Daniel S. Cohan | Lightnews

Daniel Cohan

@dscohan.bsky.social

1.9K followers 1.4K following 51 posts

Professor of environmental engineering at Rice University; author of Confronting Climate Gridlock; https://cohan.rice.edu

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Environmental science 48%

Geography 16%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Jul 9

New paper with Chen Chen and Carrie Hashimoto examines how investments in power plants, transmission, storage, or efficiency would improve resource adequacy and reduce emissions in ERCOT
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Impacts of potential investments on electricity resource adequacy and emissions in Texas

Growing demand, an increasingly variable power supply, and blackouts during a 2021 winter storm prompted the Texas legislature to incentivize the cons…

www.sciencedirect.com

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Jul 9

It wasn’t until researching this article that I realized quite how bad the Big Beautiful Bill is for clean energy — reduced royalty rates for fossil fuels, a gutting of fuel economy standards, and subsidies for biofuels & coal, along with the IRA cuts we all knew

theconversation.com/big-beautifu...

‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will have Americans paying higher prices for dirtier energy

The new federal law favors energy technologies that are already profitable and increase global warming over cleaner approaches that could use the investment support.

theconversation.com

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Jun 29

Perhaps the worst energy provision I’ve ever seen in a federal bill

G.O.P. Bill Adds Surprise Tax That Could Cripple Wind and Solar Power www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/c...

G.O.P. Bill Adds Surprise Tax That Could Cripple Wind and Solar Power

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · Jun 20

If your “energy bill” helps billionaires get richer while we get dirtier air and higher prices…
It’s not giving “big” or “beautiful.” It’s giving bought & paid for.

zurl.co/9kkoD

@dscohan.bsky.social

#StandUpForScience
#OBBB
#ClimateCrisis

How the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ positions US energy to be more costly for consumers and the climate

Some technologies could rapidly cut emissions, while others do little to fight climate change. The House bill favors the latter while nixing support for the former.

zurl.co

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Jun 10

My take on what the House-passed ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ would mean for energy and climate theconversation.com/how-the-big-...

How the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ positions US energy to be more costly for consumers and the climate

Some technologies could rapidly cut emissions, while others do little to fight climate change. The House bill favors the latter while nixing support for the former.

theconversation.com

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · May 9

Video from last month's True Climate Solutions panel
www.progressiveforumhouston.org/speaker/true...

The Progressive Forum

www.progressiveforumhouston.org

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Apr 22

I started my career with an EPA STAR grant, which supported my first PhD student. It’s hard to see how early career environmental scientists, engineers and health scholars will get their start with EPA’s main program for external grants being dismantled.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/c...

E.P.A. Set to Cancel Grants Aimed at Protecting Children From Toxic Chemicals (Gift Article)

The cancellations, set to apply to pending and active grants, also affect research into “forever chemicals” contaminating the food supply.

www.nytimes.com

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Apr 22

Wow

on.ft.com/4inhS2X China’s CATL says it has overtaken BYD on 5-minute EV charging time

China’s CATL says it has overtaken BYD on 5-minute EV charging time

New version of flagship battery cell can achieve 520km range compared with BYD’s 470km, claims company

on.ft.com

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Mar 18

The air quality and health models I have used throughout my career have emerged from EPA’s Office of Research and Development. Shuttering it would be a devastating loss.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/c...

Trump Administration Aims to Eliminate E.P.A.’s Scientific Research Arm (Gift Article)

More than 1,000 chemists, biologists and other scientists could be laid off under a plan to dismantle the Office of Research and Development.

www.nytimes.com

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Mar 2

Things will slow sharply. Federal grants are the biggest source of support for the graduate students and postdocs who are essential to many projects.

Reposted by Britt Raubenheimer, Marjolijn Haasnoot, Daniel S. Cohan

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · Mar 1

All websites that depend on NOAA data should display something like this.

earth.nullschool.net

Weather and climate data shown on this website and countless others are at risk.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the U.S. agency responsible for global weather forecasting, hurricane prediction, ocean observation, and many other services vital to public safety. Its satellites, supercomputers, and research teams provide essential data that help us understand our planet and protect lives.

On February 27, the new U.S. administration initiated mass firings at NOAA. These actions are unethical and deeply disruptive to the talented scientists and engineers who dedicate themselves to the public good. The firings, along with expected budget cuts, have serious implications for the availability and quality of weather forecasts produced by the United States. They must be reversed immediately.

Much of the data on this website is downloaded directly from NOAA's servers. In this environment of uncertainty, access could be disrupted at any time. While I'll strive to keep all features on this website functional and switch to alternative data sources if necessary, some datasets have no substitute if they go offline.

If this concerns you, speak up. Share on social media. And if you're in the U.S., contact your representatives.

- Cameron

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Feb 16

Solar + wind + batteries could be cheaper than that, even if the gas was free

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Feb 16

Teslas are the most prevalent non-gasoline cars, so it’s best for them to keep being driven and for new EVs to be bought from their competitors

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Andy Revkin 🌎 ✍🏼 🪕 ☮️ revkin.substack.com @revkin.bsky.social · Feb 15

Please pass to Energy Dept. employees (or others at agencies doing work that Trump and Musk seem eager to scrutinize). I heard through a solid source that employees were asked one day last week to take a break for a few hours at one of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management offices. 🧵

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Physicians for a Healthy Democracy @physiciandemocracy.medsky.social · Feb 15

Stand up for Science March 7, 2025
#ScienceSky #MedSky #SciSky
@altnps.bsky.social
@altcdc.bsky.social
@altnih4science.bsky.social

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Feb 12

A 50% discount for the audio version of my book, Confronting Climate Gridlock, available through March 7th
www.audiobooks.com/promotions/p...

50% OFF Confronting Climate Gridlock: How Diplomacy, Technology, and Policy Can Unlock a Clean Energy Future

An atmospheric scientist explains why global climate change mitigation and energy decarbonization demand American diplomacy, technology, and policy Professor of environmental engineering Daniel Co...

www.audiobooks.com

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Nat Bullard @nathanielbullard.com · Jan 30

My annual decarbonization presentation is here.

200 slides, covering everything from water levels in Lake Gatún to sulfur dioxide emissions to ESG fund flows to Chinese auto exports to artificial intelligence. www.nathanielbullard.com/presentations

Reposted by Alison M. Buttenheim, Sarah Joseph, Ann Pegoraro , and 2 more Alison M. Buttenheim, Sarah Joseph, Ann Pegoraro, Daniel S. Cohan, Shikha Jain

Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · Jan 28

I think some people hear “grants” and think that without them, scientists and government workers just have less stuff to play with at work. But grants fund salaries for students, academics, researchers, and people who work in all areas of public service.

“Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.

White House pauses all federal grants, sparking confusion

The Trump administration has put a hold on all federal financial grants and loans, affecting tens of billions of dollars in payments.

www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Jason M. Fletcher, Jan C. Fransoo, James Allan , and 5 more Jason M. Fletcher, Jan C. Fransoo, James Allan, Max Van Kleek, James M. Graham, Francesca Gains, Daniel S. Cohan, Tracey L. Meares

Nsikan Akpan @monscience.bsky.social · Jan 22

NIH appears to have canceled/postponed all of its study sections—the independent review panels that approve federal grants for health research.

Such grants fund the work/salaries of 300k people at more than 2,500 institutions

Jane Liebschutz, MD MPH (she/her) @liebschutz.bsky.social · Jan 22

All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities.

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Josh Lappen @jlappen1.bsky.social · Jan 22

New by me in @heatmap.news: The LA fires have accelerated the looming financial crisis facing gas utilities from 2035/2040 to today.

Preventing that disastrous cost spiral, though, can help make burned areas safer, easier to rebuild, and more insurable! (1/12)

💡🔌

heatmap.news/ideas/la-fir...

The Los Angeles Fires Accelerated the Looming Natural Gas Crisis

All American cities are at risk.

heatmap.news

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Jan 15

Electric vehicles, circa 1980

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Emily Grubert @gruberte.bsky.social · Jan 14

🚨job alert🚨
Would you, or someone you know, like to channel something into thinking rigorously about how safe and electrified housing for everyone might also save the grid?

I'm hiring a postdoc! 1-2 years, remote ok, $75k/year. Focus: model scenarios on deep building efficiency & grid impacts

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Costa Samaras @costasamaras.com · Dec 25

“The second is that Solyndra had real technology risk, & we don’t take real technology risk anymore at the Loan Programs Office.” - @jigarshahdc.bsky.social in this important interview with @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social. Agreed, & we have a “missing middle” in energy.

www.nytimes.com/2024/12/20/o...

Opinion | Yes, Biden’s Green Future Can Still Happen Under Trump

Jigar Shah and Robinson Meyer discuss how the decarbonization rollout can continue during the second Trump administration.

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Grid Status @gridstatus.io · Dec 23

Batteries are reshaping ERCOT’s ancillary services procurement

Battery generation capacity has made up 50%+ of awards for reg up and responsive reserves since 2022. In these, coal and gas regularly account for <20% of capacity.

#energysky 🔌💡

Reposted by Daniel S. Cohan

Kees van der Leun @sustainable2050.bsky.social · Dec 22

France's new nuclear power plant at Flamanville connected to the grid, 17 years after start of construction. The announced construction time back in 2007 was 4.5 years. www.reuters.com/business/ene...

France adds first nuclear reactor in 25 years to grid

France connected the Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor to its grid on Saturday morning, state-run operator EDF said, in the first addition to the country's nuclear power network in 25 years.

www.reuters.com

Reposted by Olivier Honnay, Daniel S. Cohan

holly jean buck @hollyjeanbuck.bsky.social · Dec 22

If you were to write a piece on carbon removal at the end of 2024, would it be about billionaires investing in a "gold rush"?

Or about flight from a sector that has no clear and durable business model, in the face of decreasing climatetech funding and net-zero talk?

www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/c...

Removing Carbon From the Sky Could Be the Next Climate Gold Rush

Investors are betting that they can make a dent in global warming, and healthy profits, with companies that alter the atmosphere.

www.nytimes.com

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Dec 13

Just that it’s not newsworthy when a company acts as expected

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Dec 13

Not sure what’s newsworthy about waste disposal projects trying to win over local support

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Dec 13

And it’s a fossil emissions increasing technology unless there’s so much clean electricity that CDR isn’t forsaking an opportunity to displace fossil electricity

Daniel Cohan @dscohan.bsky.social · Dec 13

TCEQ proposes that just 4 of its 12 counties with high particulate matter levels should be classified as nonattainment for EPA's new PM2.5 standard
houstonlanding.org/12-texas-cou...

12 Texas counties failed federal air quality standards. Only 4, including Harris, will be reported to EPA

The TCEQ is recommending counties that failed national air quality standards be given a passing grade, concerning officials, residents and activists.

houstonlanding.org

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