Michael Davidson
@michaeldavidson.bsky.social
Assoc prof in policy and engineering at UC San Diego. Decarbonizing world’s toughest grids @ Power Transformation Lab. pwrlab.org
Important perspective on the positives and negatives of geopolitical contest on decarbonization.
🌍 New in @nature.com: The geoeconomic turn in decarbonization, with data from Simon Evenett et al. and @industrialpolicy.bsky.social @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social @natureatcal.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... 🧵
September 25, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Important perspective on the positives and negatives of geopolitical contest on decarbonization.
China's new climate NDC targets delivered today by Xi Jinping to UN climate summit, by 2035, include:
- Reduce economy wide net GHG emissions by 7% - 10% from peak levels, striving to do better
- Increase non fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 30%
- Expand wind and solar capacity to 3600 GW
- Reduce economy wide net GHG emissions by 7% - 10% from peak levels, striving to do better
- Increase non fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 30%
- Expand wind and solar capacity to 3600 GW
September 24, 2025 at 7:19 PM
China's new climate NDC targets delivered today by Xi Jinping to UN climate summit, by 2035, include:
- Reduce economy wide net GHG emissions by 7% - 10% from peak levels, striving to do better
- Increase non fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 30%
- Expand wind and solar capacity to 3600 GW
- Reduce economy wide net GHG emissions by 7% - 10% from peak levels, striving to do better
- Increase non fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 30%
- Expand wind and solar capacity to 3600 GW
China's new NDC per XJP at UN, by 2035:
1. Reduce economy wide net GHG by 7% - 10% from peak levels, striving to do better
2. Increase non fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 30%
3. Expand wind and solar capacity to 6x of 2020 levels, striving to bring total to 3600 GW
1. Reduce economy wide net GHG by 7% - 10% from peak levels, striving to do better
2. Increase non fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 30%
3. Expand wind and solar capacity to 6x of 2020 levels, striving to bring total to 3600 GW
September 24, 2025 at 6:37 PM
China's new NDC per XJP at UN, by 2035:
1. Reduce economy wide net GHG by 7% - 10% from peak levels, striving to do better
2. Increase non fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 30%
3. Expand wind and solar capacity to 6x of 2020 levels, striving to bring total to 3600 GW
1. Reduce economy wide net GHG by 7% - 10% from peak levels, striving to do better
2. Increase non fossil fuels in total energy consumption to 30%
3. Expand wind and solar capacity to 6x of 2020 levels, striving to bring total to 3600 GW
Listening to the UN climate summit now. Xi Jinping speaking now via video. webtv.un.org/en/asset/k12...
Climate Summit 2025
To accelerate momentum, the UN Secretary-General will host a Special High-Level Event on Climate Action on 24 September 2025, as a platform for leaders to present their new Nationally Determined Contr...
webtv.un.org
September 24, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Listening to the UN climate summit now. Xi Jinping speaking now via video. webtv.un.org/en/asset/k12...
🌟 Excited to share that I’ve been appointed Associate Professor at the UC San Diego, tenured in both Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Jacobs) and School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS). Deeply fortunate to have a home to build up our interdisciplinary Power Transformation Lab...
September 24, 2025 at 6:12 PM
🌟 Excited to share that I’ve been appointed Associate Professor at the UC San Diego, tenured in both Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Jacobs) and School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS). Deeply fortunate to have a home to build up our interdisciplinary Power Transformation Lab...
Reposted by Michael Davidson
While countries aim to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, a recent study in @cp-iscience.bsky.social assesses the critical mineral demand needed to meet this target and examines how mineral bottlenecks affect clean tech: www.cell.com/iscience/ful...
September 15, 2025 at 8:22 PM
While countries aim to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, a recent study in @cp-iscience.bsky.social assesses the critical mineral demand needed to meet this target and examines how mineral bottlenecks affect clean tech: www.cell.com/iscience/ful...
🚨 New study alert 🚨 What renewable energy targets should China adopt in its forthcoming climate targets? Our latest research in @CellRepSustain provides a roadmap for reducing emissions in China's power sector by 2035. 🧵 Dive into our key findings below 👇
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Ratcheting up wind and solar targets for decarbonizing the power sector in China and beyond
As countries are releasing their 2035 nationally determined contributions (NDCs), we examine the renewable deployment requirements for China to meet i…
www.sciencedirect.com
May 15, 2025 at 4:51 PM
🚨 New study alert 🚨 What renewable energy targets should China adopt in its forthcoming climate targets? Our latest research in @CellRepSustain provides a roadmap for reducing emissions in China's power sector by 2035. 🧵 Dive into our key findings below 👇
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🚨 New research alert 🚨 How important is regional power sector coordination for achieving affordable, reliable, and clean power in the Western U.S.? Our new Power Transformation Lab study in @NatureComms dives deep: doi.org/10.1038/s414... 🧵Thread on key findings👇
Coordinating power sector climate transitions under policy uncertainty - Nature Communications
Effective climate policy requires coordination among political jurisdictions. We find that aggregate costs of coordinated power systems are just a few percent lower than the current levels, but state-...
doi.org
May 5, 2025 at 5:24 PM
🚨 New research alert 🚨 How important is regional power sector coordination for achieving affordable, reliable, and clean power in the Western U.S.? Our new Power Transformation Lab study in @NatureComms dives deep: doi.org/10.1038/s414... 🧵Thread on key findings👇
Reposted by Michael Davidson
Here is video of the terrific discussion featuring our 2nd fellowship cohort’s Climate & Environment team @michaeldavidson.bsky.social, @joannalewis.bsky.social, @katelogan.bsky.social, presenting their working papers, expertly moderated by @greenlawchina.bsky.social: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNZT...
January 23, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Here is video of the terrific discussion featuring our 2nd fellowship cohort’s Climate & Environment team @michaeldavidson.bsky.social, @joannalewis.bsky.social, @katelogan.bsky.social, presenting their working papers, expertly moderated by @greenlawchina.bsky.social: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNZT...
Reposted by Michael Davidson
We are delighted to publish working papers by the Climate & Environment team of this year's fellowship cohort, available at global.upenn.edu/future-of-us.... And please join us for a live webinar featuring these authors tomorrow January 23 from 4-5 pm ET, registration link at the QR code below:
January 22, 2025 at 3:27 PM
We are delighted to publish working papers by the Climate & Environment team of this year's fellowship cohort, available at global.upenn.edu/future-of-us.... And please join us for a live webinar featuring these authors tomorrow January 23 from 4-5 pm ET, registration link at the QR code below:
We published our take-aways from the 2024 Workshop on Low-Carbon Transitions in Chinese State-Owned Enterprises, held earlier this year. Here are some of our key observations:
pwrlab.org/2024/12/15/w...
pwrlab.org/2024/12/15/w...
2024 Workshop on Low-Carbon Transitions in Chinese State-Owned Enterprises: Key Take-Aways
These takeaways represent significant points made during the discussion at the ”Workshop on Low-Carbon Transitions in Chinese SOEs” held at UC San Diego on April 12-13, 2024. They are not consensus ob...
pwrlab.org
December 17, 2024 at 7:05 AM
We published our take-aways from the 2024 Workshop on Low-Carbon Transitions in Chinese State-Owned Enterprises, held earlier this year. Here are some of our key observations:
pwrlab.org/2024/12/15/w...
pwrlab.org/2024/12/15/w...
Highly recommend this piece by @busbyj2.bsky.social and coauthors on how to manage current conflicts between US and China on clean tech and minerals. carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
Can the U.S. and China Ease Tensions with a Clean Tech Détente?
To limit the damage from an escalating trade dispute, the United States and China should negotiate a clean tech détente to balance support for domestic industries given the reality of the countries’ e...
carnegieendowment.org
December 7, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Highly recommend this piece by @busbyj2.bsky.social and coauthors on how to manage current conflicts between US and China on clean tech and minerals. carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
This short pod interviewing @kclausing.bsky.social is the most digestible explanation I’ve heard of the connection among tariffs, employment, inflation, supply chains and (!) monetary policy. @soumayakeynes.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...
The Economics Show: Would Trump’s tariffs really be that bad?
Podcast Episode · FT News Briefing · 12/01/2024 · 33m
podcasts.apple.com
December 1, 2024 at 11:30 AM
This short pod interviewing @kclausing.bsky.social is the most digestible explanation I’ve heard of the connection among tariffs, employment, inflation, supply chains and (!) monetary policy. @soumayakeynes.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...
Y’all @joannalewis.bsky.social is on here.
What will the U.S.’s climate policy look like under President-elect Donald Trump? SFS Prof Joanna Lewis discussed U.S.-China renewable energy competition on @cnbcofficial.bsky.social.
Read more: www.cnbc.com/2024/11/14/t...
Read more: www.cnbc.com/2024/11/14/t...
Trump may cede global climate leadership to China
As Republicans eye a red sweep, the U.S. could announce its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement as soon as early 2025 and complete it by beginning of 2026.
www.cnbc.com
November 30, 2024 at 12:34 AM
Y’all @joannalewis.bsky.social is on here.
Indonesia’s new president has committed to phase out coal and all fossil power in 15 years. If this is where you’re starting from, with less than 1 GW of wind and solar on the grid—that is the definition of ambitious.
November 22, 2024 at 11:23 AM
Indonesia’s new president has committed to phase out coal and all fossil power in 15 years. If this is where you’re starting from, with less than 1 GW of wind and solar on the grid—that is the definition of ambitious.
The climate+trade debate is increasingly conflating two very different issues:
1. Embedded carbon in trade (of energy intensive products),
2. Trade of low carbon technologies.
These are quite distinct issues. Perhaps there is a grand bargain here but it’s elusive to me.
1. Embedded carbon in trade (of energy intensive products),
2. Trade of low carbon technologies.
These are quite distinct issues. Perhaps there is a grand bargain here but it’s elusive to me.
November 21, 2024 at 9:57 AM
The climate+trade debate is increasingly conflating two very different issues:
1. Embedded carbon in trade (of energy intensive products),
2. Trade of low carbon technologies.
These are quite distinct issues. Perhaps there is a grand bargain here but it’s elusive to me.
1. Embedded carbon in trade (of energy intensive products),
2. Trade of low carbon technologies.
These are quite distinct issues. Perhaps there is a grand bargain here but it’s elusive to me.
Reposted by Michael Davidson
Tech transfer was always about technology for profits.
The EU is absolutely right to pool its leverage to extract the best deal possible, just like China did for decades.
It's about being smart and acting in the best interests of your constituencies.
www.ft.com/content/f4fd...
The EU is absolutely right to pool its leverage to extract the best deal possible, just like China did for decades.
It's about being smart and acting in the best interests of your constituencies.
www.ft.com/content/f4fd...
EU to demand technology transfers from Chinese companies
New requirements will apply to batteries but could be expanded to other green sectors
www.ft.com
November 19, 2024 at 7:32 PM
Tech transfer was always about technology for profits.
The EU is absolutely right to pool its leverage to extract the best deal possible, just like China did for decades.
It's about being smart and acting in the best interests of your constituencies.
www.ft.com/content/f4fd...
The EU is absolutely right to pool its leverage to extract the best deal possible, just like China did for decades.
It's about being smart and acting in the best interests of your constituencies.
www.ft.com/content/f4fd...
📢 We are hiring! @teevrat.bsky.social and I @GPS_UCSD are looking for postdoc on clean energy trade relationship between China and India. We are analyzing:
- trade (HS8) / global value chains data
- localization policies
- global competitiveness
For more info: pwrlab.org/2024/11/15/j...
- trade (HS8) / global value chains data
- localization policies
- global competitiveness
For more info: pwrlab.org/2024/11/15/j...
Job Opening: Postdoctoral Scholar – Renewable Energy Trade between India and China
Postdoctoral Scholar – Renewable Energy Trade between India and China The 21st Century India Center at UC San Diego invites applications for a postdoctoral scholar to conduct research on the renewable...
pwrlab.org
November 20, 2024 at 4:28 AM
📢 We are hiring! @teevrat.bsky.social and I @GPS_UCSD are looking for postdoc on clean energy trade relationship between China and India. We are analyzing:
- trade (HS8) / global value chains data
- localization policies
- global competitiveness
For more info: pwrlab.org/2024/11/15/j...
- trade (HS8) / global value chains data
- localization policies
- global competitiveness
For more info: pwrlab.org/2024/11/15/j...
Reposted by Michael Davidson
Highly recommend this survey by @michaeldavidson.bsky.social on the challenges of the decline of coal and decarbonization in China. Power shortages in 2021 and 2022 cast a long shadow as the country has permitted new coal plant construction. wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Managing the decline of coal in a decarbonizing China
China's coal employment has gone through two previous contractions, indicating the opportunity and challenges for the coming decarbonization transition.
wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 19, 2024 at 4:27 PM
Highly recommend this survey by @michaeldavidson.bsky.social on the challenges of the decline of coal and decarbonization in China. Power shortages in 2021 and 2022 cast a long shadow as the country has permitted new coal plant construction. wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
This is an invaluable resource by @carbonbrief.org . Collecting scientific literature mapped to individual regions and events. Few places on Earth have been spared from climate change attributed extreme weather.
Climate attribution comes of age: "Studies calculating the role of the climate crisis in what are now unnatural disasters show 550 heatwaves, floods, storms, droughts and wildfires have been made significantly more severe or more frequent by global heating."
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Climate crisis to blame for dozens of ‘impossible’ heatwaves, studies reveal
Exclusive: Analyses are stark evidence of how global heating is already supercharging deadly weather beyond anything ever experienced by humanity
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2024 at 7:43 AM
This is an invaluable resource by @carbonbrief.org . Collecting scientific literature mapped to individual regions and events. Few places on Earth have been spared from climate change attributed extreme weather.
On that other app, a podcast just dropped – like many I have done on China’s energy problems and policies. Except this time, was bombarded by detractors claiming I was an East German sympathizer. I need a breath of fresh air and blue sky!
November 13, 2024 at 10:26 AM
On that other app, a podcast just dropped – like many I have done on China’s energy problems and policies. Except this time, was bombarded by detractors claiming I was an East German sympathizer. I need a breath of fresh air and blue sky!
Reposted by Michael Davidson
9 energy-climate starter packs:
1)Power go.bsky.app/RwCBCab
2)Media go.bsky.app/2TNd1Ya
3)Solutions go.bsky.app/Aa1sErQ
4)Science go.bsky.app/7Mbnoge
5)Legal go.bsky.app/R4ZUdPE
6)Women go.bsky.app/AGCURBf
7)Nuclear go.bsky.app/5EJY58V
8)EVs go.bsky.app/R4ZUdPE
9)Southeast go.bsky.app/AZ6Xw1U
1)Power go.bsky.app/RwCBCab
2)Media go.bsky.app/2TNd1Ya
3)Solutions go.bsky.app/Aa1sErQ
4)Science go.bsky.app/7Mbnoge
5)Legal go.bsky.app/R4ZUdPE
6)Women go.bsky.app/AGCURBf
7)Nuclear go.bsky.app/5EJY58V
8)EVs go.bsky.app/R4ZUdPE
9)Southeast go.bsky.app/AZ6Xw1U
November 11, 2024 at 3:07 PM
9 energy-climate starter packs:
1)Power go.bsky.app/RwCBCab
2)Media go.bsky.app/2TNd1Ya
3)Solutions go.bsky.app/Aa1sErQ
4)Science go.bsky.app/7Mbnoge
5)Legal go.bsky.app/R4ZUdPE
6)Women go.bsky.app/AGCURBf
7)Nuclear go.bsky.app/5EJY58V
8)EVs go.bsky.app/R4ZUdPE
9)Southeast go.bsky.app/AZ6Xw1U
1)Power go.bsky.app/RwCBCab
2)Media go.bsky.app/2TNd1Ya
3)Solutions go.bsky.app/Aa1sErQ
4)Science go.bsky.app/7Mbnoge
5)Legal go.bsky.app/R4ZUdPE
6)Women go.bsky.app/AGCURBf
7)Nuclear go.bsky.app/5EJY58V
8)EVs go.bsky.app/R4ZUdPE
9)Southeast go.bsky.app/AZ6Xw1U
Hello world!
I am an assistant professor at UC San Diego where I direct the Power Transformation Lab pwrlab.org Twitter: @east_winds. I muse on:
- power grids and climate
- clean tech supply chains / industrial policy
- political economy of energy transitions
- China (and SE Asia, India)
I am an assistant professor at UC San Diego where I direct the Power Transformation Lab pwrlab.org Twitter: @east_winds. I muse on:
- power grids and climate
- clean tech supply chains / industrial policy
- political economy of energy transitions
- China (and SE Asia, India)
Power Transformation Lab
The Power Transformation Lab at the University of California, San Diego studies the engineering and institutional requirements of deploying low-carbon energy at scale
pwrlab.org
November 11, 2024 at 2:13 PM
Hello world!
I am an assistant professor at UC San Diego where I direct the Power Transformation Lab pwrlab.org Twitter: @east_winds. I muse on:
- power grids and climate
- clean tech supply chains / industrial policy
- political economy of energy transitions
- China (and SE Asia, India)
I am an assistant professor at UC San Diego where I direct the Power Transformation Lab pwrlab.org Twitter: @east_winds. I muse on:
- power grids and climate
- clean tech supply chains / industrial policy
- political economy of energy transitions
- China (and SE Asia, India)