Michael Taylor
@mtaylornz.bsky.social
Energy transition thought leader, numbers guy, lapsed energy modeller, 3 decades worth of learning in energy so far...
Independent consultant (EME Consulting). Ex-lead of IRENA's work on RE costs. All opinions are my own.
Independent consultant (EME Consulting). Ex-lead of IRENA's work on RE costs. All opinions are my own.
Reposted by Michael Taylor
In my MSc dissertation on climate finance, I show that very high-level financial actors consider the integration of climate data to be a necessary condition for informed decision-making. This means that JP Morgan and other banks are, in effect, making the informed decision to short the Earth.
My hair is blown backwards by the spectacle of JP Morgan launching a new note about climate impacts whilst they continue to actively lend their immense power towards worsening those impacts
www.bloomberg.com/news/article... @eroston.bsky.social
www.bloomberg.com/news/article... @eroston.bsky.social
February 18, 2025 at 11:37 AM
In my MSc dissertation on climate finance, I show that very high-level financial actors consider the integration of climate data to be a necessary condition for informed decision-making. This means that JP Morgan and other banks are, in effect, making the informed decision to short the Earth.
Reposted by Michael Taylor
If your boss or company tells you to do something unethical: don't say yes. Make them write it down.
If they won't put it in writing yourself. Send an email (bcc yourself?): "Following our conversation on x date at x time regarding x, I am writing to clarify your directives. According to my notes, you instructed me to A, B, and C. If any of this is incorrect, please advise. I have some concerns."
February 7, 2025 at 7:16 PM
If your boss or company tells you to do something unethical: don't say yes. Make them write it down.
Cheap natural gas-fired power?
Not in Indiana according to Duke Energy
A cool USD 2236/kW on a brownfield site - and that doesn't include the gas pipeline, so not comparable to solar/wind
That is more or less twice what most expansion models assume globally
Is this the new norm for the U.S.?
Not in Indiana according to Duke Energy
A cool USD 2236/kW on a brownfield site - and that doesn't include the gas pipeline, so not comparable to solar/wind
That is more or less twice what most expansion models assume globally
Is this the new norm for the U.S.?
February 15, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Cheap natural gas-fired power?
Not in Indiana according to Duke Energy
A cool USD 2236/kW on a brownfield site - and that doesn't include the gas pipeline, so not comparable to solar/wind
That is more or less twice what most expansion models assume globally
Is this the new norm for the U.S.?
Not in Indiana according to Duke Energy
A cool USD 2236/kW on a brownfield site - and that doesn't include the gas pipeline, so not comparable to solar/wind
That is more or less twice what most expansion models assume globally
Is this the new norm for the U.S.?
A decade ago an old colleague of mine at the IEA once made the point that the 'best car mileage' hadn't changed in almost 50 years, car makers had cannibalized tech progress to sell bigger more expensive cars, even at the bottom end...
Put another way, we squandered a good 30 years of tech progress
Put another way, we squandered a good 30 years of tech progress
Cars are getting 1cm wider every two years. That may not sound much, but over time it adds up, and they're showing no signs of slowing down 😬
That's #carspreading. Our new campaign is calling on city leaders to make parking policies fairer by varying costs based on the size of a car.
Why? 🧵1/8
That's #carspreading. Our new campaign is calling on city leaders to make parking policies fairer by varying costs based on the size of a car.
Why? 🧵1/8
February 12, 2025 at 2:46 PM
A decade ago an old colleague of mine at the IEA once made the point that the 'best car mileage' hadn't changed in almost 50 years, car makers had cannibalized tech progress to sell bigger more expensive cars, even at the bottom end...
Put another way, we squandered a good 30 years of tech progress
Put another way, we squandered a good 30 years of tech progress
EV sales yet again disappointing, legacy automakers will be relieved they can relax their disinfo campaigns...
Good morning with good news: Global EV sales jump 18% in January 2025, compared to January 2024. US/Canada EV sales were up more!
EV sales Jan. 2025 versus Jan. 2024
US/Canada Plus 22%
Europe Plus 21%
China Plus 12%
Rest of World Plus 50%
electrek.co/2025/02/11/g... #energysky #greensky
EV sales Jan. 2025 versus Jan. 2024
US/Canada Plus 22%
Europe Plus 21%
China Plus 12%
Rest of World Plus 50%
electrek.co/2025/02/11/g... #energysky #greensky
Global EV sales surge 18% y-o-y – but speed bumps lie ahead
Rho Motion just dropped the latest numbers on global EV sales for January 2025 – 1.3 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide.
electrek.co
February 12, 2025 at 1:26 PM
EV sales yet again disappointing, legacy automakers will be relieved they can relax their disinfo campaigns...
Reposted by Michael Taylor
I wrote this NASA page about wildfires and climate change, and I'm so excited it's finally live. It's a tireless effort to get big pages published at NASA - as it should be!
How long will it remain up? Who knows. Check it out while you still can. 🧪 #climatesky
science.nasa.gov/wildfires-an...
How long will it remain up? Who knows. Check it out while you still can. 🧪 #climatesky
science.nasa.gov/wildfires-an...
February 10, 2025 at 8:39 PM
I wrote this NASA page about wildfires and climate change, and I'm so excited it's finally live. It's a tireless effort to get big pages published at NASA - as it should be!
How long will it remain up? Who knows. Check it out while you still can. 🧪 #climatesky
science.nasa.gov/wildfires-an...
How long will it remain up? Who knows. Check it out while you still can. 🧪 #climatesky
science.nasa.gov/wildfires-an...
Except who's going to harvest the vegetables?
This why you don't listen to dairy/livestock people when it comes to anything vegetarian/vegan...All they know is it's 'a bad thing'
This why you don't listen to dairy/livestock people when it comes to anything vegetarian/vegan...All they know is it's 'a bad thing'
‘We’ll all have to go vegan’: Wisconsin dairy farmers fret over immigration crackdown - reporting from @guychazan.bsky.social in Buffalo County www.ft.com/content/e61e...
February 11, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Except who's going to harvest the vegetables?
This why you don't listen to dairy/livestock people when it comes to anything vegetarian/vegan...All they know is it's 'a bad thing'
This why you don't listen to dairy/livestock people when it comes to anything vegetarian/vegan...All they know is it's 'a bad thing'
Surprise surprise
...and when AI starts referencing AI outputs to get better at AI'ing then we're all doomed...
...and when AI starts referencing AI outputs to get better at AI'ing then we're all doomed...
February 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Surprise surprise
...and when AI starts referencing AI outputs to get better at AI'ing then we're all doomed...
...and when AI starts referencing AI outputs to get better at AI'ing then we're all doomed...
This is a really great example of how careful thought and iteration can make compelling, impactful graphics.
Wonderful #DataViz
Wonderful #DataViz
Big day for Voilà: and the @climateinstitute.bsky.social with the publication of CLOSE TO HOME, a report about the costs of climate-related damages to housing. Quite the timing with the LA fires.
Clever cover design by Celia Albano.
So. Many. Charts. 📊 1/🧵
Clever cover design by Celia Albano.
So. Many. Charts. 📊 1/🧵
February 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
This is a really great example of how careful thought and iteration can make compelling, impactful graphics.
Wonderful #DataViz
Wonderful #DataViz
Reposted by Michael Taylor
THREAD: New UK govt contract with Drax biomass power plant
* 4-yr contract 2027-2031
* £113/MWh (2012 prices – £155 in today's money)
* Output cap of 6TWh (<2% of UK supplies, cf recent yrs 12-15TWh)
* CfD cost ~£500m/yr
* 100% of fuel must be "sustainable", up from 70%
1/5
* 4-yr contract 2027-2031
* £113/MWh (2012 prices – £155 in today's money)
* Output cap of 6TWh (<2% of UK supplies, cf recent yrs 12-15TWh)
* CfD cost ~£500m/yr
* 100% of fuel must be "sustainable", up from 70%
1/5
February 10, 2025 at 9:18 AM
THREAD: New UK govt contract with Drax biomass power plant
* 4-yr contract 2027-2031
* £113/MWh (2012 prices – £155 in today's money)
* Output cap of 6TWh (<2% of UK supplies, cf recent yrs 12-15TWh)
* CfD cost ~£500m/yr
* 100% of fuel must be "sustainable", up from 70%
1/5
* 4-yr contract 2027-2031
* £113/MWh (2012 prices – £155 in today's money)
* Output cap of 6TWh (<2% of UK supplies, cf recent yrs 12-15TWh)
* CfD cost ~£500m/yr
* 100% of fuel must be "sustainable", up from 70%
1/5
One of the things I was looking forward to as an independent consultant was more freedom on the comms side of things.
So here's a presentation on trends in the offshore wind industry, specifically trends in project characteristics, technology and costs.
1/
youtu.be/uKpzp9ZSYbk?...
So here's a presentation on trends in the offshore wind industry, specifically trends in project characteristics, technology and costs.
1/
youtu.be/uKpzp9ZSYbk?...
Offshore wind cost and technology trends Dec 2024
YouTube video by EME Consulting
youtu.be
February 10, 2025 at 9:39 AM
One of the things I was looking forward to as an independent consultant was more freedom on the comms side of things.
So here's a presentation on trends in the offshore wind industry, specifically trends in project characteristics, technology and costs.
1/
youtu.be/uKpzp9ZSYbk?...
So here's a presentation on trends in the offshore wind industry, specifically trends in project characteristics, technology and costs.
1/
youtu.be/uKpzp9ZSYbk?...
Reposted by Michael Taylor
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners kicks off 960MWh South Australia battery storage project #energysky -- via Energy Storage News: www.energy-storage.n...
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners kicks off 960MWh South Australia battery storage project
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has issued notice to proceed for Summerfield large-scale battery storage project in South Australia.
www.energy-storage.news
February 9, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners kicks off 960MWh South Australia battery storage project #energysky -- via Energy Storage News: www.energy-storage.n...
Reposted by Michael Taylor
Extraordinary few passages in Richard Buckminster Fuller's "Operating Manual For Spaceship Earth" (1969) where he dwells on humanity's exploitation and use of fossil fuels:
"lethally ignorant and utterly irresponsible to our upcoming generations"
archive.org/details/oper...
"lethally ignorant and utterly irresponsible to our upcoming generations"
archive.org/details/oper...
February 7, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Extraordinary few passages in Richard Buckminster Fuller's "Operating Manual For Spaceship Earth" (1969) where he dwells on humanity's exploitation and use of fossil fuels:
"lethally ignorant and utterly irresponsible to our upcoming generations"
archive.org/details/oper...
"lethally ignorant and utterly irresponsible to our upcoming generations"
archive.org/details/oper...
A thoughtful thread.
I'd just say all of the things SMRs might be able to do could also be done at scale, without the diseconomies of scale of SMRs
So the questions are then:
1) What inherent properties, apart from small size, are intrinsic ONLY to SMRs?
1/
I'd just say all of the things SMRs might be able to do could also be done at scale, without the diseconomies of scale of SMRs
So the questions are then:
1) What inherent properties, apart from small size, are intrinsic ONLY to SMRs?
1/
1. I know this will cause me trouble, but it dismays me to see fellow environmentalists dismissing Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) out of hand, in some cases clearly before they have understood the technologies involved or their potential uses. 🧵
February 7, 2025 at 10:01 AM
A thoughtful thread.
I'd just say all of the things SMRs might be able to do could also be done at scale, without the diseconomies of scale of SMRs
So the questions are then:
1) What inherent properties, apart from small size, are intrinsic ONLY to SMRs?
1/
I'd just say all of the things SMRs might be able to do could also be done at scale, without the diseconomies of scale of SMRs
So the questions are then:
1) What inherent properties, apart from small size, are intrinsic ONLY to SMRs?
1/
Bioenergy for power can be part of the solution, but the Drax model of importing feedstock from the US isn't.
Almost as important, those subsidies could go to support low-cost solar, wind and batteries.
Drax represents last centuries technology, we shouldn't keep it alive when its not helping
Almost as important, those subsidies could go to support low-cost solar, wind and batteries.
Drax represents last centuries technology, we shouldn't keep it alive when its not helping
Biomass power stations like Drax could be in line for billions of ££ of new subsidies if ministers give the go-ahead next week
"More biomass at Drax would be yet another decision that is likely to make the climate & nature crises worse, not better”
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
"More biomass at Drax would be yet another decision that is likely to make the climate & nature crises worse, not better”
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Green campaigners fear UK to renew subsidies to Drax power station
Billions of pounds from energy bill-payers to run out in 2027 but could be extended as soon as Monday
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Bioenergy for power can be part of the solution, but the Drax model of importing feedstock from the US isn't.
Almost as important, those subsidies could go to support low-cost solar, wind and batteries.
Drax represents last centuries technology, we shouldn't keep it alive when its not helping
Almost as important, those subsidies could go to support low-cost solar, wind and batteries.
Drax represents last centuries technology, we shouldn't keep it alive when its not helping
Reposted by Michael Taylor
👏
“After one year of the zone, nitrogen dioxide from traffic was lower, GP visits for respiratory illnesses were down by 25% and those for heart problems decreased by 24%”
“After one year of the zone, nitrogen dioxide from traffic was lower, GP visits for respiratory illnesses were down by 25% and those for heart problems decreased by 24%”
Bradford clean air zone saves NHS over £30,000 a month in first year
After one year of the zone, which is the second largest in England, GP visits for respiratory illnesses were down by a quarter
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2025 at 6:51 AM
👏
“After one year of the zone, nitrogen dioxide from traffic was lower, GP visits for respiratory illnesses were down by 25% and those for heart problems decreased by 24%”
“After one year of the zone, nitrogen dioxide from traffic was lower, GP visits for respiratory illnesses were down by 25% and those for heart problems decreased by 24%”
Reposted by Michael Taylor
Some new insights and possible solutions to grid interconnection issues in this new (free, open access) journal article from our team at @berkeleylabemp.bsky.social
We're also actively working on an update to the annual Queued Up report. Stay tuned! #energysky
We're also actively working on an update to the annual Queued Up report. Stay tuned! #energysky
We reported earlier on the massive backlog for grid interconnection. To better understand the dynamics and what solutions may be available, we just published “Grid connection barriers to renewable energy deployment in the United States,” in the journal Joule. THREAD! emp.lbl.gov/publications...
January 13, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Some new insights and possible solutions to grid interconnection issues in this new (free, open access) journal article from our team at @berkeleylabemp.bsky.social
We're also actively working on an update to the annual Queued Up report. Stay tuned! #energysky
We're also actively working on an update to the annual Queued Up report. Stay tuned! #energysky
Reposted by Michael Taylor
IMPORTANT: This ranks a bunch of ways we get around cities, using average carbon emissions by transport type in grams per pkm. It breaks emissions down by operation, manufacture etc.
Feet and bikes win. Lots of ways beat electric cars, and everything beats gas cars.
HT @copenhenken
Feet and bikes win. Lots of ways beat electric cars, and everything beats gas cars.
HT @copenhenken
December 31, 2023 at 4:15 PM
IMPORTANT: This ranks a bunch of ways we get around cities, using average carbon emissions by transport type in grams per pkm. It breaks emissions down by operation, manufacture etc.
Feet and bikes win. Lots of ways beat electric cars, and everything beats gas cars.
HT @copenhenken
Feet and bikes win. Lots of ways beat electric cars, and everything beats gas cars.
HT @copenhenken