Related to Meredith's blog on Monday - and demonstrating that we don't do as much hallway chat as we should - my oped in the SF Chronicle today on San Francisco's possible purchase of PG&E's distribution system in SF to create a municipal utility. www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...
State judge upheld California's 2022 changes to its net metering tariff, known as NEM 3.0. Good news, though the change has actually turned out to be a very small step in addressing the state's rooftop solar cost shift.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/05/19/h...
www.utilitydive.com/news/appeals...
I need to proofread my dictation software more carefully.
Meredith Fowlie, our utility wildfire risk maven, discusses how new CA legislation that REDUCES barriers to creating a municipal utility might shift the burden of wildfire prevention and damages.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2026/03/09/t...
Meredith Fowlie, our utility wildfire risk maven, discusses how new CA legislation that produces barriers to creating a municipal utility might shift the burden of wildfire prevention and damages.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2026/03/09/t...
The prediction markets have a very different view of nearterm gasoline prices than the futures market. I haven't done the full calculation with options prices, but it looks like there is probably an arbitrage opportunity.
www.natesilver.net/p/gas-prices...
www.wsj.com/market-data/...
Brent crude May contract closes at $93, but July 2026 is $83, Sept 2026 contract is $73 and May 2027 is $71. Traders still seem to think war impact will mostly be in next few months.
www.wsj.com/market-data/...
Disheartening to see anyone taken seriously who says US (or California) oil production protects consumers from Iran war impact. Producers argue world market sets the price. Correct! Oil price reflects value, not proximity, as recent gasoline price jumps show.
www.foxnews.com/video/639043...
EIA has a very nice In-brief Analysis showing just how remarkable the nearly 2 decades of flat electricity demand have been prior to the last few years.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
Jim Sallee's EI blog today on how trump's misguided tariffs will bring inexpensive and impressive Chinese EV's to our neighbors. US auto policy only makes sense if climate change isn't real and EV tech progress will slow drastically. Pretty stupid bet.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2026/03/02/t...
Fascinating episode of Shift Key podcast on data centers and energy demand. Robinson Meyer interviews Peter Freed (former director of energy strategy at Meta from 2014 to 2024), who seems to be both knowledgeable and thoughtful on the subject.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
Aaron Smith's EI blog reminds us that the details matter for full impact of enviro regulation. Mandate for "sustainable" aviation fuel will cannibalize renewable diesel for ground transport. Small incremental renewable fuel use, very small enviro benefit.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2026/02/23/h...
NYT article does a good job of covering part of the story. Data centers could drive up power bills, but they could also drive them down if policymakers respond with smart requirements.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/c...
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/09/29/w...
Conclusion of NY Fed economists is same as vast majority of econ research over many decades when tariffs were promoted by the left. The Econ research hasn't wavered. Hassett and other formerly conservative politicos have just found MAGA religion.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Really nice quick overview of the grid scale solar market in Texas from the Dallas Fed. Recognizes the constraints of solar and also the incredibly low costs.
www.dallasfed.org/research/eco...
Actually gas from Gulf Coast transshipped through Bahamas to evade self-defeating restrictions of Jones Act. CA is going to lose refineries as we ramp down gasoline. Need lower trade frictions to smooth the transition. Fed govt could make that happen, but won't.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
What's so disturbing is not DOD & FAA got wires crossed - which could happen under any administration - but that this admin went straight to an unfounded narrative, rather than investigating what went wrong. That's how mistakes become catastrophic accidents.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/u...
How can anyone read this and not realize that the US president is a deranged, lying, mob boss? 🍁✊
www.bbc.com/news/article...
A must read if you follow cap and trade markets. Jim Bushnell discusses what investors know, or think they know, that is keeping CA allowance prices so low. An important puzzle given very low probability that CA emissions will drop as fast as the cap.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2026/02/09/w...
Even if "staffer" posted the racist video of the Obamas "erroneously": trump has refused to apologize or acknowledge a problem, while press secretary - idiot attack dog Karoline Leavitt - called response "fake outrage". This is the moral compass of trump and minions.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/u...
Interesting update on impact of Venezuelan and other crude production changes on North America markets, and a lot of chatter about new pipelines to reoptimize the system. Some pipelines have already started, but hard to know whether the others are serious plans.
www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-...
The US is in, and now attempting to bully the rest of the world into, a dis-enlightenment period, when decisions are made based on superstition and allegiance to tribe, rather than evidence. Mostly, but not completely from the right, eg, anti-GMO movement.
www.npr.org/2026/01/30/g...
Dark red line along the bottom of graph is CA, the place some misinformed folks say has expensive elec due to all its wind, solar, and batteries. (Counting RA cost doesn't chg the story) Our high rates pay for response to what climate change is already doing: wildfires.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
CAISO gets the best grade again, but still room for improvement. Nonetheless, it's nice to see recognition of the improvements that the great team at CAISO has made.
cleanenergygrid.org/wp-content/u...
In EI blog, Duncan Callaway, Emilia Chojkiewicz & Amol Phadke analyze v exciting idea: use complementary demand and supply patterns of existing gas peakers w new data centers, renewables & batteries for fast interconnection under existing grid agreements.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2026/02/02/a...
Somewhat reassuring to see the bitcoin Ponzi scheme partially unravel over the last few months (down 40%), and particularly over the last week, but trump likely to boost it through statements or government bailout. www.coindesk.com/price/bitcoin
NY Times Wirecutter has a nice explainer on choosing the right LED bulb for your needs.
www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/r...
New chapter in the Trump kleptocracy: suing the government and having his own appointees settle the case by paying him off. If no one can sue sitting POTUS, shouldn't he be required to postpone his lawsuits until he leaves office?
www.cnn.com/2026/01/29/b...
Artic freeze across the county briefly sent nat gas prices to new all-time spot record at Henry Hub on Monday, above $30/MMBTU. Then dropped by more than half. Front month futures remained below $4. Storage and supply constraints.
naturalgasintel.com/news/henry-h...
I understand, and agree with, requiring large loads to do long-term power purchases, rather than stick that risk on other ratepayers. But I don't see how an emergency auction is necessary or helpful. Aren't long-term PPAs fairly bespoke not generic?
www.wsj.com/business/ene...
My new post in Energy Inst blog disputes common narrative of a national elec affordability crisis. Or that price increases reflect the same drivers. Inflation-adj US average rates have changed little in last decade, but some states have been big outliers.
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2026/01/26/l...
