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
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/
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Reminder that Mike Johnson named a law school he was dean of after child sex predator Paul Pressler, got his job because of Matt Gaetz and is now committed to protecting Donald Trump. This is not his first time at this rodeo. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/u...
Epstein Alleged in Emails That Trump Knew of His Conduct
www.nytimes.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Reminder that Mike Johnson named a law school he was dean of after child sex predator Paul Pressler, got his job because of Matt Gaetz and is now committed to protecting Donald Trump. This is not his first time at this rodeo. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/u...
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Anyway, what's half a million dead people to the fossil industry? They were mostly poor people anyway.
Particulate pollution from coal associated with double the risk of mortality than PM2.5 from other sources | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Exposure to fine particulate air pollutants from coal-fired power plants is associated with a risk of mortality more than double that of exposure to PM2.5 from other sources, according to a new study ...
hsph.harvard.edu
November 12, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Anyway, what's half a million dead people to the fossil industry? They were mostly poor people anyway.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Part of the reason for this is that the truth is so awful it defies belief -- akin to literally stating GOP policy positions, people will literally not believe you because, paradoxically, it is so bad that they think, if it were true, everyone would already know and no one would stand for it.
November 12, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Part of the reason for this is that the truth is so awful it defies belief -- akin to literally stating GOP policy positions, people will literally not believe you because, paradoxically, it is so bad that they think, if it were true, everyone would already know and no one would stand for it.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
It is an ironclad law of climate comms that we must absolutely in every case focus on the economics of these actions, only incidentally mention the mass human casualties, and never, ever the natural world.
November 12, 2025 at 2:36 PM
It is an ironclad law of climate comms that we must absolutely in every case focus on the economics of these actions, only incidentally mention the mass human casualties, and never, ever the natural world.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
I wish it were better understood that this is an act of mass murder akin to firing into a large crowd. Impossible to say specifically who will die as a result of this action, but certainty that it will be many.
The Trump admin seems set to force two Colorado coal plants to stay open past their planned closure this year, even as the costs of keeping an aging, unnecessary Michigan coal plant running through the summer top $80M. Are more must-run orders coming?
www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...
#energysky
www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...
#energysky
Trump’s DOE may soon force more coal plants to stay open
Colorado coal plants are likely to face DOE orders to keep running past planned closure dates, even as the costs of keeping an old Michigan plant open…
www.canarymedia.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM
I wish it were better understood that this is an act of mass murder akin to firing into a large crowd. Impossible to say specifically who will die as a result of this action, but certainty that it will be many.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
First #COP30 report. About the U.S., Australia, Norway and Canada and their oil and gas interests for @drilledmedia.bsky.social drilled.media/news/COP30-OCI
Running into COP30 with Oil and Gas
As COP30 gets underway in Brazil, a new report spotlights increased oil and gas production from the U.S., Australia, Norway and Canada since the Paris Climate Agreement was signed a decade ago.
drilled.media
November 12, 2025 at 2:39 PM
First #COP30 report. About the U.S., Australia, Norway and Canada and their oil and gas interests for @drilledmedia.bsky.social drilled.media/news/COP30-OCI
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
As #COP30 gets underway in Belem, a new report shows that four countries—Australia, Canada, Norway and the U.S.—have collectively *increased* oil and gas production 40% since the Paris Agreement was signed 10 years ago @rishpardikar.bsky.social writes: drilled.media/news/COP30-OCI
Running into COP30 with Oil and Gas
As COP30 gets underway in Brazil, a new report spotlights increased oil and gas production from the U.S., Australia, Norway and Canada since the Paris Climate Agreement was signed a decade ago.
drilled.media
November 12, 2025 at 2:26 PM
As #COP30 gets underway in Belem, a new report shows that four countries—Australia, Canada, Norway and the U.S.—have collectively *increased* oil and gas production 40% since the Paris Agreement was signed 10 years ago @rishpardikar.bsky.social writes: drilled.media/news/COP30-OCI
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
It will not surprise you to learn that many of these same countries are the ones moving to block the just transition mechanism--the thing that would actually help the world move away from fossil fuels--at #COP30
As #COP30 gets underway in Belem, a new report shows that four countries—Australia, Canada, Norway and the U.S.—have collectively *increased* oil and gas production 40% since the Paris Agreement was signed 10 years ago @rishpardikar.bsky.social writes: drilled.media/news/COP30-OCI
Running into COP30 with Oil and Gas
As COP30 gets underway in Brazil, a new report spotlights increased oil and gas production from the U.S., Australia, Norway and Canada since the Paris Climate Agreement was signed a decade ago.
drilled.media
November 12, 2025 at 2:44 PM
It will not surprise you to learn that many of these same countries are the ones moving to block the just transition mechanism--the thing that would actually help the world move away from fossil fuels--at #COP30
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
“Between 1989 and 2022, households in the top 1 percent added about 100 times as much wealth as households at the national median. The share of all U.S. wealth held by the top 0.00001 percent has nearly doubled over the last decade.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/o...
Opinion | The Haves and Have-Nots Are, Once Again, at War
www.nytimes.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:43 PM
“Between 1989 and 2022, households in the top 1 percent added about 100 times as much wealth as households at the national median. The share of all U.S. wealth held by the top 0.00001 percent has nearly doubled over the last decade.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/o...
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
"We don’t yet know if AI will transform the economy or even be profitable. Yet Washington is insulating the industry from all sorts of risk. If a bubble does pop, we’ll all be left holding the bag."
This week Open AI walked back a call for the govt to backstop financing for its trillion dollar investments in data centers. This was only the tip of the iceberg; a slow bailout for AI firms is already underway. Read more from @ambakak.bsky.social and I in @wsj.com: www.wsj.com/opinion/you-...
Opinion | You May Already Be Bailing Out the AI Business
Washington is treating the industry as if it’s too big to fail, even as the market sends lukewarm signals.
www.wsj.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:28 PM
"We don’t yet know if AI will transform the economy or even be profitable. Yet Washington is insulating the industry from all sorts of risk. If a bubble does pop, we’ll all be left holding the bag."
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Musk and others on the far right are obsessed with things like Lord of the Rings and Dungeons and Dragons because they see fantasy worlds as reinforcing their own beliefs about immutable hierarchies of race, gender, and by extension morality www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
November 12, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Musk and others on the far right are obsessed with things like Lord of the Rings and Dungeons and Dragons because they see fantasy worlds as reinforcing their own beliefs about immutable hierarchies of race, gender, and by extension morality www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Today on Volts: markets for distributed energy resources (DERs) are usually fragmented & opaque, making it difficult to scale up. A UK startup called Piclo is setting up a marketplace where buyers & sellers of grid flexibility can meet, compare terms, & sign contracts. Much needed, long overdue!
How to make a market for distributed energy flexibility
Piclo has created a marketplace where buyers of grid flexibility can find sellers.
www.volts.wtf
November 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Today on Volts: markets for distributed energy resources (DERs) are usually fragmented & opaque, making it difficult to scale up. A UK startup called Piclo is setting up a marketplace where buyers & sellers of grid flexibility can meet, compare terms, & sign contracts. Much needed, long overdue!
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
The walk from being a former climate and clean energy wonk to outright techno fascist mechanism designer should be a lot longer imo
November 12, 2025 at 5:36 PM
The walk from being a former climate and clean energy wonk to outright techno fascist mechanism designer should be a lot longer imo
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Lots of talk on here about how Caltrain should cut this or streamline that to compete - imo, counterproductive austerity thinking. This is a public policy choice! Waymo is a state-regulated entity. We can simply deny these companies' requests to compete directly with transit, or impose conditions.
Waymo is now directly competing with Caltrain on the San Francisco Peninsula
Taking riders further, safely with freeways
The open road symbolizes freedom and unlimited possibility– highlighted especially by the ease and speed by which freeways allow us to get where we’re going. Waymo is now bringing that experience into...
waymo.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Lots of talk on here about how Caltrain should cut this or streamline that to compete - imo, counterproductive austerity thinking. This is a public policy choice! Waymo is a state-regulated entity. We can simply deny these companies' requests to compete directly with transit, or impose conditions.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
The Trump admin seems set to force two Colorado coal plants to stay open past their planned closure this year, even as the costs of keeping an aging, unnecessary Michigan coal plant running through the summer top $80M. Are more must-run orders coming?
www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...
#energysky
www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...
#energysky
Trump’s DOE may soon force more coal plants to stay open
Colorado coal plants are likely to face DOE orders to keep running past planned closure dates, even as the costs of keeping an old Michigan plant open…
www.canarymedia.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:28 PM
The Trump admin seems set to force two Colorado coal plants to stay open past their planned closure this year, even as the costs of keeping an aging, unnecessary Michigan coal plant running through the summer top $80M. Are more must-run orders coming?
www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...
#energysky
www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...
#energysky
Next time someone tells you renewables will beat gas on economics to justify deregulating everything, maybe consider that even wildly uneconomic coal plants continue to run and pollute, and coal pollution may well go up not down due to bonkers state intervention.
The Trump admin seems set to force two Colorado coal plants to stay open past their planned closure this year, even as the costs of keeping an aging, unnecessary Michigan coal plant running through the summer top $80M. Are more must-run orders coming?
www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...
#energysky
www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...
#energysky
Trump’s DOE may soon force more coal plants to stay open
Colorado coal plants are likely to face DOE orders to keep running past planned closure dates, even as the costs of keeping an old Michigan plant open…
www.canarymedia.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Next time someone tells you renewables will beat gas on economics to justify deregulating everything, maybe consider that even wildly uneconomic coal plants continue to run and pollute, and coal pollution may well go up not down due to bonkers state intervention.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Two years ago Colombia's president pledged to stop awarding new exploration contracts for oil, gas, and coal.
On the world stage, this was a big deal.
Now the question is: how is Colombia's energy transition going?
NPR went to Colombia to find out 🇨🇴
Read and listen here - only on @npr.org
On the world stage, this was a big deal.
Now the question is: how is Colombia's energy transition going?
NPR went to Colombia to find out 🇨🇴
Read and listen here - only on @npr.org
This oil-producing country is moving away from oil. Here's how it's going
Two years ago Colombia pledged to stop exploring for new oil, gas and coal. On the world stage, this was a big deal. Here's what's happened since.
www.npr.org
November 12, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Two years ago Colombia's president pledged to stop awarding new exploration contracts for oil, gas, and coal.
On the world stage, this was a big deal.
Now the question is: how is Colombia's energy transition going?
NPR went to Colombia to find out 🇨🇴
Read and listen here - only on @npr.org
On the world stage, this was a big deal.
Now the question is: how is Colombia's energy transition going?
NPR went to Colombia to find out 🇨🇴
Read and listen here - only on @npr.org
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
MA and New England climate folks - Has anyone seen the text of this House bill? Cutting the 2030 climate goal, reducing Mass Save efficiency spending, sounds bad. 🔌💡
commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
House moves forward with bill to weaken 2030 climate goals - CommonWealth Beacon
The plan reverberating around Beacon Hill, as first reported by CommonWealth Beacon last week, is sure to put lawmakers in a politically difficult position and test their willingness to defend the cli...
commonwealthbeacon.org
November 12, 2025 at 7:10 PM
MA and New England climate folks - Has anyone seen the text of this House bill? Cutting the 2030 climate goal, reducing Mass Save efficiency spending, sounds bad. 🔌💡
commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
There are dark clouds on the horizon for Massachusetts climate policy. A new House bill proposes major changes to Massachusetts's policy. See thread below.
MA and New England climate folks - Has anyone seen the text of this House bill? Cutting the 2030 climate goal, reducing Mass Save efficiency spending, sounds bad. 🔌💡
commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
House moves forward with bill to weaken 2030 climate goals - CommonWealth Beacon
The plan reverberating around Beacon Hill, as first reported by CommonWealth Beacon last week, is sure to put lawmakers in a politically difficult position and test their willingness to defend the cli...
commonwealthbeacon.org
November 12, 2025 at 7:39 PM
There are dark clouds on the horizon for Massachusetts climate policy. A new House bill proposes major changes to Massachusetts's policy. See thread below.
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Trump's EPA set up a system whereby corporate polluters could be relieved of the burden of meeting air-quality regulations. How? By, uh, asking.
Sure enough, lots of them have asked, with devastating consequences for air quality. New report:
Sure enough, lots of them have asked, with devastating consequences for air quality. New report:
envirodatagov.org
November 12, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Trump's EPA set up a system whereby corporate polluters could be relieved of the burden of meeting air-quality regulations. How? By, uh, asking.
Sure enough, lots of them have asked, with devastating consequences for air quality. New report:
Sure enough, lots of them have asked, with devastating consequences for air quality. New report:
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Colombia is in the midst of their energy transition.
Is the story a happy one?
We spoke to more than a dozen Colombian energy folks - from renewable developers to ministers to coal lawyers to oil company execs.
Here's what they think went right, and what went wrong.
Listen and read on NPR 📻🎧🇨🇴⬇️
Is the story a happy one?
We spoke to more than a dozen Colombian energy folks - from renewable developers to ministers to coal lawyers to oil company execs.
Here's what they think went right, and what went wrong.
Listen and read on NPR 📻🎧🇨🇴⬇️
This oil-producing country is moving away from oil. Here's how it's going
Two years ago Colombia pledged to stop exploring for new oil, gas and coal. On the world stage, this was a big deal. Here's what's happened since.
www.npr.org
November 12, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Colombia is in the midst of their energy transition.
Is the story a happy one?
We spoke to more than a dozen Colombian energy folks - from renewable developers to ministers to coal lawyers to oil company execs.
Here's what they think went right, and what went wrong.
Listen and read on NPR 📻🎧🇨🇴⬇️
Is the story a happy one?
We spoke to more than a dozen Colombian energy folks - from renewable developers to ministers to coal lawyers to oil company execs.
Here's what they think went right, and what went wrong.
Listen and read on NPR 📻🎧🇨🇴⬇️
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
November 12, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe is the latest prominent Democrat to join Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future, a fossil fuel industry front group that seeks to influence liberals to embrace methane gas as clean, climate-friendly energy
Former Gov. McAuliffe joins pro-natural gas group as national co-chair • Virginia Mercury
Terry McAuliffe to promote natural gas as a route to long-term energy reliability as renewable energy sources are built out.
virginiamercury.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe is the latest prominent Democrat to join Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future, a fossil fuel industry front group that seeks to influence liberals to embrace methane gas as clean, climate-friendly energy
Reposted by Kevin J. Kircher
Crazy good job with the best team in Climate Politics right here!
cc @leahstokes.bsky.social @volts.wtf @costasamaras.com @aimeewitteman.bsky.social @waiterich.bsky.social @bslotterback.bsky.social @douglewin.bsky.social @jigarshahdc.bsky.social tell yr friends.
cc @leahstokes.bsky.social @volts.wtf @costasamaras.com @aimeewitteman.bsky.social @waiterich.bsky.social @bslotterback.bsky.social @douglewin.bsky.social @jigarshahdc.bsky.social tell yr friends.
HELLO. REALLY SPECIAL JOB ALERT at @climatecabinet.org
We’re looking for a Senior Development Director. Maybe it is you. Maybe it is someone you know.
Details here 👇👇👇
We’re looking for a Senior Development Director. Maybe it is you. Maybe it is someone you know.
Details here 👇👇👇
Senior Development Director
San Francisco, California, United States
job-boards.greenhouse.io
November 12, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Crazy good job with the best team in Climate Politics right here!
cc @leahstokes.bsky.social @volts.wtf @costasamaras.com @aimeewitteman.bsky.social @waiterich.bsky.social @bslotterback.bsky.social @douglewin.bsky.social @jigarshahdc.bsky.social tell yr friends.
cc @leahstokes.bsky.social @volts.wtf @costasamaras.com @aimeewitteman.bsky.social @waiterich.bsky.social @bslotterback.bsky.social @douglewin.bsky.social @jigarshahdc.bsky.social tell yr friends.
📣 cool climate job! 👇
HELLO. REALLY SPECIAL JOB ALERT at @climatecabinet.org
We’re looking for a Senior Development Director. Maybe it is you. Maybe it is someone you know.
Details here 👇👇👇
We’re looking for a Senior Development Director. Maybe it is you. Maybe it is someone you know.
Details here 👇👇👇
Senior Development Director
San Francisco, California, United States
job-boards.greenhouse.io
November 12, 2025 at 10:58 PM
📣 cool climate job! 👇