Josh Wilson
@pjoshwilson.bsky.social
Clean energy nerd, wannabe technocrat, slow AF runner, cattle dog minder, and kidney donor living in Buffalo, NY.
Who said the goal is to make the GOP honest? I though we were talking winning elections.
March 6, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Who said the goal is to make the GOP honest? I though we were talking winning elections.
For example, I usually walk to work, but on the coldest days I am much more likely to drive or take the bus.
March 2, 2025 at 5:39 PM
For example, I usually walk to work, but on the coldest days I am much more likely to drive or take the bus.
This is a tough ask. My BEV loses about 45% of its efficiency in winter, and coldest weather means people need their cars more because walking and biking are more difficult especially when combined with snow and ice. So the natural tendency is much higher BEV energy use on coldest days/weeks.
March 2, 2025 at 5:38 PM
This is a tough ask. My BEV loses about 45% of its efficiency in winter, and coldest weather means people need their cars more because walking and biking are more difficult especially when combined with snow and ice. So the natural tendency is much higher BEV energy use on coldest days/weeks.
Domestic manufacturers will be protected indefinitely within the countries that have them. I don't see the US giving up 4M manufacturing jobs and not sure I'd want it to.
December 29, 2024 at 4:57 PM
Domestic manufacturers will be protected indefinitely within the countries that have them. I don't see the US giving up 4M manufacturing jobs and not sure I'd want it to.
Spotify's algorithm is easy to avoid by following artists, creating playlists, and pushing in tracks from apps like Shazam. Unlike social media, there are competitors with comparable catalogs, so easy to jump if Spotify ever became heavy handed. This is why Spotify mostly hasn't enshitified.
December 28, 2024 at 2:16 AM
Spotify's algorithm is easy to avoid by following artists, creating playlists, and pushing in tracks from apps like Shazam. Unlike social media, there are competitors with comparable catalogs, so easy to jump if Spotify ever became heavy handed. This is why Spotify mostly hasn't enshitified.
I don't recall the details of the NYT piece, but Aviv writes about Andrea Munro and her sisters' evolving understanding of the abuse and their relationship to each other. I thought it was insightful about truth and art and families.
December 25, 2024 at 10:13 PM
I don't recall the details of the NYT piece, but Aviv writes about Andrea Munro and her sisters' evolving understanding of the abuse and their relationship to each other. I thought it was insightful about truth and art and families.
In the US the challenge is NIMBY and right wing politics. We're entering a political period where renewable incentives will probably be gutted. History (and South Korea) show us that nuke costs go down and speed goes up when construction is scaled. Put together, maybe nuke needs to be on the table.
December 22, 2024 at 4:38 PM
In the US the challenge is NIMBY and right wing politics. We're entering a political period where renewable incentives will probably be gutted. History (and South Korea) show us that nuke costs go down and speed goes up when construction is scaled. Put together, maybe nuke needs to be on the table.
In the face of reduced and declining PM 2.5, it's a value-laden decision what is an acceptable impact. Combustion is tied to traditions and comfort for many, and individuals and communities will need to figure this out. So I'm OK with this home being lifted up even though it has secondary wood heat.
December 22, 2024 at 4:01 PM
In the face of reduced and declining PM 2.5, it's a value-laden decision what is an acceptable impact. Combustion is tied to traditions and comfort for many, and individuals and communities will need to figure this out. So I'm OK with this home being lifted up even though it has secondary wood heat.
Does that include an assumption for methane capture and flaring by the landfill?
December 16, 2024 at 6:02 AM
Does that include an assumption for methane capture and flaring by the landfill?
Being fooled and doing bad journalism is different than 'fake news'.
December 15, 2024 at 1:56 PM
Being fooled and doing bad journalism is different than 'fake news'.
Interestingly, none of the ghost job ads were ads to hire hiring managers.
December 14, 2024 at 1:56 PM
Interestingly, none of the ghost job ads were ads to hire hiring managers.
For a more accurate estimate you need to model weather, electric resistance
heat use, grid emissions, refrigerant losses etc. but you get to around the same place. And of course renewables make HP much more beneficial.
wcec.ucdavis.edu/analysis-of-...
heat use, grid emissions, refrigerant losses etc. but you get to around the same place. And of course renewables make HP much more beneficial.
wcec.ucdavis.edu/analysis-of-...
Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Residential Heating Technologies in USA - Western Cooling Efficiency Center
Residential energy use is responsible for about 20% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the US. Growing housing stock and continued use of fossil fuels to heat homes is making it more challengi...
wcec.ucdavis.edu
December 14, 2024 at 1:28 PM
For a more accurate estimate you need to model weather, electric resistance
heat use, grid emissions, refrigerant losses etc. but you get to around the same place. And of course renewables make HP much more beneficial.
wcec.ucdavis.edu/analysis-of-...
heat use, grid emissions, refrigerant losses etc. but you get to around the same place. And of course renewables make HP much more beneficial.
wcec.ucdavis.edu/analysis-of-...
NG-generated electric, air source heat pump: 3.0 heat pump COP, 0.6 efficiency for CC natural gas plant, 0.8 transmission and distribution losses, so 1.44 total for HP heat versus 0.95 for gas heat. So rough estimate about 30% GHG savings using conservative assumptions.
December 14, 2024 at 1:28 PM
NG-generated electric, air source heat pump: 3.0 heat pump COP, 0.6 efficiency for CC natural gas plant, 0.8 transmission and distribution losses, so 1.44 total for HP heat versus 0.95 for gas heat. So rough estimate about 30% GHG savings using conservative assumptions.
It's a good question, and it does, even versus natural gas electric generation which is more GHG efficient than coal or oil. Back of the envelope: NG heating best case is 0.95 efficient ignoring methane losses from residential distribution.
December 14, 2024 at 1:28 PM
It's a good question, and it does, even versus natural gas electric generation which is more GHG efficient than coal or oil. Back of the envelope: NG heating best case is 0.95 efficient ignoring methane losses from residential distribution.
BTW, speaking as a Buffalo resident where our Main St pedestrian mall failed and is sadly being reverted to cars.
December 11, 2024 at 12:54 AM
BTW, speaking as a Buffalo resident where our Main St pedestrian mall failed and is sadly being reverted to cars.
Yes they are loved, but love isn't enough. Need to make sure we learn from the many failed pedestrian malls of the past, focus on good planning, and tie these to a broader urban program. www.governing.com/assessments/...
The Strange, Troubled History of Pedestrian Malls
A few of them have worked out well. Most of them have been failures. But the idea of building new ones has never died, and there are signs of still another incarnation.
www.governing.com
December 11, 2024 at 12:54 AM
Yes they are loved, but love isn't enough. Need to make sure we learn from the many failed pedestrian malls of the past, focus on good planning, and tie these to a broader urban program. www.governing.com/assessments/...
This is an important question. Check out @timothysnyder.bsky.social short book On Tyranny for a practical guide. Here's rule number 1.
November 26, 2024 at 4:51 AM
This is an important question. Check out @timothysnyder.bsky.social short book On Tyranny for a practical guide. Here's rule number 1.
The goal isn't a cut in US emissions, it's a cut in overall emissions. Doesn't more US LNG exports increases overall emissions?
November 23, 2024 at 7:38 PM
The goal isn't a cut in US emissions, it's a cut in overall emissions. Doesn't more US LNG exports increases overall emissions?
I could reuse my indirect DHW tank as a storage tank, and add an electric DHW tank and a small circulator. Carbon savings are large given our nuke and hydro electric mix. TLDR: electric resistance hot water could make sense vs NG where electric is clean and time of use rates are cheap.
November 22, 2024 at 9:24 PM
I could reuse my indirect DHW tank as a storage tank, and add an electric DHW tank and a small circulator. Carbon savings are large given our nuke and hydro electric mix. TLDR: electric resistance hot water could make sense vs NG where electric is clean and time of use rates are cheap.
Interesting. This might make a good stand alone action here in Buffalo, NY. We have relatively clean electric and I have a Time of Use meter bc of my EV, $0.078/kWh off peak. Switching from NG to electric resistance is only an extra ~12% energy cost and avoids cycling and wearing out my boiler.
November 22, 2024 at 9:15 PM
Interesting. This might make a good stand alone action here in Buffalo, NY. We have relatively clean electric and I have a Time of Use meter bc of my EV, $0.078/kWh off peak. Switching from NG to electric resistance is only an extra ~12% energy cost and avoids cycling and wearing out my boiler.