Richard Hendriks
@mar-hendriks.bsky.social
Calm, critical, compassionate.
Earth, energy, electricity, economy… and the occasional political musings.
Canadian hydropower consultant.
Earth, energy, electricity, economy… and the occasional political musings.
Canadian hydropower consultant.
I’ve never understood the high levels of dispositional negativity in the climate crowd. Almost all climate mitigating technologies and activities entail cleaner air, less noise, healthier lives and lower costs.
If fighting climate change isn’t making you happier seek your joy elsewhere!
If fighting climate change isn’t making you happier seek your joy elsewhere!
☺️🌍 The fight against climate change is often framed as a sacrifice, Jade Radke's study finds presenting environmental action in a proactive light makes people more likely to act. "Clear, actionable alternatives make it easier for people to engage," Radke explains.
news.mongabay.com/short-articl...
news.mongabay.com/short-articl...
Encouragement boosts people’s likelihood to take climate action
The fight against climate change is often framed as a sacrifice: eat less meat and drive less often. But those actions could also be framed positively: eat more plants and ride bikes more often. A…
news.mongabay.com
February 14, 2026 at 4:03 AM
I’ve never understood the high levels of dispositional negativity in the climate crowd. Almost all climate mitigating technologies and activities entail cleaner air, less noise, healthier lives and lower costs.
If fighting climate change isn’t making you happier seek your joy elsewhere!
If fighting climate change isn’t making you happier seek your joy elsewhere!
A friend of my parents used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day. The day before he finally quit, he smoked two packs!!
February 14, 2026 at 3:24 AM
A friend of my parents used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day. The day before he finally quit, he smoked two packs!!
This sounds like climate Puritanism. Needlessly advancing the replacement of contingency coal that rarely operates or acts only as reserve capacity makes little economic or ecological sense.
China’s coal retrofits have helped meet flexibility needs so far but its benefits narrow after 2027.
Without a fast scale-up of battery storage, China risks relying on additional emissions-intensive coal capacity that may be rarely used.
ember-energy.org/lat...
Without a fast scale-up of battery storage, China risks relying on additional emissions-intensive coal capacity that may be rarely used.
ember-energy.org/lat...
February 11, 2026 at 12:58 PM
This sounds like climate Puritanism. Needlessly advancing the replacement of contingency coal that rarely operates or acts only as reserve capacity makes little economic or ecological sense.
Seems like a good time repost this…
When will the British left realize that Starmer garnered fewer votes in the recent election than did Corbin in the prior one? The electorate shifted well right and only vote-splitting delivered power to Labour. Yet, the left is proceeding as though the electorate is with them. This won’t end well.
February 10, 2026 at 4:12 AM
Seems like a good time repost this…
How odd. The survey forgot to include… “your parents’ generation”.
February 8, 2026 at 11:13 PM
How odd. The survey forgot to include… “your parents’ generation”.
The real echo chamber perspective is that reading widely is making liberals more tolerant. It’s not, a fact known for many years now.
www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-swi...
www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-swi...
February 4, 2026 at 2:13 PM
The real echo chamber perspective is that reading widely is making liberals more tolerant. It’s not, a fact known for many years now.
www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-swi...
www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-swi...
An LNG export terminal in Churchill, maybe. Oil tankers plying these waters is a very different impact scenario. Communities on Hudson Bay and James Bay have worked for decades to minimize oil shipping by barge by electrifying. Wab may find himself way offside here.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Major energy company interested in Port of Churchill, Manitoba premier says | CBC News
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday one of Canada's biggest energy companies is taking a look at the Port of Churchill, though he wouldn't name the company.
www.cbc.ca
January 31, 2026 at 2:10 PM
An LNG export terminal in Churchill, maybe. Oil tankers plying these waters is a very different impact scenario. Communities on Hudson Bay and James Bay have worked for decades to minimize oil shipping by barge by electrifying. Wab may find himself way offside here.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Richard Hendriks
Now picture adding 10 GW of very low ELCC wind to eastern Canada. The $16b price tag for these interconnections (which will almost certainly increase) excludes billions more for the necessary onshore transmission build out to New York and Ontario.
January 24, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Now picture adding 10 GW of very low ELCC wind to eastern Canada. The $16b price tag for these interconnections (which will almost certainly increase) excludes billions more for the necessary onshore transmission build out to New York and Ontario.
“Ford said … Carney and the federal government will need to “urgently” support the province’s auto sector.”
Ontario and Canadian taxpayers pumped $14B into GM and Chrysler during the financial crisis. They blew it on oversized pickups and SUVs.
Enough already.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Ontario and Canadian taxpayers pumped $14B into GM and Chrysler during the financial crisis. They blew it on oversized pickups and SUVs.
Enough already.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Doug Ford slams Canada’s 'lopsided' new EV deal with China | CBC News
Ontario Premier Doug Ford isn’t mincing words about Canada’s new electric vehicle deal with China, saying Chinese manufacturers are gaining a foothold in the country’s auto market at the expense of Ca...
www.cbc.ca
January 16, 2026 at 7:19 PM
“Ford said … Carney and the federal government will need to “urgently” support the province’s auto sector.”
Ontario and Canadian taxpayers pumped $14B into GM and Chrysler during the financial crisis. They blew it on oversized pickups and SUVs.
Enough already.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Ontario and Canadian taxpayers pumped $14B into GM and Chrysler during the financial crisis. They blew it on oversized pickups and SUVs.
Enough already.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Richard Hendriks
For nearly two decades, photojournalist Tim Smith has documented the people in western Manitoba’s communities. Recently, he tried something different. He spent a summer photographing bees, beautifully capturing the lives of these industrious little creatures. thenarwhal.ca/manitoba-bee...
Life with the bees | The Narwhal
A Manitoba photojournalist reflects on an unusual project: a summer spent taking portraits of bees
thenarwhal.ca
January 9, 2026 at 2:30 PM
For nearly two decades, photojournalist Tim Smith has documented the people in western Manitoba’s communities. Recently, he tried something different. He spent a summer photographing bees, beautifully capturing the lives of these industrious little creatures. thenarwhal.ca/manitoba-bee...
This week’s #hydrogensoufflé comes from Canada, complimented with an oversized side of would-be-taxpayer-funded interprovincial transmission expansion.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
John Risley calls time of death on green hydrogen plans. But he's still set on windmills | CBC News
A massive proposal for a green hydrogen project in western Newfoundland will not be going ahead, but the man behind the plan has a new venture — an interconnected wind-energy corridor through eastern ...
www.cbc.ca
January 8, 2026 at 5:35 PM
This week’s #hydrogensoufflé comes from Canada, complimented with an oversized side of would-be-taxpayer-funded interprovincial transmission expansion.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
It takes a decade to assess, permit, finance and construct a high-voltage interprovincial transmission line in Canada. By the time that happens, the supply-side alternatives and demand-side profile will have shifted so much as to reveal the foolishness of these investments.
3) @shastingssimon.bsky.social of University of Calgary says strained US relations will push Canada to reorient electricity trade away from exports to interprovincial trade, kick starting domestic long-distance transmission expansion www.forbes.com/sites/energy...
January 8, 2026 at 2:56 AM
It takes a decade to assess, permit, finance and construct a high-voltage interprovincial transmission line in Canada. By the time that happens, the supply-side alternatives and demand-side profile will have shifted so much as to reveal the foolishness of these investments.
An optimistic piece by @dougsaunders.bsky.social. Yet, recent events echo more closely the 1910s and 20s than the 1930s and 40s. It feels more like the Hoover years than the Truman years. Gen Z may become a great generation but not for the reasons supposed.
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/b6403fe...
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/b6403fe...
Dear Gen Z: You’re not watching the world end – you’re about to build a new one
Despite older generations’ doomsday prophecies and belated apologies for the state of the world, today’s young people are now on the brink of leading the greatest era of rebuilding and growth this cen...
www.theglobeandmail.com
December 29, 2025 at 2:40 PM
An optimistic piece by @dougsaunders.bsky.social. Yet, recent events echo more closely the 1910s and 20s than the 1930s and 40s. It feels more like the Hoover years than the Truman years. Gen Z may become a great generation but not for the reasons supposed.
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/b6403fe...
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/b6403fe...
Reposted by Richard Hendriks
Home for Christmas
Maud Lewis
c. 1958
Maud Lewis
c. 1958
December 25, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Home for Christmas
Maud Lewis
c. 1958
Maud Lewis
c. 1958
Reposted by Richard Hendriks
🇦🇺🪨🔋 Using gravity and battery power, two “infinity trains” are now hauling iron ore at Fortescue’s Pilbara operations in Australia with zero emissions, recharging through downhill regenerative braking and returning uphill without external charging.
Fortescue Infinity Train gets 14.5 MWh battery that never needs charging [update]
Fortescue Infinity Train made its first 685 mile trip from Perth to the Pilbara, marking a major milestone in decarbonization.
electrek.co
December 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
🇦🇺🪨🔋 Using gravity and battery power, two “infinity trains” are now hauling iron ore at Fortescue’s Pilbara operations in Australia with zero emissions, recharging through downhill regenerative braking and returning uphill without external charging.
Some climate pragmatism (and sanity?) finally coming to Canada’s electricity sector?
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/d914a12...
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/d914a12...
What if pursuing carbon-free electricity does more harm than good?
Striving for 100-per-cent decarbonization, a.k.a. ‘the last mile problem,’ is a very costly endeavour
www.theglobeandmail.com
December 16, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Some climate pragmatism (and sanity?) finally coming to Canada’s electricity sector?
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/d914a12...
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/d914a12...
What if pursuing carbon-free electricity does more harm than good?
Striving for 100-per-cent decarbonization, a.k.a. ‘the last mile problem,’ is a very costly endeavour
www.theglobeandmail.com
December 16, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Some climate pragmatism (and sanity?) finally coming to Canada’s electricity sector?
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/d914a12...
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/d914a12...
PHEV effectiveness depends on driving habits, PHEV battery range and electricity savings.
If you driving > 30K km/y in Canada, it’s probably worth it to purchase a BEV, provided you’re home charging in a low-cost electricity region where you’ll save about $1000/10K km driving in electric mode.
If you driving > 30K km/y in Canada, it’s probably worth it to purchase a BEV, provided you’re home charging in a low-cost electricity region where you’ll save about $1000/10K km driving in electric mode.
Full of clear graphs, such as this one on the energy consumption of new cars. Battery electric consumption mode is one third of that of combustion engines.
PHEVs combine the worst of both worlds: higher electric consumption than BEVs and higher fuel consumption than “regular” fossil fuel vehicles.
PHEVs combine the worst of both worlds: higher electric consumption than BEVs and higher fuel consumption than “regular” fossil fuel vehicles.
December 15, 2025 at 3:24 PM
PHEV effectiveness depends on driving habits, PHEV battery range and electricity savings.
If you driving > 30K km/y in Canada, it’s probably worth it to purchase a BEV, provided you’re home charging in a low-cost electricity region where you’ll save about $1000/10K km driving in electric mode.
If you driving > 30K km/y in Canada, it’s probably worth it to purchase a BEV, provided you’re home charging in a low-cost electricity region where you’ll save about $1000/10K km driving in electric mode.
Many people will lose a lot of influence, money, power and control if we make too much progress on the climate crisis too quickly. They’ve staked their entire life identities around the issue.
Keep calm… and carry on reducing emissions recognizing the gains and challenges still ahead.
Keep calm… and carry on reducing emissions recognizing the gains and challenges still ahead.
This is what happens when non-climate scientists write about the climate crisis without really understanding where we are or where we are headed
Unjustified optimism
If the world is just 2.5C hotter in 2100, I will eat my hat, or would if I wasn't 6ft under
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Unjustified optimism
If the world is just 2.5C hotter in 2100, I will eat my hat, or would if I wasn't 6ft under
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Paris climate treaty changed the world. Here’s how | Rebecca Solnit
There’s much more to do, but we should be encouraged by the progress we have made
www.theguardian.com
December 13, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Many people will lose a lot of influence, money, power and control if we make too much progress on the climate crisis too quickly. They’ve staked their entire life identities around the issue.
Keep calm… and carry on reducing emissions recognizing the gains and challenges still ahead.
Keep calm… and carry on reducing emissions recognizing the gains and challenges still ahead.
Reposted by Richard Hendriks
Blue Owl
Kenojuak Ashevak ~ Inuk
1969
Kenojuak Ashevak ~ Inuk
1969
December 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Blue Owl
Kenojuak Ashevak ~ Inuk
1969
Kenojuak Ashevak ~ Inuk
1969
Plus ça change… 😂
(Ugly and dirty then, ugly and dirty still)
(Ugly and dirty then, ugly and dirty still)
December 9, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Plus ça change… 😂
(Ugly and dirty then, ugly and dirty still)
(Ugly and dirty then, ugly and dirty still)
Jack Magnus is exactly correct - planning and relationship building take time. When dozens of wind projects were abandoned fifteen years ago to make room for Site C, the BC wind industry lost its expertise, capital, confidence and collaborations with First Nations.
thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...
thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...
December 7, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Jack Magnus is exactly correct - planning and relationship building take time. When dozens of wind projects were abandoned fifteen years ago to make room for Site C, the BC wind industry lost its expertise, capital, confidence and collaborations with First Nations.
thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...
thetyee.ca/Analysis/202...
Many federal Liberal policies, while perhaps well-intentioned, were largely ineffective at reducing emissions. If we take 2017 to 2023 as a guide, while it’s true that oil and gas emissions did not decline that can be said of all other sectors save electricity, which is provincial jurisdiction.
November 28, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Many federal Liberal policies, while perhaps well-intentioned, were largely ineffective at reducing emissions. If we take 2017 to 2023 as a guide, while it’s true that oil and gas emissions did not decline that can be said of all other sectors save electricity, which is provincial jurisdiction.