Stefan Thorburn
@stefanthorburn.bsky.social
Wife and 3 kids. Leaf+PV+ground source heat pump. PhD in power system stability. ABB. Opinions my own. Like=bookmark.
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
Even more renewables for WA after WA records average 52.4% of state supply of electricity
Expansion of Warradarge Wind farm will make it WAs largest wind farm - lifting capacity from 180MW to 283MW
reneweconomy.com.au/first-four-t... @reneweconomy.com.au
Expansion of Warradarge Wind farm will make it WAs largest wind farm - lifting capacity from 180MW to 283MW
reneweconomy.com.au/first-four-t... @reneweconomy.com.au
February 7, 2026 at 2:42 AM
Even more renewables for WA after WA records average 52.4% of state supply of electricity
Expansion of Warradarge Wind farm will make it WAs largest wind farm - lifting capacity from 180MW to 283MW
reneweconomy.com.au/first-four-t... @reneweconomy.com.au
Expansion of Warradarge Wind farm will make it WAs largest wind farm - lifting capacity from 180MW to 283MW
reneweconomy.com.au/first-four-t... @reneweconomy.com.au
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
‘world’s ‘1st’ medium-voltage solar power plants with 3 kV string inverter…50 MW solar plants require cables in ‘3-digit kilometer range’…medium-voltage systems, cut cable material by ~75%…thinner cables, & doubling of the connected load of transformers and substations with fewer units required’
Fraunhofer ISE Launches World’s ‘1st’ Medium-Voltage Solar PV Plants
Fraunhofer ISE has unveiled the world’s ‘1st’ medium-voltage solar PV power plants with a 3 kV string inverter, as it explores ways to reduce the
taiyangnews.info
February 3, 2026 at 10:49 PM
‘world’s ‘1st’ medium-voltage solar power plants with 3 kV string inverter…50 MW solar plants require cables in ‘3-digit kilometer range’…medium-voltage systems, cut cable material by ~75%…thinner cables, & doubling of the connected load of transformers and substations with fewer units required’
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
Wild stat here: most of the gas projects underway in the U.S. haven’t publicly revealed who is making their turbines at a moment when backorders stretch to the end of the decade.
February 3, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Wild stat here: most of the gas projects underway in the U.S. haven’t publicly revealed who is making their turbines at a moment when backorders stretch to the end of the decade.
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
There have been more than 219,000 cheaper home batteries installed since July last year – that means more Australians are taking control of their power bills and using their own clean, cheap energy when they need it.
February 3, 2026 at 10:49 PM
There have been more than 219,000 cheaper home batteries installed since July last year – that means more Australians are taking control of their power bills and using their own clean, cheap energy when they need it.
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
Some interesting figures from a new report by the Energy Transition Commission:
All electric cars are more energy efficient than plug-in hybrid and combustion engine vehicles, and weight is much less of a factor (in part due to regenerative braking).
www.energy-transitions.org/wp-content/u...
All electric cars are more energy efficient than plug-in hybrid and combustion engine vehicles, and weight is much less of a factor (in part due to regenerative braking).
www.energy-transitions.org/wp-content/u...
February 3, 2026 at 10:19 AM
Some interesting figures from a new report by the Energy Transition Commission:
All electric cars are more energy efficient than plug-in hybrid and combustion engine vehicles, and weight is much less of a factor (in part due to regenerative braking).
www.energy-transitions.org/wp-content/u...
All electric cars are more energy efficient than plug-in hybrid and combustion engine vehicles, and weight is much less of a factor (in part due to regenerative braking).
www.energy-transitions.org/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
🎉 I am so excited I can barely contain myself: Today is the day that my new book, Meat, goes on sale! 🎉
If you have not purchased it yet, now would be a good time: MeatBook.org/purchase
Here are more ways you can help: meatbook.org/promote
Thank you—from my heart’s bottom. 🙂 💥
If you have not purchased it yet, now would be a good time: MeatBook.org/purchase
Here are more ways you can help: meatbook.org/promote
Thank you—from my heart’s bottom. 🙂 💥
February 3, 2026 at 2:01 PM
🎉 I am so excited I can barely contain myself: Today is the day that my new book, Meat, goes on sale! 🎉
If you have not purchased it yet, now would be a good time: MeatBook.org/purchase
Here are more ways you can help: meatbook.org/promote
Thank you—from my heart’s bottom. 🙂 💥
If you have not purchased it yet, now would be a good time: MeatBook.org/purchase
Here are more ways you can help: meatbook.org/promote
Thank you—from my heart’s bottom. 🙂 💥
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
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 Stefan Thorburn
My yearly little end of January missive.
~65 GW of additional European PV is about to make its presence felt vs this point last year, which wasn't too different from 2024 so the 2025 additional generation volumes impact is a good guide for what's going to happen.
~65 GW of additional European PV is about to make its presence felt vs this point last year, which wasn't too different from 2024 so the 2025 additional generation volumes impact is a good guide for what's going to happen.
January 30, 2026 at 9:42 AM
My yearly little end of January missive.
~65 GW of additional European PV is about to make its presence felt vs this point last year, which wasn't too different from 2024 so the 2025 additional generation volumes impact is a good guide for what's going to happen.
~65 GW of additional European PV is about to make its presence felt vs this point last year, which wasn't too different from 2024 so the 2025 additional generation volumes impact is a good guide for what's going to happen.
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
I follow this stuff closely. I wrote about it a few months ago. I'm shocked how fast this is happening for big trucks.
"China’s rapid adoption of electric trucks — which overtook gas-powered vehicle sales for the first time last yea"
"China’s rapid adoption of electric trucks — which overtook gas-powered vehicle sales for the first time last yea"
January 28, 2026 at 6:07 PM
I follow this stuff closely. I wrote about it a few months ago. I'm shocked how fast this is happening for big trucks.
"China’s rapid adoption of electric trucks — which overtook gas-powered vehicle sales for the first time last yea"
"China’s rapid adoption of electric trucks — which overtook gas-powered vehicle sales for the first time last yea"
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
This is very cool - showing how countries might be transitioning from the primordial soup of bioenergy to the sunlit uplands of electricity via the trough of fossil. A simplification, of course, but what a visual!
claude.ai/public/artif...
claude.ai/public/artif...
Global Energy Transition Ternary Chart 1971–2040
Interactive ternary diagram visualizing energy mix shifts across 20 countries, showing fossil fuel, biomass, and electricity trends from 1971 to 2040 with projections.
claude.ai
January 26, 2026 at 10:48 AM
This is very cool - showing how countries might be transitioning from the primordial soup of bioenergy to the sunlit uplands of electricity via the trough of fossil. A simplification, of course, but what a visual!
claude.ai/public/artif...
claude.ai/public/artif...
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
"Single ship load of solar PV – which can ultimately deliver 170 terawatt hours of PV once installed, is now worth 120 coal carries, or 57 LNG tankers"
One ship load of solar PV is worth more to the grid than 100 ships of coal: IEA says fossil fuels losing race
One container ship of solar PV modules can make the same amount of electricity as 100 ships of coal, according to the IEA's latest report.
reneweconomy.com.au
January 23, 2026 at 5:51 AM
"Single ship load of solar PV – which can ultimately deliver 170 terawatt hours of PV once installed, is now worth 120 coal carries, or 57 LNG tankers"
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
NEW | 2025 was another RECORD-breaking year for the EU’s electricity transition, as wind and solar overtook fossil fuel generation for the first time.
Here’s what happened in the 🇪🇺 power sector last year, all in one thread 👇
🧵 1/9
Here’s what happened in the 🇪🇺 power sector last year, all in one thread 👇
🧵 1/9
January 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM
NEW | 2025 was another RECORD-breaking year for the EU’s electricity transition, as wind and solar overtook fossil fuel generation for the first time.
Here’s what happened in the 🇪🇺 power sector last year, all in one thread 👇
🧵 1/9
Here’s what happened in the 🇪🇺 power sector last year, all in one thread 👇
🧵 1/9
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
If you think gas power is cheap, meet Keadby 2, the last CCGT gas plant built in Great Britain
It opened in 2023, after 5yrs of development, at a cost of £350m
Owner SSE says it would now cost 3.5x to build the same plant (~£1.2bn)
1/6
It opened in 2023, after 5yrs of development, at a cost of £350m
Owner SSE says it would now cost 3.5x to build the same plant (~£1.2bn)
1/6
January 20, 2026 at 4:00 PM
If you think gas power is cheap, meet Keadby 2, the last CCGT gas plant built in Great Britain
It opened in 2023, after 5yrs of development, at a cost of £350m
Owner SSE says it would now cost 3.5x to build the same plant (~£1.2bn)
1/6
It opened in 2023, after 5yrs of development, at a cost of £350m
Owner SSE says it would now cost 3.5x to build the same plant (~£1.2bn)
1/6
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
As the year draws to a close, Ember presents some of the biggest clean energy shifts of 2025 and what they mean for the coming year 🗓️
🧵1/8
ember-energy.org/lat...
🧵1/8
ember-energy.org/lat...
December 17, 2025 at 10:00 AM
As the year draws to a close, Ember presents some of the biggest clean energy shifts of 2025 and what they mean for the coming year 🗓️
🧵1/8
ember-energy.org/lat...
🧵1/8
ember-energy.org/lat...
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
A new error-aware probabilistic update method enables memristor-based AI training with energy use reduced by nearly six orders of magnitude compared to GPUs, while maintaining high accuracy on vision tasks. doi.org/hbkc9s
New memristor training method slashes AI energy use by six orders of magnitude
In a Nature Communications study, researchers from China have developed an error-aware probabilistic update (EaPU) method that aligns memristor hardware's noisy updates with neural network training, slashing energy use by nearly six orders of magnitude versus GPUs while boosting accuracy on vision tasks.
techxplore.com
January 18, 2026 at 6:20 PM
A new error-aware probabilistic update method enables memristor-based AI training with energy use reduced by nearly six orders of magnitude compared to GPUs, while maintaining high accuracy on vision tasks. doi.org/hbkc9s
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
Yes. One of my favourite energy efficiency stats is that 25% of UK economic growth between 1971-2013 was due to energy efficiency: ukerc.ac.uk/news/energy-... @jrbarrett.bsky.social
January 14, 2026 at 8:25 AM
Yes. One of my favourite energy efficiency stats is that 25% of UK economic growth between 1971-2013 was due to energy efficiency: ukerc.ac.uk/news/energy-... @jrbarrett.bsky.social
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
"Raise the mizzen sail!!"..."Aaaaarrr... shiver me timbers"
January 9, 2026 at 4:48 AM
"Raise the mizzen sail!!"..."Aaaaarrr... shiver me timbers"
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
Please help push for your campuses and communities to decarbonize faster.
Deep geothermal is how big campuses can sustainably heat their buildings and shallow geothermal is where they can dump their heat for cooling and dehumidifying those buildings.
#EnergySky
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Deep geothermal is how big campuses can sustainably heat their buildings and shallow geothermal is where they can dump their heat for cooling and dehumidifying those buildings.
#EnergySky
www.bbc.com/news/article...
York university campus 'to be heated by geothermal energy'
The University of York plans to use water warmed by geothermal energy to heat the entire campus.
www.bbc.com
January 4, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Please help push for your campuses and communities to decarbonize faster.
Deep geothermal is how big campuses can sustainably heat their buildings and shallow geothermal is where they can dump their heat for cooling and dehumidifying those buildings.
#EnergySky
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Deep geothermal is how big campuses can sustainably heat their buildings and shallow geothermal is where they can dump their heat for cooling and dehumidifying those buildings.
#EnergySky
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
NEW RECORD: Africa imports 2GW of solar panels for the first time in a month.
And this is happening EVERYWHERE in Africa...
And this is happening EVERYWHERE in Africa...
January 5, 2026 at 8:57 AM
NEW RECORD: Africa imports 2GW of solar panels for the first time in a month.
And this is happening EVERYWHERE in Africa...
And this is happening EVERYWHERE in Africa...
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
Forget white paint. The ultimate cooling technology for buildings is an agrivoltaic roof garden. Roof gardens can be difficult to maintain, especially in hotter climate cities. Placing solar modules over them can help plants thrive without overheating and reduce the need for artificial irrigation.
Experts make astonishing discovery after installing solar panels above rooftop gardens: 'Can have a function'
"It's a hook to change habits."
www.yahoo.com
December 31, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Forget white paint. The ultimate cooling technology for buildings is an agrivoltaic roof garden. Roof gardens can be difficult to maintain, especially in hotter climate cities. Placing solar modules over them can help plants thrive without overheating and reduce the need for artificial irrigation.
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
In Europe, a division is emerging: the south and south east grow drier, including parts of the UK. Meanwhile, the North and North East, including parts of the UK, are growing wetter:
2/6
2/6
November 29, 2025 at 7:18 AM
In Europe, a division is emerging: the south and south east grow drier, including parts of the UK. Meanwhile, the North and North East, including parts of the UK, are growing wetter:
2/6
2/6
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
From Copernicus: This shows how the expected date for breaching 1.5C has been creeping ever closer in recent years. The orange date shows the baseline for the extrapolation; the red date shows when 1.5C is breached based on the trend...
November 30, 2025 at 6:34 PM
From Copernicus: This shows how the expected date for breaching 1.5C has been creeping ever closer in recent years. The orange date shows the baseline for the extrapolation; the red date shows when 1.5C is breached based on the trend...
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
According to Oxford professor of energy Jan Rosenow, rapid electrification of Europe's industry, not rolling back the EU's Green Deal, will save European industry.
Why electrification, not repealing green laws, will save Europe's industry
According to Oxford professor of energy Jan Rosenow, rapid electrification of Europe's industry, not rolling back the EU's Green Deal, will save European industry.
euobserver.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:00 AM
According to Oxford professor of energy Jan Rosenow, rapid electrification of Europe's industry, not rolling back the EU's Green Deal, will save European industry.
Reposted by Stefan Thorburn
Good morning with good news: Poland's coal plunged from 91.1% of its electricity in June 2015 to a record low monthly share of 42.9% in June 2025!
Down 48.2 points of market share in just 10 years.
How?
Mostly Wind/Solar.
They jumped from 4% in June 2015 to 38.9% in June 2025. #energysky
Down 48.2 points of market share in just 10 years.
How?
Mostly Wind/Solar.
They jumped from 4% in June 2015 to 38.9% in June 2025. #energysky
November 18, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Good morning with good news: Poland's coal plunged from 91.1% of its electricity in June 2015 to a record low monthly share of 42.9% in June 2025!
Down 48.2 points of market share in just 10 years.
How?
Mostly Wind/Solar.
They jumped from 4% in June 2015 to 38.9% in June 2025. #energysky
Down 48.2 points of market share in just 10 years.
How?
Mostly Wind/Solar.
They jumped from 4% in June 2015 to 38.9% in June 2025. #energysky