Happy 4th of July. Me (age 5), my younger brother (age 2), and our mother directing a tiny fife and drum corps (drums by Quaker Oats). Decatur, Georgia, 1982.

Last year the stack dropped 10% to 2.0 TW, as more than 750 GW withdrew. Gas proposals were up, especially in MISO, SPP, and ERCOT, but solar, storage, and wind capacity decreased. The usual caveat: not all projects in the queue will be built! But it is a strong indicator of near-term trends. 3/x

New data from @BerkeleyLab shows that the massive backlog of generation & storage interconnection requests has shrunk a bit, as reforms and other market factors take effect. See our slide deck, data dashboard, maps, and downloads at emp.lbl.gov/queues. -THREAD-

The latest @dkthomp.bsky.social podcast with @matthewherper.bsky.social is one of the best things I’ve heard all year. Ideal host, ideal guest, and an incredible set of topics (and set of science stories). Give it a listen. www.theringer.com/podcasts/pla...

In a tightly-contested match, Dutch Miffy plays Japanese Hello Kitty to a 2-2 draw

Solar has overtaken gas power in Asia to become the continent’s third-largest source of electricity www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-sol...

GS: Hyperscalers expected to allocate 100% of cash flows from operations to capex

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rising gas prices pushed inflation to its highest level in three years last month, a headache for the Federal Reserve and a potential political challenge for the Trump administration as midterm elections near. @chrisrugaber.bsky.social #CPI apnews.com/article/cons...

China's EV charging volumes were up a whopping 69% in April, showing a significant acceleration even from the pre-crisis growth trend and showing how a shift to EVs is mitigating the oil crunch. Urban rail and taxi ridership increased 6% and 7%.

New, deeply-reported @jenhiller.bsky.social piece for @wsj.com on Arizona's data center cluster, the grid response, and how the Phoenix is becoming a test case for who pays what for power. Happy to see @halcyonai.bsky.social in there too! www.wsj.com/business/ene...

LinkedIn has discovered their AI problem "we’re seeing a rise in what many call “AI slop," content that is low-effort, AI-generated content that may sound polished on the surface but lacks any real unique perspective or substance."

The Tesla Model Y was the top-selling car in Australia in May, the first time an EV has topped the charts. The recently introduced emissions standards are starting to have an effect. robbieandrew.github.io/carsales/?la...

Breaking news: A potential tie-up between US power company NextEra Energy and its rival Dominion Energy would rank as one of the largest deals of all time ft.trib.al/Rb4XQLB

24% of trips on China's highways during the May 1 holiday were in EVs, while the share of EVs in all vehicles is 15%, highlighting how EVs are making a bigger dent in oil consumption than their share in the fleet. EV charging volumes along the highways were up 56% year on year.

*CME TO CREATE FUTURES MARKET FOR COMPUTING POWER BACKING AI

I read this from @zeitlin.bsky.social last week, and re-read it just now. It's very good. heatmap.news/energy/utili...

A handful of visuals from my latest newsletter.

Now at $4.40 www.gasbuddy.com/charts

Relative market share, two ways open.substack.com/pub/a16z/p/c...

China oil stockpile in context: a billion barrels more than the US. Also, Japan oil stockpile in context: bigger than all of OECD Europe. Note: *before* strategic releases in March 2026 www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...

74% of respondents to the latest Dallas Fed energy survey predict (at most) a 0.25mbpd increase in US production this year in response to the Iran war www.dallasfed.org/research/sur...

Three people in California have been sentenced for insurance fraud involving a person in a bear costume damaging high-end cars.

““It is perhaps not the smartest thing to be picking a fight with the pope.”

A few slides from my Transition-AI keynote for @latitudemedia.bsky.social earlier this week.

samuel beckett was born on this day 120 years ago. astonishing to think that if he had survived, and could run 100m in 9.57 seconds, he would be not only the oldest but also the fastest man in the world - together with his nobel prize for literature, an astonishing trifecta

HSBC CEO “The highest I’ve seen, and I’m hoping we don’t see more of that, but the highest I’ve seen is $286 for a barrel of oil that reached Sri Lanka” That’s a delivered barrel so includes shipping, insurance, etc. But it’s still an eye-watering price to pay. FT full quote:

Everyone seems to think coal will get a big lift because of the oil&gas crisis, except for the professionals - the traders and plant operators. They're buying less of the stuff in April, not more. Note this includes within-country shipments which are big in e.g. China, Indonesia.

I really enjoy @dkthomp.bsky.social as a writer, speaker, thinker, and interviewer. Delighted to be back on Plain English for a third time www.theringer.com/podcasts/pla...

Always fond of the old pence per chaldron pricing unit (thanks @jkempenergy.bsky.social)

What Did We Learn? #EnergySky

"Leg day is the periodic table and energy - hard, grinding stuff that actually makes you genuinely strong." @alexbhturnbull.bsky.social syncretica.substack.com/p/what-did-w...

One of my favorite data series, and nice to see it now at @ourworldindata.org

As the Middle East conflict continues to shake the world - people are asking us about solar, heat pumps and electric cars in record numbers. Solar sales up 54%. Heat pumps up 51%. EV leasing up 36%. Battery installations nearly doubled. 🧵 (2/4)

People in Britain want energy security that doesn't depend on what's happening thousands of miles away... 🧵 (1/4) @financialtimes.com

Very excited to see @robinwigglesworth.ft.com’s book out in September. I have pre-ordered A Fabulous Debt, of course, and you should too www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/750210...

Since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, countries across Asia have had to limit fuel purchases. Run by a junta and facing civil war, Myanmar is among the hardest hit.

Airlines in crisis mode as Iran war hits jet fuel supplies ft.trib.al/VLegxPg

Horrendous chart crime here, but the numbers matter

Jet fuel prices doubled in a month www.iata.org/en/publicati...

And the fuel charges come to Singapore

@conorsen.bsky.social Schtick

* EXCLUSIVE- QATARENERGY CEO TELLS REUTERS: WE MAY HAVE TO DECLARE FORCE MAJEURE ON LONG-TERM CONTRACTS FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS FOR LNG SUPPLIES TO ITALY, BELGIUM, KOREA AND CHINA @reuters.com

A little something on @halcyonai.bsky.social: we raised our Series A! Read on for more on what we're up to, and where we're going www.axios.com/pro/climate-...

Crude futures aren't telling the full story. See Dubai physical swaps (white, balance of the month) vs Brent prompt futures (blue) below. Normally they're pretty close, but right now there's a MAD bid for physical crude in the region—$100/bbl futs, $140/bbl physical barrels.

Crude prices aren't what will ultimately drive the necessary demand destruction should the Strait of Hormuz remain closed. That job will fall to refined product prices, the things we as consumers actually consume. Singapore spot jet fuel prices are there already, over $200/bbl

WBAL in Baltimore helping viewers understand the difference between watches and warnings

The national average price of gasoline in the US has reached $3.594/gal, the highest level since May, 2024.

Crude Gone Wild as.ft.com/r/914ff326-4...

BYD is examining options to enter competitive motorsport from the World Endurance Championship to Formula One, a move that would be a rare direct attempt by a Chinese manufacturer to take on a sport dominated by European and US teams. Read more: bloom.bg/4b2WM9V 📷: Lars Baron/Getty Images