Dan Grey
@dangrey.bsky.social
Energy and transitioning from fossil fuels. Complex issues I try to shine a light on. Ex-UKAEA and Met Office. Occasionally politics
Exeter, UK
Exeter, UK
Pinned
Dan Grey
@dangrey.bsky.social
· Jan 4
There's a global solar energy revolution happening led by China and it should have been one of the biggest stories of 2025.
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
Cheap Solar Is Transforming Lives and Economies Across Africa
www.nytimes.com
The big difference is that solar+battery is fit and forget. Once it's installed, whether from China or anywhere else, it's yours and you are independent. No more payments to anyone.
With fossil fuels you're an addict, dependent on your dealer who can make you dance to their tune.
With fossil fuels you're an addict, dependent on your dealer who can make you dance to their tune.
The Contract for Difference Allocation Round 7a results have been published – onshore wind and solar.
The strike price agreed through auction – lowest bids win – is £72/MWh for onshore wind, and just £65/MWh for solar.
With average wholesale prices around £80/MWh these projects will reduce bills
The strike price agreed through auction – lowest bids win – is £72/MWh for onshore wind, and just £65/MWh for solar.
With average wholesale prices around £80/MWh these projects will reduce bills
February 10, 2026 at 8:05 AM
The Contract for Difference Allocation Round 7a results have been published – onshore wind and solar.
The strike price agreed through auction – lowest bids win – is £72/MWh for onshore wind, and just £65/MWh for solar.
With average wholesale prices around £80/MWh these projects will reduce bills
The strike price agreed through auction – lowest bids win – is £72/MWh for onshore wind, and just £65/MWh for solar.
With average wholesale prices around £80/MWh these projects will reduce bills
France has ended up in a strange position after using some €250bn of tax-payer money to build a fleet of nuclear power stations. Wind and solar power is merrily entering the French power market at prices nuclear production can't match, resulting in huge surpluses of power.
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Électricité : un rapport confidentiel d’EDF anticipe une explosion des coûts et des risques
« Le Point » s’est procuré le rapport interne d’EDF sur les conséquences de la modulation de son parc nucléaire pour faire place aux renouvelables. Un document explosif, alors que le gouvernement s’ap...
www.lepoint.fr
February 8, 2026 at 10:41 AM
France has ended up in a strange position after using some €250bn of tax-payer money to build a fleet of nuclear power stations. Wind and solar power is merrily entering the French power market at prices nuclear production can't match, resulting in huge surpluses of power.
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Reposted by Dan Grey
Peter Menzel (qui a 78 ans ce 7 février) est un photographe connu pour ses "une semaine de la nourriture d'une famille".
Les clichés pour une famille en Allemagne, en France, au Mali, au Bhoutan en disent long sur les inégalités, mais pas sur le bonheur !
Les clichés pour une famille en Allemagne, en France, au Mali, au Bhoutan en disent long sur les inégalités, mais pas sur le bonheur !
February 7, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Peter Menzel (qui a 78 ans ce 7 février) est un photographe connu pour ses "une semaine de la nourriture d'une famille".
Les clichés pour une famille en Allemagne, en France, au Mali, au Bhoutan en disent long sur les inégalités, mais pas sur le bonheur !
Les clichés pour une famille en Allemagne, en France, au Mali, au Bhoutan en disent long sur les inégalités, mais pas sur le bonheur !
Reposted by Dan Grey
China's unmatched status as the global leader in clean energy technologies is perhaps best underscored by the massive reach of its EV exports, which hit nearly $70 billion in 2025 and spanned well over 150 countries and territories.
More below:
www.reuters.com/markets/chin...
More below:
www.reuters.com/markets/chin...
February 6, 2026 at 10:48 PM
China's unmatched status as the global leader in clean energy technologies is perhaps best underscored by the massive reach of its EV exports, which hit nearly $70 billion in 2025 and spanned well over 150 countries and territories.
More below:
www.reuters.com/markets/chin...
More below:
www.reuters.com/markets/chin...
The GB grid saw 4 GWh of battery storage added in 2025, 30% more than in 2024.
(For context an average of about 80 GWh is drawn from the grid every day)
The average capacity was 95 MWh (about 10,000 times bigger than a domestic battery), and 75% had a max power output of over 50 MW
(For context an average of about 80 GWh is drawn from the grid every day)
The average capacity was 95 MWh (about 10,000 times bigger than a domestic battery), and 75% had a max power output of over 50 MW
Another record-breaking year for UK battery storage as 4GWh comes online
Operational UK grid-scale battery storage capacity grew 45% in 2025, with 4GWh coming online to reach 12.9GWh cumulative capacity.
www.energy-storage.news
February 6, 2026 at 1:04 PM
The GB grid saw 4 GWh of battery storage added in 2025, 30% more than in 2024.
(For context an average of about 80 GWh is drawn from the grid every day)
The average capacity was 95 MWh (about 10,000 times bigger than a domestic battery), and 75% had a max power output of over 50 MW
(For context an average of about 80 GWh is drawn from the grid every day)
The average capacity was 95 MWh (about 10,000 times bigger than a domestic battery), and 75% had a max power output of over 50 MW
Reposted by Dan Grey
Unchanged wage growth + less inflation = stronger real wages.
The Bank projects more than twice as much real pay growth in the next three years (3.5%) as the OBR does over the next five (1.6%). If the Bank is right, that's a much rosier outlook for living standards.
The Bank projects more than twice as much real pay growth in the next three years (3.5%) as the OBR does over the next five (1.6%). If the Bank is right, that's a much rosier outlook for living standards.
February 5, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Unchanged wage growth + less inflation = stronger real wages.
The Bank projects more than twice as much real pay growth in the next three years (3.5%) as the OBR does over the next five (1.6%). If the Bank is right, that's a much rosier outlook for living standards.
The Bank projects more than twice as much real pay growth in the next three years (3.5%) as the OBR does over the next five (1.6%). If the Bank is right, that's a much rosier outlook for living standards.
The Beauly-Denny upgrade is a cost-optimal project to add about 300 MW of much-needed capacity across a number of grid constraint boundaries in northern Scotland, but of course the local council had to bow to the NIMBYs
As much both will probably be appealed successfully best case you lose time worst case you end up with extended constraint/curtailment of ⚡ from future OFW projects off the N of Sco.
Highland Council rejects SSEN’s Fanellan substation application #energysky
February 5, 2026 at 3:16 PM
The Beauly-Denny upgrade is a cost-optimal project to add about 300 MW of much-needed capacity across a number of grid constraint boundaries in northern Scotland, but of course the local council had to bow to the NIMBYs
Did you know that there is only 5.2 GW of onshore wind in England and Wales, while Scotland has 10.7 GW?
Now the planning system permits onshore wind in England again, hopefully we'll see more turbines being built. Geography will restrict them to the windier parts, nonetheless.
Now the planning system permits onshore wind in England again, hopefully we'll see more turbines being built. Geography will restrict them to the windier parts, nonetheless.
February 4, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Did you know that there is only 5.2 GW of onshore wind in England and Wales, while Scotland has 10.7 GW?
Now the planning system permits onshore wind in England again, hopefully we'll see more turbines being built. Geography will restrict them to the windier parts, nonetheless.
Now the planning system permits onshore wind in England again, hopefully we'll see more turbines being built. Geography will restrict them to the windier parts, nonetheless.
Reposted by Dan Grey
European survey finds citizens concerned about heat and ability to cope with climate change
Many citizens underprepared to deal with increasing frequency and magnitude of heatwaves, flooding, or water shortages in own homes
www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/...
Many citizens underprepared to deal with increasing frequency and magnitude of heatwaves, flooding, or water shortages in own homes
www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/...
Overheated and underprepared: European survey finds citizens concerned about heat and ability to cope with climate change
Europeans are very concerned about extreme heat and other impacts of climate change like wildfires according to the results of a Europe-wide survey published today. It found that many citizens were also underprepared to deal with the increasing frequency and magnitude of heatwaves, flooding, or water shortages in their own homes.
www.eea.europa.eu
February 4, 2026 at 7:56 AM
European survey finds citizens concerned about heat and ability to cope with climate change
Many citizens underprepared to deal with increasing frequency and magnitude of heatwaves, flooding, or water shortages in own homes
www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/...
Many citizens underprepared to deal with increasing frequency and magnitude of heatwaves, flooding, or water shortages in own homes
www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/...
Flush door handles seem dangerous but then don't modern cars lock their doors when driving, preventing them being opened from the outside anyway? (Originally the feature was to resist the doors bursting open in a crash)
China bans hidden car door handles over safety concerns
It makes China the first country to stop the use of designs first made popular by Elon Musk's Tesla.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 3, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Flush door handles seem dangerous but then don't modern cars lock their doors when driving, preventing them being opened from the outside anyway? (Originally the feature was to resist the doors bursting open in a crash)
The test had to be abandoned due to a persistent hydrogen leak.
Never underestimate how hard hydrogen is to work with! H2 is such a tiny molecule vis anything solid it can get through gaps in what you thought was a perfect seal. And if it's leaking into a confined space, the risk of 💥 is huge
Never underestimate how hard hydrogen is to work with! H2 is such a tiny molecule vis anything solid it can get through gaps in what you thought was a perfect seal. And if it's leaking into a confined space, the risk of 💥 is huge
February 3, 2026 at 8:58 AM
The test had to be abandoned due to a persistent hydrogen leak.
Never underestimate how hard hydrogen is to work with! H2 is such a tiny molecule vis anything solid it can get through gaps in what you thought was a perfect seal. And if it's leaking into a confined space, the risk of 💥 is huge
Never underestimate how hard hydrogen is to work with! H2 is such a tiny molecule vis anything solid it can get through gaps in what you thought was a perfect seal. And if it's leaking into a confined space, the risk of 💥 is huge
My local Labour party disgusts me, I must be honest
• Cancelled local elections so they can keep their seats for another two years
• Then immediately voted to increase their 'allowances' for themselves
• Cancelled local elections so they can keep their seats for another two years
• Then immediately voted to increase their 'allowances' for themselves
What’s even more worrying than denying a democratic right to vote, are the financial gains some in @exeterlabour.bsky.social stand to make because if it. People won’t forget this.
If you don’t already, subscribe to @exeterobserver.org
Brilliant Exeter journalism
If you don’t already, subscribe to @exeterobserver.org
Brilliant Exeter journalism
February 2, 2026 at 5:57 PM
My local Labour party disgusts me, I must be honest
• Cancelled local elections so they can keep their seats for another two years
• Then immediately voted to increase their 'allowances' for themselves
• Cancelled local elections so they can keep their seats for another two years
• Then immediately voted to increase their 'allowances' for themselves
NASA is currently carrying out a 'wet dress rehearsal' of Artemis II, the moon rocket set to take humans back to lunar space.
For the uncrewed Artemis I, NASA took four attempts at the test and never completed it due to hydrogen leaks.
Then two launch attempts failed, due to hydrogen leaks.
For the uncrewed Artemis I, NASA took four attempts at the test and never completed it due to hydrogen leaks.
Then two launch attempts failed, due to hydrogen leaks.
February 2, 2026 at 5:22 PM
NASA is currently carrying out a 'wet dress rehearsal' of Artemis II, the moon rocket set to take humans back to lunar space.
For the uncrewed Artemis I, NASA took four attempts at the test and never completed it due to hydrogen leaks.
Then two launch attempts failed, due to hydrogen leaks.
For the uncrewed Artemis I, NASA took four attempts at the test and never completed it due to hydrogen leaks.
Then two launch attempts failed, due to hydrogen leaks.
Need to be a little careful interpreting this – PHEV electric motors aren't powerful enough by themselves for cross-country or motorway driving so the petrol engine turns on, but also drivers don't necessarily charge the onboard battery as often as they could
New analysis from @eciu.net has found that drivers of the UK’s top-selling plug-in hybrid vehicles are likely to be spending almost twice as much money to fuel their cars than their manufacturers have led them to believe – over £450 a year.
eciu.net/media/press...
eciu.net/media/press...
Plug-in hybrids cost over £450 a year more to run than manufacturers’…
Drivers of UK’s top-selling plug-in hybrid vehicles are likely to be spending almost twice as much money to fuel their cars than their manufacturers have led them to believe.
eciu.net
February 2, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Need to be a little careful interpreting this – PHEV electric motors aren't powerful enough by themselves for cross-country or motorway driving so the petrol engine turns on, but also drivers don't necessarily charge the onboard battery as often as they could
Reposted by Dan Grey
Good news from Australia: power generation from coal down 4.6% and from gas down 27% in Oct-Dec, with more than half of power generated from carbon-free sources. Power prices were fell by nearly 50%, as they do when you have a lot of zero marginal cost generation.
February 2, 2026 at 8:13 AM
Good news from Australia: power generation from coal down 4.6% and from gas down 27% in Oct-Dec, with more than half of power generated from carbon-free sources. Power prices were fell by nearly 50%, as they do when you have a lot of zero marginal cost generation.
Reposted by Dan Grey
“Yes, obviously”
Two words to shut down the question and still communicate to everyone watching “what a stupid thing to ask”.
Two words to shut down the question and still communicate to everyone watching “what a stupid thing to ask”.
#bbclaurak tries to get a gotcha. Zack, you refuse to fly. How can you be a candidate for high office if you'd refuse to ever get on a plane?
Well Laura, in that situation I'd get on a plane.
Well Laura, in that situation I'd get on a plane.
February 1, 2026 at 11:15 AM
“Yes, obviously”
Two words to shut down the question and still communicate to everyone watching “what a stupid thing to ask”.
Two words to shut down the question and still communicate to everyone watching “what a stupid thing to ask”.
Share of renewables in the generation of electricity in EU member states.
The EU has generated more electricity from renewables than from fossil fuels since 2023.
The EU has generated more electricity from renewables than from fossil fuels since 2023.
February 1, 2026 at 10:50 AM
Share of renewables in the generation of electricity in EU member states.
The EU has generated more electricity from renewables than from fossil fuels since 2023.
The EU has generated more electricity from renewables than from fossil fuels since 2023.
We (Europe) need to burn less gas, by fitting heat pumps to our buildings and by building out wind and solar power to push gas-fired power stations off the grid.
A 60% jump in EU LNG imports from the U.S. in 2025 managed to drive up greenhouse gas emissions on both sides of the Atlantic - in the EU from the burning of the gas, and in the U.S. by prompting a shift to coal-fired generation as prices rose.
January 31, 2026 at 9:17 AM
We (Europe) need to burn less gas, by fitting heat pumps to our buildings and by building out wind and solar power to push gas-fired power stations off the grid.
If you've been wondering who the anti-choice unelected peers trying to talk the assisted dying bill out at the House of Lords stage, this is them.
The bill only has 59 clauses!
The top name, Ilora Finlay, is a noted anti-choice campaigner.
#R4Today
The bill only has 59 clauses!
The top name, Ilora Finlay, is a noted anti-choice campaigner.
#R4Today
January 31, 2026 at 8:14 AM
If you've been wondering who the anti-choice unelected peers trying to talk the assisted dying bill out at the House of Lords stage, this is them.
The bill only has 59 clauses!
The top name, Ilora Finlay, is a noted anti-choice campaigner.
#R4Today
The bill only has 59 clauses!
The top name, Ilora Finlay, is a noted anti-choice campaigner.
#R4Today
One-sixth of transport emissions in the UK are from HGVs. They need to switch to battery-electric, but BEV HGV sales in the UK are tiny.
Meanwhile in China:
Meanwhile in China:
Here are the data plotted as shares (recognising that brown and purple are not besties).
January 29, 2026 at 6:50 PM
One-sixth of transport emissions in the UK are from HGVs. They need to switch to battery-electric, but BEV HGV sales in the UK are tiny.
Meanwhile in China:
Meanwhile in China:
Reposted by Dan Grey
Overall, UK solar growth in 2025 reached the highest level in a decade, but is yet to recover from the crash that followed the then-Conservative "cutting the green crap" in the 2010s
www.carbonbrief.org/...
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www.carbonbrief.org/...
2/3
January 29, 2026 at 4:26 PM
Overall, UK solar growth in 2025 reached the highest level in a decade, but is yet to recover from the crash that followed the then-Conservative "cutting the green crap" in the 2010s
www.carbonbrief.org/...
2/3
www.carbonbrief.org/...
2/3
Reposted by Dan Grey
When it rains, it now rains more.
For those experiencing the flooding in south-west England, it is worth remembering that rainfall in winter has increased by about 25% overall.
And, the rainfall has also become more intense: when it rains, it now rains more, increasing the risk of flooding.
For those experiencing the flooding in south-west England, it is worth remembering that rainfall in winter has increased by about 25% overall.
And, the rainfall has also become more intense: when it rains, it now rains more, increasing the risk of flooding.
January 27, 2026 at 10:02 PM
When it rains, it now rains more.
For those experiencing the flooding in south-west England, it is worth remembering that rainfall in winter has increased by about 25% overall.
And, the rainfall has also become more intense: when it rains, it now rains more, increasing the risk of flooding.
For those experiencing the flooding in south-west England, it is worth remembering that rainfall in winter has increased by about 25% overall.
And, the rainfall has also become more intense: when it rains, it now rains more, increasing the risk of flooding.
Apropos of nothing, today I took some jeans to a repair cafe for patching (top tip: don't cycle on black ice) and one the repairers was ex-XR and is now a climate change denier. I was told that plants need CO₂ to grow (of course) so more CO₂ is good (😳) and that it does harm is nonsense.
January 27, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Apropos of nothing, today I took some jeans to a repair cafe for patching (top tip: don't cycle on black ice) and one the repairers was ex-XR and is now a climate change denier. I was told that plants need CO₂ to grow (of course) so more CO₂ is good (😳) and that it does harm is nonsense.
Only if you don't count hybrids as "petrols", but they are petrols. Even plug-in hybrids get most of their energy from petrol, as real-world research has shown.
Other hybrids, whether "mild" or "full" (the latter can move without the petrol engine running) get all of their energy from petrol.
Other hybrids, whether "mild" or "full" (the latter can move without the petrol engine running) get all of their energy from petrol.
HUGE moment for the EU car market as battery EVs overtake petrol cars for the first time ever
But there's no "natural" demand for EVs amirite?
Article by @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-evs...
But there's no "natural" demand for EVs amirite?
Article by @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-evs...
January 27, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Only if you don't count hybrids as "petrols", but they are petrols. Even plug-in hybrids get most of their energy from petrol, as real-world research has shown.
Other hybrids, whether "mild" or "full" (the latter can move without the petrol engine running) get all of their energy from petrol.
Other hybrids, whether "mild" or "full" (the latter can move without the petrol engine running) get all of their energy from petrol.
Shout out to Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium who are joining Norway in having battery-electric vehicles make up very large proportions of total car sales
January 27, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Shout out to Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium who are joining Norway in having battery-electric vehicles make up very large proportions of total car sales