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ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
Energy Institute at Haas
@ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
3.6K followers 70 following 360 posts
Helping create a more economically and environmentally sustainable energy future through research, teaching and policy engagement. Visit our website for more information about the Energy Institute: haas.berkeley.edu/energy-institute/
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Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
An important, and discouraging, reminder that innovation continues in the fossil fuel industries as well as in renewables. Cheap oil and gas remains a major barrier to decarbonization .
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
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U.S. rig counts remain low as production efficiencies improve - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
www.eia.gov
November 19, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Good update on Kinder Morgan plans for expanding refined product distributions to Arizona, California, and Nevada. This would be a benefit to producers and customers, but not clear there is enough value to shippers for the investment.
stillwaterassociates.com/open-season-...
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Open Season for Western Expansion: Kinder Morgan and Phillips 66 Launch Western Gateway Pipeline Connecting Midwest Supply to the Southwest and California | Stillwater Associates
Kinder Morgan and Phillips 66 announce the Western Gateway Pipeline open season, a new refined products corridor connecting Midwest supply to California, Arizona, and Nevada - reshaping Western fuel l...
stillwaterassociates.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Excellent article in FT on the problem of Phantom data centers making it difficult for utilities and grid operators to plan, and some of the solutions. I think gift link (on.ft.com/4otkC25) works only for first 3 who use it. Sorry.
www.ft.com/content/331f... 🔌💡
‘Phantom’ data centres muddy forecasts for US power needs
Developers are overstating energy needs and keeping projects alive even after they are no longer viable
www.ft.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:18 PM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
“‘We’re fundamentally talking about hard tradeoffs between mitigating wildfire risk, managing reliability impacts and managing costs, which often translate...’ Meredith Fowlie in POLITICO
politico.com/newsletters/california-climate/2025/11/18/californias-undergrounding-conundrum-00658395
California’s undergrounding conundrum
California regulators are poised to decide the future of power line safety.
www.politico.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
In this week's Energy Institute blog, Andy Campbell digs into the debate over how to use money from California's cap and trade auctions to support clean energy and electrification.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/c...
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Choosing Between Increasing Subsidies or Lowering Rates for Electrification
With California’s cap-and-trade program renewed, policymakers have choices about how to effect change. Just a year ago, the transition from fossil-fueled to electrified transportation and buildings…
energyathaas.wordpress.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Update on California's Mystery Gasoline Surcharge: holding steady around $0.50 per gallon. In last 6 weeks, however, mostly due to higher spot prices, not downstream margins. Worrisome given one recent and one impending refinery closure. For context: energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/08/18/c...
November 18, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Closely related reporting from OPIS
www.opis.com/resources/en...
Phoenix to Receive Half of Proposed Product Pipeline's Volumes: Phillips 66 - OPIS, A Dow Jones Company
www.opis.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Fairly detailed update on CA gasoline market. But omits fact that CA spot price was $0.70-$0.90 above NY/Gulf for > 1 month after Chevron El Segundo fire, rather than normal $0.15-$0.30. CA needs more storage to avoid spikes in this new world. Plus end to Jones Act.
www.opis.com/resources/en...
As Reliance on Imported Gasoline Rises, California Adapts to a 'New World' - OPIS, A Dow Jones Company
www.opis.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:49 PM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
“'We’re fundamentally talking about hard tradeoffs between mitigating wildfire risk, managing reliability impacts and managing costs...' said Meredith Fowlie, faculty director of the University of California, Berkeley, Energy Institute at Haas."

politi.co/3Kbvd3p
California’s undergrounding conundrum
California regulators are poised to decide the future of power line safety.
politi.co
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 AM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
"...price differential is due to taxes and regulatory costs and that there’s a 'mystery surcharge'...a phenomenon first identified eight years ago by @severinborenstein.bsky.social" - Cal Matters
calmatters.org/commentary/2025/11/newsoms-gas-price-crusade-refiners/
Opinion | Newsom's gas price crusade morphs into bid to keep refiners open
A study Gov. Gavin Newsom commissioned describes higher margins oil refiners receive for their products, which become gasoline.
calmatters.org
November 17, 2025 at 10:32 PM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
New Energy Institute Blog Post: Choosing Between Increasing Subsidies or Lowering Rates for Electrification - by @campbellenergy.bsky.social

energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/c...
November 17, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Hard-nosed rules for new large load interconnections are catching on across the political spectrum. A good sign for protecting existing customers from rate increases driven by stranded T&D investments.
www.utilitydive.com/news/kansas-...
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Kansas, Michigan regulators approve large load rules for Evergy, Consumers Energy
The new rules, plus proposed legislation in Delaware, aim to ensure that existing utility customers don’t pay costs related to interconnecting data centers and manufacturers.
www.utilitydive.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
In my EI blog post today, I discuss the CA debate over how to return some of the cap and trade revenue to households and explain why I think a fixed rebate for every household the utility serves should be replace by a discount per-kilowatt-hour.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/11/10/s... 🔌💡
Spreading the Cap-and-Trade Wealth
Last month, when Gov. Newsom signed a bill extending California’s cap and trade program to 2045, one section of the bill mandated changes in the “Climate Credit” that residential customers have bee…
energyathaas.wordpress.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
“We’re eliminating refineries faster than consumers are switching to electric vehicles...This deepens a paradox: the drive for a cleaner future is colliding with persistent fuel demand." - @severinborenstein.bsky.social in MSN News

www.msn.com/en-us/money/...
MSN
www.msn.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Canary media correct that MA elec rate is way above MC, bc much of price pays for infrastructure that is not constrained except at peak hour, so high price distorts customer behavior. So true for heat pumps. Also for excessive incentive to install rooftop solar.
www.canarymedia.com/articles/hea...
Massachusetts heat-pump owners are about to get cheaper electricity
The state’s innovative winter heat-pump rates go into effect this weekend and should make the tech more accessible. Deeper discounts could come next year.
www.canarymedia.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:49 PM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
New Energy Institute Blog Post: Spreading the Cap-and-Trade Wealth - @severinborenstein.bsky.social

energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/11/10/spreading-the-cap-and-trade-wealth/

#climatechange #electricity #energyefficiency #naturalgas #solar
November 10, 2025 at 4:29 PM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
"If you could get these data centers to get off the grid, say 50-60 hours a year, they really wouldn't create any cost pressure at all," @severinborenstein.bsky.social on NPR.

www.npr.org/2025/11/06/n...
Is your electric bill going up? AI is partly to blame
Across the country, demand for electricity is on the rise — and so is the price of electric power.
www.npr.org
November 6, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Kinder Morgan talking about building a new pipeline from TX to CA through AZ. Seems like a big bet CA won't respond to declining refinery capacity by increasing capacity to receive tanker imports. Will KM get enough subscribers to build it?
www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Where will a new gas pipeline cross Arizona? Environmental advocates question plans
The Western Gateway pipeline will deliver up to 200,000 barrels of gas a day, but environmental groups raise new concerns.
www.azcentral.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
In EI blog, Lucas Davis and Paige Weber explain their new paper finds regulated IOUs are less responsive to wholesale prices than merchant generators in their decisions to close a plant. That leads to important inefficiencies in the generation fleet.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/d...
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Does Regulation Distort Exit Decisions?
New study shows regulated coal and gas units were 45% less likely to exit between 2011 and 2023. (Today’s post is co-authored by Paige Weber.) Hundreds of power plants have closed in the United Sta…
energyathaas.wordpress.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Well said, Tyler.
tnorris.bsky.social Tyler Norris @tnorris.bsky.social · 23d
I have a @nytimes.com op-ed today on managing power demand growth. Central point: load growth is an opportunity to *offset* upward rate pressure (and avoid gas overbuild), if we plan the system to make fuller use of infrastructure we’ve already paid for. 🔌💡 www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/o...
November 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
US ethanol exports on the rise. Very discouraging bc it continues to be sold as low-GHG. Lots of evidence that it is not. Also worth noting that CA recently started allowing 15% ethanol blend. Other states already *allow*, but most retailerscontinue to sell E-10 instead.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
U.S. fuel ethanol exports on track to set record, driving more domestic production - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
www.eia.gov
October 31, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Not sure how this got past the administration's communication controls, but EIA had a nice piece last Friday on the increasing role of solar/wind/batteries in Texas.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
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ERCOT increasingly meets rising demand with solar, wind, and batteries - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
www.eia.gov
October 30, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Reposted by Energy Institute at Haas
severinborenstein.bsky.social
Fascinating WSJ on recent geothermal power developments, much due to fed govt support. To me, an economist with no technical knowledge on this, super exciting. Hope they can get the economics to work very soon.
www.wsj.com/business/ene...
CA sends mixed signals
www.utilitydive.com/news/newsom-...
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We Finally Know How to Get the One Renewable Energy Source Loved by Both Parties
Geothermal energy comes closer to competing with natural gas on cost and reliability, boosters say, thanks to new technologies, generous tax incentives and decades of fundamental research.
www.wsj.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:26 PM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
“'If strawberries are expensive, I’ll buy apples—there are substitutes...Electricity, in the long run, there aren’t many substitutes.'” - Prof. Fowlie on @wsj.com

wsj.com/economy/consumers/surging-power-costs-are-putting-the-squeeze-on-customers-f8b2c04b

#energybills #electricity #datacenters
November 4, 2025 at 5:40 PM
ucenergyinstitute.bsky.social
New Energy Institute Blog Post: Does Regulation Distort Exit Decisions? - Lucas Davis (co-authored by Paige Weber)

energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/d...
November 3, 2025 at 8:20 PM