@davidpaolella.bsky.social
Focused on technology and policy for the future of energy
But isn’t it fair to say wind turbine blades are designed to be relatively lightweight to respond quickly to changes in wind speed/direction, which lowers their rotational inertia compared to heavy rotating machinery in thermal plants? Not insurmountable, but it seems like a fundamental difference.
May 1, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Even if the US were on a net zero trajectory, EER's modeling suggests data centers would still drive ~50% of load growth thru 2030. Eventually, economy-wide electrification will dominate, but this is the decade to max out clean firm we can build while tech companies are willing/able to pay a premium
December 5, 2024 at 10:09 PM
November 20, 2024 at 1:29 AM
Why is that? Negative feedback loops kicking in?
August 16, 2024 at 8:23 PM
Seems like new policy to speed up access to new clean electricity generation and expand transmission (which would make 45V rules easier to comply with) is more likely to happen sooner than a national carbon constraint (which would make the rules less needed)
December 24, 2023 at 7:25 PM
EV/clean H2 analogy misses key differences, no?
1. Electrolytic H2 w/grid avg elec is highly emitting while EVs are still largely better than ICE
2. H2 PTC covers higher % of the total cost of H2 prod vs EV credits
3. EV credit is more like an ITC so less risk of incentivizing inefficient operation
December 24, 2023 at 7:18 PM
For more, check out the full report by Evolved Energy Research, download input and results data, and explore interactive versions of the figures on Tableau Public:
evolved.energy/2023-us-adp
December 6, 2023 at 6:33 PM
Energy parks (large renewables projects w/co-located energy intensive industrial processes) could unlock clean energy potential in the near term, otherwise limited by constrained transmission. The ADP modeled the scale & location of potential energy parks for the first time.
December 6, 2023 at 6:32 PM
Half a Gt of DAC capacity could be needed in the US by 2050 to reach net zero, underscoring the urgency & importance of investing in emerging carbon-management tech. Demo programs are key for testing tech and optimal locations. (figure shows top 8 states by modeled deployment)
December 6, 2023 at 6:31 PM
One pathway to growing clean firm capacity is to retrofit existing coal and gas plants with nuclear, CCS, or other low carbon technologies. In the Drop-in scenario, brownfield opportunities for clean firm power play as large (or larger) a role by 2050 as greenfield projects.
December 6, 2023 at 6:30 PM
Improving tech plus expanded tax credits open a pathway for capturing and sequestering emissions from existing ethanol production while converting the ethanol to jet fuel. This could create new economic opportunity for US corn producers as ethanol blending in gasoline declines.
December 6, 2023 at 6:29 PM
Once referred to as “hard-to-decarbonize sectors,” heavy industries have increasing abatement options on the path to net zero. This year's ADP expands the number of solutions modeled for steel and cement industries--highlighting opportunities for CCS and H2.
December 6, 2023 at 6:29 PM
Numerous technologies are modest cost declines away from being competitive in a net-zero energy system, esp when accounting for non-cost barriers. Supporting a diverse set of technologies provides valuable optionality as we navigate uncertain obstacles along the way to net zero.
December 6, 2023 at 6:28 PM
Many emerging clean technologies needed at scale in the 2030s and beyond will require proactive infrastructure planning to enable their widespread deployment.
December 6, 2023 at 6:28 PM
New clean electricity incentives enable an accelerated scale up of clean energy technologies, but we will need a longer-term strategy before credits are due to expire in the 2030s to support sustained deployment at home and abroad (e.g., a clean electricity standards)
December 6, 2023 at 6:27 PM
Expanded tax credits reduce the direct cost of decarbonization, making it cheaper to choose clean energy. And the costs across the energy system of increasing ambition to reach net zero have dropped substantially ($68B additional annual cost in 2050 vs. $172B w/o recent policy)
December 6, 2023 at 6:26 PM