John Smillie
@johnsmillie42.bsky.social
Husband, father, dog owner, hiker, climate action advocate, amateur energy nerd, heat pump evangelist, audiobook enthusiast.
Nepal's EV surge came in part from India applying oil restrictions to them in 2015.
Electrification and geopolitics.
Most people live in oil importing nations. It's going to have an effect.
Electrification and geopolitics.
Most people live in oil importing nations. It's going to have an effect.
November 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Nepal's EV surge came in part from India applying oil restrictions to them in 2015.
Electrification and geopolitics.
Most people live in oil importing nations. It's going to have an effect.
Electrification and geopolitics.
Most people live in oil importing nations. It's going to have an effect.
www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/us-c...
Not exactly heralding the future here, AI guys.
It would seem we might not be able to kill coal in a timely fashion w/o bursting the AI bubble.
Not exactly heralding the future here, AI guys.
It would seem we might not be able to kill coal in a timely fashion w/o bursting the AI bubble.
US coal power plants must stay online for as long as possible to meet AI demand - Southern Company CEO
Firm must utilize all available resources, boss says
www.datacenterdynamics.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:16 PM
www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/us-c...
Not exactly heralding the future here, AI guys.
It would seem we might not be able to kill coal in a timely fashion w/o bursting the AI bubble.
Not exactly heralding the future here, AI guys.
It would seem we might not be able to kill coal in a timely fashion w/o bursting the AI bubble.
Reposted by John Smillie
"LFP cells today have about 25% lower energy density than top-tier NMC cells, but innovation has been extremely fast: new LFP designs already exceed the energy density of the best nickel-based batteries available in 2020 🚀. This is mostly a Chinese technology - but knowledge rarely stays put."
🔋
🔋
November 24, 2025 at 12:19 PM
"LFP cells today have about 25% lower energy density than top-tier NMC cells, but innovation has been extremely fast: new LFP designs already exceed the energy density of the best nickel-based batteries available in 2020 🚀. This is mostly a Chinese technology - but knowledge rarely stays put."
🔋
🔋
Come to think of it, we spend absolutely enormous amounts of energy drying all sorts of stuff (wood, grain, laundry, etc).
Would ultrasound help there, too, or is it just because of the properties of this sorbent?
Would ultrasound help there, too, or is it just because of the properties of this sorbent?
November 23, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Come to think of it, we spend absolutely enormous amounts of energy drying all sorts of stuff (wood, grain, laundry, etc).
Would ultrasound help there, too, or is it just because of the properties of this sorbent?
Would ultrasound help there, too, or is it just because of the properties of this sorbent?
November 23, 2025 at 7:42 PM
www.canarymedia.com/articles/hea...
An IRA program that yet lives - may it help shift the default heating mode to the heat pump
An IRA program that yet lives - may it help shift the default heating mode to the heat pump
New England kicks off $450M plan to supercharge heat pump adoption
The program aims to use federal funds awarded under the Biden administration to deploy more than 500,000 heat pumps in the chilly region over the next few…
www.canarymedia.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:37 PM
www.canarymedia.com/articles/hea...
An IRA program that yet lives - may it help shift the default heating mode to the heat pump
An IRA program that yet lives - may it help shift the default heating mode to the heat pump
Reposted by John Smillie
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
November 22, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Journalist challenge: Use “Machine Learning” when you mean machine learning and “LLM” when you mean LLM. Ditch “AI” as a catch-all term, it’s not useful for readers and it helps companies trying to confuse the public by obscuring the roles played by different technologies. 🧪
Reposted by John Smillie
As Brannen writes in "The Story of CO2 is the Story of everything," it is about the same when you consider the amount of rock you are moving.
* a net-zero future would require far less material to be dug out of the ground than if we stick with fossil fuels
November 22, 2025 at 2:14 PM
As Brannen writes in "The Story of CO2 is the Story of everything," it is about the same when you consider the amount of rock you are moving.
Many commenting that the forced displacement of 10M people should be bigger news. But they aren't displacing 10M.
They are moving the admin capital to redirect some people and reduce burden on the city.
Unknown how long the bulk of people will remain
www.scientificamerican.com/article/iran...
They are moving the admin capital to redirect some people and reduce burden on the city.
Unknown how long the bulk of people will remain
www.scientificamerican.com/article/iran...
November 22, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Many commenting that the forced displacement of 10M people should be bigger news. But they aren't displacing 10M.
They are moving the admin capital to redirect some people and reduce burden on the city.
Unknown how long the bulk of people will remain
www.scientificamerican.com/article/iran...
They are moving the admin capital to redirect some people and reduce burden on the city.
Unknown how long the bulk of people will remain
www.scientificamerican.com/article/iran...
www.thetimes.com/business/ent...
This article gives me agita because it dumps on heat pumps and touts a solution that
1. Uses storage much more expensive than a water tank
2. Uses 3x the electricity
and doesn't acknowledge that.
But I guess it makes swaps easier, so that's something
This article gives me agita because it dumps on heat pumps and touts a solution that
1. Uses storage much more expensive than a water tank
2. Uses 3x the electricity
and doesn't acknowledge that.
But I guess it makes swaps easier, so that's something
Ex-Dyson engineers build battery-powered boiler to beat heat pumps
Craig Wilkinson and Martin Gutkowski set up Luthmore to provide an all-electric affordable alternative to government-backed technology
www.thetimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:26 AM
www.thetimes.com/business/ent...
This article gives me agita because it dumps on heat pumps and touts a solution that
1. Uses storage much more expensive than a water tank
2. Uses 3x the electricity
and doesn't acknowledge that.
But I guess it makes swaps easier, so that's something
This article gives me agita because it dumps on heat pumps and touts a solution that
1. Uses storage much more expensive than a water tank
2. Uses 3x the electricity
and doesn't acknowledge that.
But I guess it makes swaps easier, so that's something
Reposted by John Smillie
Friendly reminder that dishwashers made after 1995 or so are so water and energy efficient that even if you ran them twice fully loaded it would still use less water than handwashing the same load.
So many "green" things feel like sacrifices. Dishwashers are not one of them.
So many "green" things feel like sacrifices. Dishwashers are not one of them.
November 12, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Friendly reminder that dishwashers made after 1995 or so are so water and energy efficient that even if you ran them twice fully loaded it would still use less water than handwashing the same load.
So many "green" things feel like sacrifices. Dishwashers are not one of them.
So many "green" things feel like sacrifices. Dishwashers are not one of them.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
It's like watching NASA become a flat earther website that kills children.
It's like watching NASA become a flat earther website that kills children.
Kennedy Says He Told C.D.C. to Change Website’s Language on Autism and Vaccines
www.nytimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:30 PM
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/u...
It's like watching NASA become a flat earther website that kills children.
It's like watching NASA become a flat earther website that kills children.
You're going to focus on lowering costs by cutting the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy?
Also, OCED was the coolest thing going. Industrial decarb! This sucks.
h/t @heatmap.news
Also, OCED was the coolest thing going. Industrial decarb! This sucks.
h/t @heatmap.news
November 21, 2025 at 6:19 PM
You're going to focus on lowering costs by cutting the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy?
Also, OCED was the coolest thing going. Industrial decarb! This sucks.
h/t @heatmap.news
Also, OCED was the coolest thing going. Industrial decarb! This sucks.
h/t @heatmap.news
Reposted by John Smillie
Note that they are not necessarily planning to move everyone, but to relocate the "capital" to ease burden on Tehran.
November 21, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Note that they are not necessarily planning to move everyone, but to relocate the "capital" to ease burden on Tehran.
Good lord. 14M metro felled by water availability(exacerbated by climate change).
'Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has made Tehran impossible to sustain'
#Iran 🇮🇷
#Iran 🇮🇷
Iran president says capital move now a necessity as water crisis deepens
Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has mad...
www.iranintl.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Good lord. 14M metro felled by water availability(exacerbated by climate change).
Was rubbing some numbers on C&I solar.
A quote ended up in my hands for $1.85/Watt.
Financed at 7% over 30 years, thats LCOE of 12.23cents/kWh. (would be 8.56 with IRA)
EIA average rates for commercial and industrial power = 14.04 and 9.06.
A quote ended up in my hands for $1.85/Watt.
Financed at 7% over 30 years, thats LCOE of 12.23cents/kWh. (would be 8.56 with IRA)
EIA average rates for commercial and industrial power = 14.04 and 9.06.
November 21, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Was rubbing some numbers on C&I solar.
A quote ended up in my hands for $1.85/Watt.
Financed at 7% over 30 years, thats LCOE of 12.23cents/kWh. (would be 8.56 with IRA)
EIA average rates for commercial and industrial power = 14.04 and 9.06.
A quote ended up in my hands for $1.85/Watt.
Financed at 7% over 30 years, thats LCOE of 12.23cents/kWh. (would be 8.56 with IRA)
EIA average rates for commercial and industrial power = 14.04 and 9.06.
Technology is the only thing that can save us.
But also,
You're going to have to take advantage of it yourself (electrify, insulate, shift to meat alternatives, etc.)
and
Some jerks somewhere are blocking it. You're going to need to go yell at them. (get involved).
But also,
You're going to have to take advantage of it yourself (electrify, insulate, shift to meat alternatives, etc.)
and
Some jerks somewhere are blocking it. You're going to need to go yell at them. (get involved).
⚠️ When “technology will save us” becomes a climate risk!
A new paper from great colleagues takes a careful look at techno-optimism — the belief that technology will largely solve climate change — and what it means for real-world climate action.
(1/4)👇
osf.io/preprints/ps...
A new paper from great colleagues takes a careful look at techno-optimism — the belief that technology will largely solve climate change — and what it means for real-world climate action.
(1/4)👇
osf.io/preprints/ps...
November 21, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Technology is the only thing that can save us.
But also,
You're going to have to take advantage of it yourself (electrify, insulate, shift to meat alternatives, etc.)
and
Some jerks somewhere are blocking it. You're going to need to go yell at them. (get involved).
But also,
You're going to have to take advantage of it yourself (electrify, insulate, shift to meat alternatives, etc.)
and
Some jerks somewhere are blocking it. You're going to need to go yell at them. (get involved).
Reposted by John Smillie
Grateful to meet with staff from @replsimon.bsky.social office during @cclusa.org Lobby Week. Strong leadership on clean energy and wildfire resilience is essential for #CA12. #ClimateAction
November 20, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Grateful to meet with staff from @replsimon.bsky.social office during @cclusa.org Lobby Week. Strong leadership on clean energy and wildfire resilience is essential for #CA12. #ClimateAction
Reposted by John Smillie
Today I joined other volunteers from @cclusa.org for a lobby meeting with the office of @sarajacobs.house.gov. We had a chance to push for action on energy permitting reform. We also spoke in favor of passing the Fix Our Forests Act when when it comes back to the House.
November 20, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Today I joined other volunteers from @cclusa.org for a lobby meeting with the office of @sarajacobs.house.gov. We had a chance to push for action on energy permitting reform. We also spoke in favor of passing the Fix Our Forests Act when when it comes back to the House.
Reposted by John Smillie
Thank you @susielee.house.gov and staff for meeting with @cclusa.org volunteers yesterday to discuss legislation to protect forest health and speed clean energy permitting!
November 19, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Thank you @susielee.house.gov and staff for meeting with @cclusa.org volunteers yesterday to discuss legislation to protect forest health and speed clean energy permitting!
Reposted by John Smillie
Citizens' Climate Lobby @cclusa.org Colorado Members had a good discussion with Senator Bennett's @bennet.senate.gov staff on permitting reform. Together we hope to make desperately needed and sensible changes to our aging electrical grid
November 18, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Citizens' Climate Lobby @cclusa.org Colorado Members had a good discussion with Senator Bennett's @bennet.senate.gov staff on permitting reform. Together we hope to make desperately needed and sensible changes to our aging electrical grid
Reposted by John Smillie
The biggest bummer about electricity affordability is it is being driven by poles and wires, the replacement of which is becoming more expensive due to, you guessed it, climate change.
November 20, 2025 at 8:34 PM
The biggest bummer about electricity affordability is it is being driven by poles and wires, the replacement of which is becoming more expensive due to, you guessed it, climate change.
Reposted by John Smillie
The President of the United States just called for Democratic members of Congress to be executed. "HANG THEM", he posted.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.
November 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
The President of the United States just called for Democratic members of Congress to be executed. "HANG THEM", he posted.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.
www.canarymedia.com/articles/uti...
The points mentioned here to reduce utility costs all make sense right up until this last bit on compensating solar owners with net metering.
"require procurement of power at full retail rates" is not a cost saving strategy
The points mentioned here to reduce utility costs all make sense right up until this last bit on compensating solar owners with net metering.
"require procurement of power at full retail rates" is not a cost saving strategy
November 20, 2025 at 7:44 PM
www.canarymedia.com/articles/uti...
The points mentioned here to reduce utility costs all make sense right up until this last bit on compensating solar owners with net metering.
"require procurement of power at full retail rates" is not a cost saving strategy
The points mentioned here to reduce utility costs all make sense right up until this last bit on compensating solar owners with net metering.
"require procurement of power at full retail rates" is not a cost saving strategy