Jeffrey Quackenbush
@jeffreyquackenbush.bsky.social
Essays I've written can be found on Researchgate:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jeffrey-Quackenbush
Some samples of my poetry can be found on Substack:
https://jeffreyquackenbush.substack.com
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jeffrey-Quackenbush
Some samples of my poetry can be found on Substack:
https://jeffreyquackenbush.substack.com
It’s not a matter of the average amount of energy that renewables are able to cover, but the total amount of power they can cover at the worst possible time.
December 2, 2025 at 7:49 PM
It’s not a matter of the average amount of energy that renewables are able to cover, but the total amount of power they can cover at the worst possible time.
The issue that the region will face in 10 years or so is that there isn’t more hydro coming online. So if there is load growth, during an extended period of resource scarcity and no oil/coal/gas generation, how do you cover the worst winter night peak?
December 2, 2025 at 7:47 PM
The issue that the region will face in 10 years or so is that there isn’t more hydro coming online. So if there is load growth, during an extended period of resource scarcity and no oil/coal/gas generation, how do you cover the worst winter night peak?
I don’t know if the gas infrastructure will be economically viable if PV/wind crushes the current scale of the industry.
December 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
I don’t know if the gas infrastructure will be economically viable if PV/wind crushes the current scale of the industry.
The problem isn’t base load, but peak load at times of resource scarcity.
December 2, 2025 at 6:59 PM
The problem isn’t base load, but peak load at times of resource scarcity.
We’re in a choose-your-own-adventure book and we’ve chosen the wrong thread.
December 2, 2025 at 6:57 PM
We’re in a choose-your-own-adventure book and we’ve chosen the wrong thread.
Frankly, I’m excited to tackle these problems. I don’t know why everyone is so entranced with AI when there is so much to be discovered and built as part of the energy transition. It’s hard to moan about energy infrastructure when we’re spending trillions on useless data centers.
December 2, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Frankly, I’m excited to tackle these problems. I don’t know why everyone is so entranced with AI when there is so much to be discovered and built as part of the energy transition. It’s hard to moan about energy infrastructure when we’re spending trillions on useless data centers.
The Northwest might be able to make it work okay if they can shift hydropower to the coasts during low-energy times of the year and build out wind and PV on the east side of the mountains.
December 2, 2025 at 6:40 PM
The Northwest might be able to make it work okay if they can shift hydropower to the coasts during low-energy times of the year and build out wind and PV on the east side of the mountains.
There are strategies to counter this — more wind power, transmission, long duration energy storage, etc. But the numbers in certain regions make it a challenge. In the long run, electricity will probably just be cheaper in the South, Southwest and the Plains than the Northeast and upper Midwest.
December 2, 2025 at 6:38 PM
There are strategies to counter this — more wind power, transmission, long duration energy storage, etc. But the numbers in certain regions make it a challenge. In the long run, electricity will probably just be cheaper in the South, Southwest and the Plains than the Northeast and upper Midwest.
The difficulty is that in places like New England, the Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest, we will start to see night-time peaking load in the winter where extended short cloudy days may not provide enough gross energy for the system.
December 2, 2025 at 6:34 PM
The difficulty is that in places like New England, the Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest, we will start to see night-time peaking load in the winter where extended short cloudy days may not provide enough gross energy for the system.
The really difficult problem for decarbonization in this country will be a potential dunkelflaute situation in the northern parts of the US when we hit 90% penetration with PV and wind.
We’re a long ways away from this threshold.
We’re a long ways away from this threshold.
December 2, 2025 at 6:25 PM
The really difficult problem for decarbonization in this country will be a potential dunkelflaute situation in the northern parts of the US when we hit 90% penetration with PV and wind.
We’re a long ways away from this threshold.
We’re a long ways away from this threshold.
The NYT needs to fire all of their political editors and hire whoever writes headlines for the Drudge Report.
December 2, 2025 at 2:12 PM
The NYT needs to fire all of their political editors and hire whoever writes headlines for the Drudge Report.
For pure TV value, I’d go with Jim Beaver (depending on the rules of how much of the series you get per appearance).
Deadwood, Justified, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul
Deadwood, Justified, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul
December 1, 2025 at 10:37 PM
For pure TV value, I’d go with Jim Beaver (depending on the rules of how much of the series you get per appearance).
Deadwood, Justified, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul
Deadwood, Justified, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul
In this example, you need to predict load based on historical patterns, and then you want to update that prediction with further historical patterns (and other inputs like predicted weather data). The predictive algorithm is self-updating by being able to take on new inputs iteratively.
December 1, 2025 at 10:13 PM
In this example, you need to predict load based on historical patterns, and then you want to update that prediction with further historical patterns (and other inputs like predicted weather data). The predictive algorithm is self-updating by being able to take on new inputs iteratively.
There are lots of very narrowly tailored machine learning applications that are very useful, many of which don’t require ungodly amounts of data center capacity. With behind-the-meter batteries, for instance, peak shaving requires a form of machine learning.
December 1, 2025 at 10:11 PM
There are lots of very narrowly tailored machine learning applications that are very useful, many of which don’t require ungodly amounts of data center capacity. With behind-the-meter batteries, for instance, peak shaving requires a form of machine learning.
That’s a good pick.
Another solid British pick: Gary Oldman.
Another solid British pick: Gary Oldman.
December 1, 2025 at 9:48 PM
That’s a good pick.
Another solid British pick: Gary Oldman.
Another solid British pick: Gary Oldman.
Okay, that’s a hilarious analogy.
December 1, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Okay, that’s a hilarious analogy.
Wallace Stevens
December 1, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Wallace Stevens
The Conversation
December 1, 2025 at 2:59 PM
The Conversation
Next: authors.
December 1, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Next: authors.
Six Degrees of Separation
December 1, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Six Degrees of Separation
Cool Hand Luke
December 1, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Cool Hand Luke
Great choice. He shows up in all sorts of movies.
December 1, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Great choice. He shows up in all sorts of movies.
Robert Duvall
December 1, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Robert Duvall
DeNiro makes sense because he has been in *so many* movies.
December 1, 2025 at 4:48 AM
DeNiro makes sense because he has been in *so many* movies.
It’s a good thing that prosecutors are dropping the politicized prosecution of Trump in Georgia. They have re-established the principle that everyone is equal before the law.
by Elie Honig
by Elie Honig
December 1, 2025 at 2:47 AM
It’s a good thing that prosecutors are dropping the politicized prosecution of Trump in Georgia. They have re-established the principle that everyone is equal before the law.
by Elie Honig
by Elie Honig