Olivia Chen

Why Some Cold States Are Making It Cheaper to Run a Heat Pump

Policy example boosting the #affordability of clean energy: #US states MA + MN adjusting residential electricity tariffs for #HeatPump owners, as they are "using more electrons in the winter, but not contributing more to the overall cost of the system" www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/u...

IEA: Fossil-fuel use will peak before 2030 – unless ‘stated policies’ are abandoned - Carbon Brief The world’s fossil-fuel use is still on track to peak before 2030, despite a surge...

@iea.org's World Energy Outlook 2025 is out! @carbonbrief.org provides their annual take: www.carbonbrief.org/iea-fossil-f...

UN Sees World’s Emissions Falling 10% by 2035, Far Short of 60% Goal The pace of emissions reductions is “still not nearly fast enough,” according to UNFCCC’s Stiel.

New #NDCs ahead of #COP30 point to global emissions decreasing 10% by 2035, far short of the 60% needed to keep global warming below 1.5C. Finally seeing a 1st decrease, but not large enough! www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-28/un-sees-world-s-emissions-falling-10-by-2035-far-short-of-60-goal

There’s a reason electricity prices are rising. And it’s not data centers. It’s not data centers or AI, it’s something else.

Insightful @washingtonpost.com article about US #ElectricityPrices, summarising @lbnlengineering.lbl.gov study on how more electricity demand can actually lower prices: www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

Trump’s Hydrogen Cuts Put the US Further Behind China on Key Green Tech China already produces 60% of the world’s electrolyzers, and it continues to provide policy support to bring down the costs of the clean fuel.

With all of Trump's recent funding cuts for green hydrogen, the always daunting task of competing against China's cleantech juggernaut is looking more challenging for the US industry.

W/ the wonderful @cocojournalist.bsky.social

Gift link below:

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

China Played It Safe With First Pledge to Cut Greenhouse Emissions Other nations have achieved larger declines after reaching peak climate pollution — and the world’s biggest emitter has exceeded its own goals

A double news update after a summer respite from social media: 1) I’ve joined @bloomberg.com
to report on China & climate! 2) Just in time for China’s new climate targets, announced by Xi today. I’m thrilled to cover this special beat—and to be diving right in:

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

A weather station in Storforshei, Norway, on the edge of the Arctic Circle, has now hit 30°C (86°F) or greater for 12 consecutive days.

Let that sink in.

Forecast 2-m temperatures today in Finland, based on the MEPS regional model.

20 straight days with 30 °C in Finland! Truly unprecedented heatwave still in full swing with maximum today about 32-33 degrees.

Even the Arctic regions (e.g. Sodankylä Tähtelä) have seen three weeks above 25 °C, and may rival tomorrow their August heat records.

This is unbelievable.

The high temperature at one of Finland’s northernmost weather stations, in the municipality of Sodankylä (Lapland region) within the Arctic Circle at latitude 67.3°N, reached at least 25°C for 26 days in a row.

Records date back to 1908.

Analysis: China’s clean-energy exports in 2024 alone will cut overseas CO2 by 1% - Carbon Brief China’s clean-energy technologies such as solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles are helping to cut emissions in other countries.

"China’s exports of clean-energy technologies such as solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles are already shaving 1% off global emissions outside of China and, in total, will avoid some 4 Gt CO2 over the lifetimes of the products." @carbonbrief.org
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chi...

China's Clean Energy Boom Could Win the Race to Power the Future Beijing is selling clean energy to the world, Washington is pushing oil and gas. Both are driven by national security.

A good read about the #US and #China's energy strategies: "...two of the most powerful countries in the world, the United States and China, are pursuing energy strategies defined mainly by economic and national security concerns, as opposed to the climate crisis." www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Chart: In a first, clean power beat fossil fuels on US grid last month Sunnier, windier days helped propel clean sources past gas and coal in March. It’s a milestone for the U.S. energy transition.

For the first time, this March, clean energy (renewables and nuclear) accounted for more than half of #US #electricity generation, beating fossil fuels. "A decade ago, the United States got nearly two-thirds of its power from fossil fuels." #energysky
www.canarymedia.com/articles/cle...

2️⃣Aluminium makes up 5% of China's GHG emissions, with a large share of smelting emissions coming from captive coal plants. As such, the State Planner (NDRC) has established green electricity targets for the aluminium sector by province, which will give a push for deep retrofits & fuel switching.

1️⃣Currently, ~15% of China's aluminium exports go to the US. Faced with new tariffs, China may shift exports to other economies (Australia, ASEAN, UK) that are considering cross-border mechanisms to incentivise lower-carbon production, which could increase China's momentum for decarbonisation.

Analysis: Why Trump’s Tariffs Are a Green Opportunity for Chinese Aluminum Decarbonizing aluminum offers China a win-win solution for the climate crisis and geopolitical uncertainties.

My good friend Vittoria Chen at #TransitionAsia has released a new op-ed on how decarbonising #aluminium in #China can help to address both climate change and geopolitical uncertainties - have a read here!🔗https://www.shuangtan.me/p/trump-tariff-china-aluminum-decarbonization-opportunity

This suggests that #AI is neither so electricity-intensive that it will derail clean energy transitions, nor is it a singular innovation that will solve #ClimateChange. It is a tool that we need to use wisely; proactive policy is needed to harness AI benefits for emissions reductions. 3/3

If #AI is extensively applied towards optimising #energy production & consumption, by 2035 it could enable ~1.4 Gt CO2 reductions, more than offsetting all data centre emissions. Yet, these applications have yet to materialise + AI-enabled efficiencies could lead to higher energy use (a rebound). 2/

IEA's new report on #AI & #Energy gives a sense of how much the growing use of data centres will affect global emissions: In 2024, #DataCentres worldwide accounted for 0.5% of energy-related CO2 (180 Mt). In 2035, data centres' share rises to 1%-1.5% (~500 Mt) in IEA projections. #energysky 1/

The Promise of American Higher Education No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue

Alan Garber's courageous letter: www.harvard.edu/president/ne...
"We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity—and with faith in the enduring promise that America’s colleges and universities hold for our country and our world."

What a magnificent display of courage and integrity by #Harvard University leadership, in the face of unconstitutional and unreasonable demands. Proud of my alma mater and eager to support its research funding.