Alison Tomlin
@alisontomlin.bsky.social
Prof @ Leeds Uni in energy & environment. For clean air, net zero, trees, Latin drumming & exercising my right to roam. Suspect professional Northerner.
The freeze on UK fuel duty cost the government approximately £100 billion between 2011 and October 2024, according to the OBR.
Just saying...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’ - on.ft.com/3LnxCZd via @FT
Just saying...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’ - on.ft.com/3LnxCZd via @FT
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’
Heidi Alexander says focus will be on other projects such as HS2
on.ft.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:45 AM
The freeze on UK fuel duty cost the government approximately £100 billion between 2011 and October 2024, according to the OBR.
Just saying...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’ - on.ft.com/3LnxCZd via @FT
Just saying...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’ - on.ft.com/3LnxCZd via @FT
Your daily beech bath (sorry). Not too many leaves left in the trees now. I always miss autumn when it's gone.
November 9, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Your daily beech bath (sorry). Not too many leaves left in the trees now. I always miss autumn when it's gone.
Reposted by Alison Tomlin
The current net zero strategy has its flaws, but all the counter proposals amount to ‘what if nuclear was cheap and quick to build?’ ‘What if everyone agreed a carbon tax? What if climate change just wasn’t so bad? And they call themselves realists.
On politically naive Kathryn Potter is interesting. She bangs on about how nuclear not renewables is THE answer. And says nuclear should be so much cheaper. But then implicitly acknowledges that long term only way of achieving those cheaper prices is political stability. So realistic for the UK!!
November 9, 2025 at 7:48 AM
The current net zero strategy has its flaws, but all the counter proposals amount to ‘what if nuclear was cheap and quick to build?’ ‘What if everyone agreed a carbon tax? What if climate change just wasn’t so bad? And they call themselves realists.
It got more exciting as we got very close to the working steam engine. Not sure I have ever seen a centrifugal governor in operation before. Apparently it wasn't working quite correctly today, and small changes in piston speed affect the quality of the weave. Fascinating.
November 8, 2025 at 5:53 PM
It got more exciting as we got very close to the working steam engine. Not sure I have ever seen a centrifugal governor in operation before. Apparently it wasn't working quite correctly today, and small changes in piston speed affect the quality of the weave. Fascinating.
Loving being in the weaving shed. Maybe not for 12 hours...
November 8, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Loving being in the weaving shed. Maybe not for 12 hours...
In steam, in Burnley. Amazing.
November 8, 2025 at 12:46 PM
In steam, in Burnley. Amazing.
Doing some last minute practice for this performance in Burnley tomorrow. Live from the weaving shed. The backing band will be the sound of the loom itself. "Engine in steam from 12 noon". What a great phrase.
November 7, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Doing some last minute practice for this performance in Burnley tomorrow. Live from the weaving shed. The backing band will be the sound of the loom itself. "Engine in steam from 12 noon". What a great phrase.
Reposted by Alison Tomlin
I reckon the most interesting subset of discourse here is when presumed [good] factors are actually either actually bad, or there to downplay or dismiss the bad even if the amount of good is way smaller than the bad.
A short thread to explain: on "training for electrification" + "demand response"
A short thread to explain: on "training for electrification" + "demand response"
I would love it if public discourse on data centers could be just a skosh more sophisticated than "data centers good vs. data centers bad."
November 7, 2025 at 12:19 PM
I reckon the most interesting subset of discourse here is when presumed [good] factors are actually either actually bad, or there to downplay or dismiss the bad even if the amount of good is way smaller than the bad.
A short thread to explain: on "training for electrification" + "demand response"
A short thread to explain: on "training for electrification" + "demand response"
Middle Earth, Meanwood is looking dark and gloomy. Beautiful. (Don't @ me Tolkien literally just lived down the road for a while).
November 7, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Middle Earth, Meanwood is looking dark and gloomy. Beautiful. (Don't @ me Tolkien literally just lived down the road for a while).
Reposted by Alison Tomlin
The US is the world's largest oil and gas producer. Yet, "China is now making more money from exporting green technology than America makes from exporting fossil fuels."
China’s clean-energy revolution will reshape markets and politics
The world’s biggest manufacturer now has an interest in the world decarbonising
www.economist.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM
The US is the world's largest oil and gas producer. Yet, "China is now making more money from exporting green technology than America makes from exporting fossil fuels."
Reposted by Alison Tomlin
”Despite 30 years of UN climate summits, about half of the carbon dioxide accumulated in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution has been emitted since 1990.”
#COP30 @joellegergis.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
#COP30 @joellegergis.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Net zero is an insidious loophole that distracts from the scientific imperative to eliminate fossil fuels | Joëlle Gergis
History tells us that polite incrementalism and political kowtowing will prevail at Cop30 – even as catastrophe unfolds around us
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:58 AM
”Despite 30 years of UN climate summits, about half of the carbon dioxide accumulated in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution has been emitted since 1990.”
#COP30 @joellegergis.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
#COP30 @joellegergis.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Alison Tomlin
Does bonfire night impact indoor air quality. In my fairly well insulated but probably fairly leaky bungalow, the answer is yes. PM2.5 reached 50ug/m3 last night. They dropped back to <20 indoors overnight. The sensor is now outside at 40 ug/m3.
November 6, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Does bonfire night impact indoor air quality. In my fairly well insulated but probably fairly leaky bungalow, the answer is yes. PM2.5 reached 50ug/m3 last night. They dropped back to <20 indoors overnight. The sensor is now outside at 40 ug/m3.
Well it's a banging tune isn't it but does John Lewis actually sell vinyl?
November 5, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Well it's a banging tune isn't it but does John Lewis actually sell vinyl?
Leeds folk. Look outside. The sky has gone very Turneresque. Wow.
November 5, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Leeds folk. Look outside. The sky has gone very Turneresque. Wow.
Proper bonfire gloom this morning. Of course the wood is wearing it well, because the wood wears everything well.
November 5, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Proper bonfire gloom this morning. Of course the wood is wearing it well, because the wood wears everything well.
Reposted by Alison Tomlin
Still time to sign up for our free webinar for World Ventilate Day 2025. We’ll be introducing new research networks and discussing how to deliver better ventilation and IAQ for everyone. 7th Nov 12-1pm, sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/world-vent...
World Ventilation Day: Engineering Healthier Indoor Environments
To mark world ventilation day join our panel discussion on how we can enable positive change in our indoor environments.
www.eventbrite.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Still time to sign up for our free webinar for World Ventilate Day 2025. We’ll be introducing new research networks and discussing how to deliver better ventilation and IAQ for everyone. 7th Nov 12-1pm, sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/world-vent...
After 4 hours of lectures this afternoon (including on carbon dioxide removal methods) I had a rather weary trudge back through the autumn tinted grave yard. A useful sign told me that this is a European Beech storing 2577 Kg of carbon. It seems an overly precise number but impressive nevertheless.
November 3, 2025 at 8:11 PM
After 4 hours of lectures this afternoon (including on carbon dioxide removal methods) I had a rather weary trudge back through the autumn tinted grave yard. A useful sign told me that this is a European Beech storing 2577 Kg of carbon. It seems an overly precise number but impressive nevertheless.
Phoah it's a beautiful evening.
November 2, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Phoah it's a beautiful evening.
More autumn beech vibes. Surprisingly clear after a night of bonfire and firework activity.
November 2, 2025 at 9:38 AM
More autumn beech vibes. Surprisingly clear after a night of bonfire and firework activity.
Reposted by Alison Tomlin
It is not true “England cannot effectively subsidise travel costs”. Retired people get free travel. By freezing the fuel duty escalator we are subsidising car drivers, which compounds inequality. See more here: bettertransport.org.uk/media/groups...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
No free bus passes for under 22s, says goverment
The Commons Transport Committee recommended scrapping bus fares for young people in August.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 2, 2025 at 7:48 AM
It is not true “England cannot effectively subsidise travel costs”. Retired people get free travel. By freezing the fuel duty escalator we are subsidising car drivers, which compounds inequality. See more here: bettertransport.org.uk/media/groups...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
This is v interesting & maybe explains why I feel like I want to scratch an itch when I hear music like Taylor Swift. Had a recent debate about whether robots could be trained to play samba. I thought not because the swing is variable. A friend thought the variation might be programmed.
Yes & this has been going on in music for decades. The gridification of performances- using algorithms to make performances 'perfect'- teaches us to reject difference & unlearn how to move together in time, making democratic coordination much more difficult.
medium.com/the-riff/doe...
medium.com/the-riff/doe...
October 31, 2025 at 10:43 PM
This is v interesting & maybe explains why I feel like I want to scratch an itch when I hear music like Taylor Swift. Had a recent debate about whether robots could be trained to play samba. I thought not because the swing is variable. A friend thought the variation might be programmed.
Oh dear my phone is full of pictures of trees. Probably all of a similar nature to the ones I took last year. It's just so gorgeous once the beeches start to go. Can't help myself.
October 31, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Oh dear my phone is full of pictures of trees. Probably all of a similar nature to the ones I took last year. It's just so gorgeous once the beeches start to go. Can't help myself.
Reposted by Alison Tomlin
Delighted to feature in this @chrisbaraniuk.com piece for the BBC on the imminent rollout of solar to power Great British Railways 🙌
Get on board - here comes the sun! ☀️
Get on board - here comes the sun! ☀️
Railways: Firms develop new tech to electrify trains
Railway operators have new options for electric trains including getting rid of locomotives altogether.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Delighted to feature in this @chrisbaraniuk.com piece for the BBC on the imminent rollout of solar to power Great British Railways 🙌
Get on board - here comes the sun! ☀️
Get on board - here comes the sun! ☀️