I recently discussed Balcony Solar with Cora Stryker from @brightsaver.bsky.social. She spoke on the organization's efforts to promote balcony solar, recent legislative wins, barriers that remain, and what individuals can do to help bring Balcony Solar to their state. 🔌💡 substack.com/@nickfrassin...

JUST DROPPED: Does the existence of hard-to-abate sectors discredit electrification? No, it actually makes electrification far more urgent. I discuss why in my most recent blog post. open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

Ninja Parade Slips By Town Unnoticed Once Again

Degrowth is not a useful framework for tackling climate change. At the end of the day, we need wind turbines, not a recession. In my most recent blog post, I show that economic growth in developed countries has no strong correlation with emissions. 🔌💡 #econsky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

Is there any equivalent to #energysky over on threads. I have started looking at threads, but when I try searching for energy information, I'm given posts about "crystal healing energy".

Solar canopies over car lots are a terrible idea relative to just sticking them in a field somewhere but it is an idea that will never ever ever die because it’s like catnip for boomers

I did give a presentation on the case for utility scale solar yesterday, and while I did have someone ask about warehouse roofs, nobody asked about parking lots! I had braced for it.

I had a fantastic and illuminating conversation with @solarchase.bsky.social. We discussed solar manufacturing, declining costs, and the growing trend of solar saturation. Check out my substack for the full audio. #energysky #econsky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

Over the last few years I have seen more people souring on the idea of autonomous vehicles. In my most recent blog post, I argue that robotaxis are primarily useful as a vector for electrifying transportation. #energysky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

Energy is constantly analyzed in a market context. Analysts look at spot prices, futures contracts and power purchase agreements. Today I looked at something a little different. What are the Degenerate Oracles of Kalshi saying? #energysky #econsky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

We have so much land that's not doing anything and it's cheaper to place solar on the ground. That being said, it does feel great to get a nice shady spot.

A good future is one where the only fuel we burn is for rockets.

Anyone interested in the economics of global oil markets and climate change should read this piece. In it I break down the economics of OPEC, why the UAE decided to leave, and how a weakened OPEC is an even bigger threat to the climate. #Econsky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

Anyone interested in global oil markets and climate change should read this piece. In it I break down the economics of OPEC, why the UAE decided to leave, and how a weakened OPEC is an even bigger threat to the climate. #Energysky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

Splashdown!

I wrote a fun piece on substack talking about the energy economics of Project Hail Mary. If you liked the book or the movie you should give it a read. 🔌💡 open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

Invincible season 4 is shaping up to be the best season so far. It is shockingly good.

AI is unlikely to destroy humanity, but if humanity is destroyed, it is very likely to be AI.

We are seeing a rare instance where ethanol is actually cost effective. EVs are obviously better, but this isn't a crazy stop-gap. 🔌💡 www.caranddriver.com/news/a708825...

So while we are paying for a war with Iran, which accidentally closed the straight of Hormuz, which is causing us to pay more for gas, we're going to pay off-shore wind developers not to develop their wind farms, so we can pay more for electricity. Brilliant. No notes 🔌💡 www.cnbc.com/amp/2026/03/...

Just created a video breaking down the science that Project Hail Mary violates. All and all, I loved the movie. It did the book justice and is just so full of hope. youtu.be/8SGfS1HNDcY?...

Electric vehicles for the win! 🔌💡 open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

My most recent post explores how the unique economics of electric utilities can lead to counterintuitive results. Namely that the electricity demand growth from EVs can actually lower electricity costs for everyone. open.substack.com/pub/nickfras... #econsky

In my most recent blog post, I explore how electricity demand growth from EVs can lower costs for everyone. Let me know what you guys think. 🔌💡 open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

There has been growing interest in the use of prediction markets for forecasting, but these markets face multiple limitations in forecasting far future events. In my recent blog post I explore how to design long-term markets to overcome these limitations. open.substack.com/pub/nickfras... #Econsky

In a country where 40% of land is used for hamburger production, don't ever let anyone gaslight you into thinking renewables take up too much land. 🔌💡

It is mind boggling to me that anyone would think it makes sense to dig up and burn fossil fuels only to try to regather and and rebury the carbon dioxide molecules once they've flitted throughout the atmosphere. Fossil fuel companies are obviously lying about DAC, but a lot of people believe it. 🔌💡

Ukraine does not need Trump’s help to surrender

The same solar panels cost half as much in Australia as in the US. Why? The answer is a suite of tariffs, supported by every President since 2012. To stay competitive in AI and advanced manufacturing, I argue we need to stop holding ourselves back. #econsky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

If Trump attacks the Fed and cuts interest rates, we may see a surge of solar and battery installations. This would be short-lived if low rates trigger inflation and rates have to be raised again. But inflation would further help solar projects that manage to get financed in this window. 🔌💡

#energysky I suspect this means projects won't get the tax credits. Period. I hope I am wrong. www.utilitydive.com/news/treasur...

I think it is good messaging to complain about republicans broadly instead of Trump specifically (even though Trump is the worst). Conservatives complain about Democrats and the radical left. Liberals mostly complain about Trump. It wins us very few allies, and it makes us seem obsessive to normies.

If the hyperscalers bypass the grid and build off-grid solar and batteries to power their facilities, they will need a lot of excess capacity that will simply be wasted most of the time. This means free excess energy at relatively high capacity factors. The industrial implications could be huge! 🔌💡

I find some comfort in knowing that, even when politicians fail us, scientists and engineers are still working hard. 🔌💡 www.sustainability-times.com/energy/envis...

This will not be the last record-breaking year. open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

With a conservative government, new electricity demand for data centers, and a shortage of new gas turbines, there has never been a better time for democrats to support an all of the above energy strategy. Right now, all of the above is de facto renewables, which are cheap and readily available.

cars should just hook onto a track on the freeway so you don’t have to drive people could share spaces in their car they could make cars big enough to hold like 100 people maybe with a dining car

I love seeing floating solar projects paired with hydroelectric dams. Higher capacity factors on existing transmission without a need for batteries

In 1992, Mexico City was the most polluted city in the world. Today, it is a far greener and more livable city. What drove this transition? In this article, I lay out a new framework for identifying when clean transitions will occur and how it can be encouraged 🔌💡 open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...

It's a duck curve in the batteries or a duck curve in the grid. The choice is yours.

The story of how Trump sells access to the White House - to benefit himself and his family financially and to benefit his political operation - is shocking and sordid. No President has ever monetized access like Trump has. 1/ It's a story you need to know.

I think Pete Buttigieg should run for president in 2028, but I also think he should get really, really buff first. Not fit, buff. An extremely muscular Pete Buttigieg would sweep every swing state and get 60% of the popular vote. Guaranteed.

I suspect biofuel will be the best option for net-zero shipping and aviation, but while so much of our electricity comes from gas and coal and so many of our cars run on gasoline, biofuel is absolutely on the wrong end of the pareto curve.

This is much more malicious than the One Big Beautiful Bill's cutting of wind and solar subsidies. Unlike cutting subsidies, this cannot be explained by a sincere belief in free markets. It requires either corruption, an unfathomable level of pettiness, or both. 🔌💡 apnews.com/article/trum...

HUGE: The Trump administration will no longer permit any solar or wind projects on federal lands unless they produce more energy-per-acre than coal, gas or nuclear power plants. Solar and wind literally produce less energy per acre, so simply this may just kill off any project on federal lands.

If you get electricity from nuclear and drive an electric car, it's not a gas pedal. It's an atomic pedal. 🚗⚡️☢️

Pretty horrifying.

I understand why new nuclear plants are so expensive, but I don't understand why already established nuclear plants would ever shut down. Are they that expensive to operate? Do they require major overhauls? Can anyone explain this to me or link me a good explanation? #energysky

I don't think the US needs to produce solar panels or batteries to benefit from them, just like we didn't need to produce oil to benefit from it in the 20th century. We should be buying up the cheap chinese options and using their power to dominate in the AI/data center race.