Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dave Jones

@cleanpowerdave.bsky.social

4.5K followers 320 following 430 posts

Build clean power + electrify⚡️ Chief analyst and co-founder of @ember-energy.org. Electricity analyst since 2000, still learning;)

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · Jun 21

NEW: Cheaper batteries mean near-24/365 solar is now economic☀️

We analysed 18 years of hourly insolation data at 12 places, to see how close to 24/365 electricity it was possible to get.

The sunniest places get over 90% - and up to 99% - of the way... from just $100/MWh. 🧵

26 200 590

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

Do check out our "Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025" out today..
ember-energy.org/latest-insig...

Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025 | Ember

Solar and wind outpaced demand growth in the first half of 2025, as renewables overtook coal’s share in the global electricity mix.

ember-energy.org

1 16

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

In the EU, a cold, dry and unwindy Q1 led to low renewables generation, which would be expected to bounce back.

1 2 12

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

The summer in India was less severe than in 2024, which (alongside weaker industrial growth) saw electricity demand growing slowly...

1 2 8

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

In India, coal generation FELL unexpectedly... but that was partly due to low demand growth caused by milder weather...

1 1 16

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

India, meanwhile had a bumper solar and wind 6 months...

1 1 20

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

That's 2 quarters in row of falling gas generation... but at the expense of rising coal generation...

1 1 14

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

In the US, it's a very different picture... there is little wind growth, and solar growth is far from covering fast-rising electricity demand.

Also higher gas prices meant switching to more dirtier coal generation.

1 1 19

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

Is China's coal falling structurally? It's hard to call that - but it's definitely at a plateau...

1 1 21

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

In China, coal fell because of the extraordinary growth in solar - but also in wind...

1 4 25

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

Enough to push coal use DOWN in China AND India...

1 1 39

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

And solar capacity new-build in 2025 is beating all records AGAIN:

1 2 26

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

Solar in some countries is now over a QUARTER of total electricity supply in the first half of the year...

2 5 35

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

Because SOLAR AND WIND more-than met the rise in global electricity demand in the first half of this year...

1 4 40

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: GLOBAL RENEWABLES OVERTAKES COAL

How the heck did that happen so quickly?!...🧵

11 170 420

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

This dataset is a treasure trove of insights...

LINK: ember-energy.org/data/china-c...

bsky.app/profile/did:...

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

NEW DATASET: China cleantech exports to EVERY COUNTRY in the world, updated monthly.

Today, understanding tradeflows of fossil fuels and cleantech is sooo important for policy-makers, and this dataset is treasure trove...

🧵

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

China cleantech is shaping Africa's energy🌍

In August, for the first time, Africa imported more $ of EV's from China than it did solar panels🚗🚗🚗

1 9 25

Reposted by Dave Jones

Prof Wayne Visser @waynevisser.bsky.social · 1d

It’s a race .. the old world vs the new, the dirty tech vs the clean, the current superpower vs the next .. no prizes for guessing who is winning the race

Source: Bloomberg

1 12 29

Reposted by Dave Jones

Ed King @ed-king.bsky.social · 1d

In the era-defining US fossil fuels v China clean tech export race there's only one winner, reports @Bloomberg

www.bloomberg.com/ne...

7 10

Reposted by Dave Jones

Akshat Rathi @akshatrathi.bsky.social · 1d

There's a growing desire for a product. It happens to be lower carbon. China is meeting it, regardless of where the demand comes from.

Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

3 11 39

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

We hope this new Ember dataset is useful for your work.

Here is where to find it:
ember-energy.org/data/china-c...

China Cleantech Exports Data Explorer | Ember

A tool to uncover insights from the latest clean technology export data from China, including solar PV, batteries and electric vehicles. Explore by electrotech type, country or region.

ember-energy.org

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

And of course the biggest meta story of them all, which
@akshatrathi.bsky.social reported on today:

Chinese clean tech exports exceed US fossil fuel exports..

bloomberg.com/news/article...

1 5 13

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

Belgium is one of the world's biggest importers of Chinese EV's at the moment, as its company car tax perks make it generous to shift to EV's...

1 2

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

India is now importing more $ m of batteries than solar..

..in part because it's ramping up its solar manufacturing, and also now installing more grid batteries.

1 1 3

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

There's so many interesting stories buried in the data... E.g....

1 2

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

The data is updated monthly - and we'll try to update it within 3 working days of China's GACC publishing the data. That means, expect September data around 21st of October..

1 2