Benjamin Nead
@bisbeeunplugged.bsky.social
Observing the ongoing struggle to mitigate the climate crisis via electrification, from a rural southern Arizona perspective. Favorite topics include EVs, solar, batteries, etc. Please interact with my public posts and don't DM me. Thanks!
I'm actually optimistic that we're going to get to a renewable energy grid in the not too distant future, since the sheer economics of solar with batteries defeat everything else. Everything on the consumption side has also already been invented. Nostalgia for fossil fuel is the only real enemy.
October 12, 2025 at 8:07 AM
I'm actually optimistic that we're going to get to a renewable energy grid in the not too distant future, since the sheer economics of solar with batteries defeat everything else. Everything on the consumption side has also already been invented. Nostalgia for fossil fuel is the only real enemy.
There's a lot of literature from that period that tried to nail down a time frame for peak oil. We are actually going to run out of the stuff someday. But fracking tech simply added another 10 to 15 years to the calendar. What the FF industry is doing right now is nothing short of criminal.
October 12, 2025 at 7:52 AM
There's a lot of literature from that period that tried to nail down a time frame for peak oil. We are actually going to run out of the stuff someday. But fracking tech simply added another 10 to 15 years to the calendar. What the FF industry is doing right now is nothing short of criminal.
So true! After you have finished with this unnamed book from the early 2000s, I highly recommend Saul Griffith's 2020 volume, Electrify. It should still be a relevant guide in 2030
October 12, 2025 at 3:55 AM
So true! After you have finished with this unnamed book from the early 2000s, I highly recommend Saul Griffith's 2020 volume, Electrify. It should still be a relevant guide in 2030
What happened is, in addition to improvements in energy efficiency, hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of shale really came into its own in around 2008. So, any book written much before that predicts a big economic downturn when all the oil runs out, since renewables were so expensive back then.
October 12, 2025 at 3:53 AM
What happened is, in addition to improvements in energy efficiency, hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of shale really came into its own in around 2008. So, any book written much before that predicts a big economic downturn when all the oil runs out, since renewables were so expensive back then.
Part 2 of photos documenting my Sun Day In Tucson event . . .
September 23, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Part 2 of photos documenting my Sun Day In Tucson event . . .
The 3rd and final photo album for my Sun Day in Bisbee event. Click each of the photos for a narrative . . .
September 23, 2025 at 3:25 AM
The 3rd and final photo album for my Sun Day in Bisbee event. Click each of the photos for a narrative . . .
Here's part 1 in a series of photos detailing my Sun Day In Bisbee event. Click each of the photos to read individual narratives . . .
September 23, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Here's part 1 in a series of photos detailing my Sun Day In Bisbee event. Click each of the photos to read individual narratives . . .
I had a marvelous time hosting a Sun Day this past weekend. This is the promotional documentary film, The Light Won't Dim, that was produced by the Third Act organizers. Really beautifully done . . . www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDK-...
The Light Won't Dim | Solar Power & Clean Energy Documentary
YouTube video by Fossil Free Media
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2025 at 3:00 AM
I had a marvelous time hosting a Sun Day this past weekend. This is the promotional documentary film, The Light Won't Dim, that was produced by the Third Act organizers. Really beautifully done . . . www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDK-...
A Sun Day preview from one of my favorite climate-aware energy/tech analysts, David Borlace, on Just Have A Think . . . www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYSU...
The UNSTOPPABLE rise of AMERICAN renewable energy.
YouTube video by Just Have a Think
www.youtube.com
September 14, 2025 at 7:03 PM
A Sun Day preview from one of my favorite climate-aware energy/tech analysts, David Borlace, on Just Have A Think . . . www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYSU...
Sun Day in the press, via a recent Democracy Now! interview with Bill McKibben . . . www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb2_...
Bill McKibben on Renewable Energy, "Sun Day" & the "Last Chance" for Climate
YouTube video by Democracy Now!
www.youtube.com
September 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Sun Day in the press, via a recent Democracy Now! interview with Bill McKibben . . . www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb2_...
Oh, Hell yes. The other one that bothers me is people - and news organizations - who can't figure out that overbuilding solar and having "too much" electrical generation on sunny days is a problem. Build water desalination plants and run them full tilt when it's sunny, and don't when it isn't.
August 13, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Oh, Hell yes. The other one that bothers me is people - and news organizations - who can't figure out that overbuilding solar and having "too much" electrical generation on sunny days is a problem. Build water desalination plants and run them full tilt when it's sunny, and don't when it isn't.
Why don't they just build water desalinization infrastructure - which is very energy intensive - and operate it at full tilt on those days when there's "too much" solar capacity? This seems like a good problem too have.
August 13, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Why don't they just build water desalinization infrastructure - which is very energy intensive - and operate it at full tilt on those days when there's "too much" solar capacity? This seems like a good problem too have.
I just heard the Freakonomics Radio Network interview on Youtube. Your book is on my short list now. Thanks.
July 22, 2025 at 3:58 AM
I just heard the Freakonomics Radio Network interview on Youtube. Your book is on my short list now. Thanks.
We had a nice turnout for our Bisbee, Arizona, Good Trouble Lives On mobilization. About 80 of us, all told, assembling in Grassy Park. Thanks to all who joined us and lent their voices. Photo set 2.
July 19, 2025 at 1:35 AM
We had a nice turnout for our Bisbee, Arizona, Good Trouble Lives On mobilization. About 80 of us, all told, assembling in Grassy Park. Thanks to all who joined us and lent their voices. Photo set 2.
We had a nice turnout for our Bisbee, Arizona, Good Trouble Lives On mobilization. About 80 of us, all told, assembling in Grassy Park. Thanks to all who joined us and lent their voices. Photo set 1.
July 19, 2025 at 1:28 AM
We had a nice turnout for our Bisbee, Arizona, Good Trouble Lives On mobilization. About 80 of us, all told, assembling in Grassy Park. Thanks to all who joined us and lent their voices. Photo set 1.
I should also mention that you can electronically register for the Bisbee event here . . .
www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-a...
Find an event near you on the interactive map (scroll down after the page opens, scroll down and check out the international activity) . . .
goodtroubleliveson.org
www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-a...
Find an event near you on the interactive map (scroll down after the page opens, scroll down and check out the international activity) . . .
goodtroubleliveson.org
Grassy Park · John Lewis Actions
Good Trouble Lives On, staged on this fifth year since the passing of Civil Rights pioneer and U.S. Congressman John Lewis, is a national day of nonviolent action to respond to the ongoing attacks pos...
www.mobilize.us
July 10, 2025 at 1:09 AM
I should also mention that you can electronically register for the Bisbee event here . . .
www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-a...
Find an event near you on the interactive map (scroll down after the page opens, scroll down and check out the international activity) . . .
goodtroubleliveson.org
www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-a...
Find an event near you on the interactive map (scroll down after the page opens, scroll down and check out the international activity) . . .
goodtroubleliveson.org
Other interesting prospects for affordable and sensibly-sized EVs for the North American market include the relaunch of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Slate EV Truck. I drive a 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV, which was the original subcompact electric when introduced here. I bought mine used in 2015.
June 19, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Other interesting prospects for affordable and sensibly-sized EVs for the North American market include the relaunch of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Slate EV Truck. I drive a 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV, which was the original subcompact electric when introduced here. I bought mine used in 2015.
It was a pleasure to get to talk with you and hear you discuss the issues, Deja, this past Saturday in Bisbee. Wherever your pursuits take you, please stay in touch with us down here. Always about 10° cooler than Tucson on any given day, incidentally.
June 18, 2025 at 4:22 AM
It was a pleasure to get to talk with you and hear you discuss the issues, Deja, this past Saturday in Bisbee. Wherever your pursuits take you, please stay in touch with us down here. Always about 10° cooler than Tucson on any given day, incidentally.
I really like David Bolace's weekly Just Have A Think segments. He's a journalist, not a manufacturer, so his coverage of complex subject explained clearly feels genuine. Simon Clark is another Brit who does an excellent job covering these topics.
June 18, 2025 at 4:15 AM
I really like David Bolace's weekly Just Have A Think segments. He's a journalist, not a manufacturer, so his coverage of complex subject explained clearly feels genuine. Simon Clark is another Brit who does an excellent job covering these topics.
A couple more shots from Bisbee on No Kings Day, courtesy of Deja Foxx on her Bluesky page . . . bsky.app/profile/deja...
June 16, 2025 at 5:07 PM
A couple more shots from Bisbee on No Kings Day, courtesy of Deja Foxx on her Bluesky page . . . bsky.app/profile/deja...