Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
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blakeshaffer.bsky.social
Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
@blakeshaffer.bsky.social
Associate professor of economics at the University of Calgary. Former energy trader.

blakeshaffer.ca
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🚨Call for Speakers🚨

⚡5th Electricity Camp in the Rockies

🗓️May 20-22, 2026

⛰️Banff, Alberta

👪Academics, policymakers, and practitioners talking about all things electricity (and hiking!)

✉️Email abstracts to: electricity.centre@ucalgary.ca by Dec 15

Past programs here: nzeri.ca/electricity-camp
Electricity Camp — Net Zero Electricity Research Initiative
nzeri.ca
Canada's northern latitude is indeed harder to make solar+batteries pencil here, but globally solar+batteries will be king. (it already is)
Solar and batteries are cheap enough that most people can get most of their electricity from them, and save money. This equation gets better and better over time as their costs decline.

All details in a new blog post: nworbmot.org/blog/solar-b...
February 9, 2026 at 7:39 PM
While US automakers pull back, China is scaling up.

In the Age of Electricity, the US has effectively ceded the EV competition to China.
Stellantis takes €22bn hit after ‘overestimating’ pace of shift to EVs. Carmaker, which owns marques including Peugeot and Jeep, will also sell stake in battery joint venture.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Stellantis takes €22bn hit after ‘overestimating’ pace of shift to EVs
Carmaker, which owns marques including Peugeot and Jeep, will also sell stake in battery joint venture
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
TikTok is censoring the words “Epstein” and “ICE” — and that alone should tell you how fast political censorship just arrived in America.
February 1, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
Well this is really cool!

Preparing for flexible careers paths in academia and beyond
A new open education resource helps train grad students for professional life outside the academy.

universityaffairs.ca/career-advic...
Preparing for flexible careers paths in academia and beyond - University Affairs
A new open education resource helps train grad students for professional life outside the academy.
universityaffairs.ca
January 31, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
Smith defends Alberta separatists after Eby’s ‘treason’ remarks www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...

Find out more at nationalnewswatch.com
Smith defends Alberta separatists after Eby’s ‘treason’ remarks
Alberta Premier says she doesn’t want to demonize or marginalize people when they have legitimate grievances
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
"Except in Manitoba the question is going to be 'do you want to stay a part of Canada?' and the two choices are going to be yeah and heck yeah."

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew weighs in on the conversations around Alberta's potential referndum on sovereignty.
January 29, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
If the Russians or Chinese had done this, we’d be expelling their ambassador…
Exclusive: The Trump administration has held covert meetings with fringe separatists from the oil-rich Canadian province as a rift deepens between Washington and Ottawa. ft.trib.al/zYlleOJ
January 29, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
I hadn’t looked in a while but Alberta’s emissions credits (the industrial carbon price) are now at C$41/tonne. This is up from $18 only 2 months ago when the AB-CAN MOU was signed. Quite the move.

Recall that the MOU includes words calling for this price to rise to $130.
January 28, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
Danielle Smith said it was a "very good discussion," that she'd work to ensure British Columbians would benefit from a new pipeline, and that she wants to work with BC on a "comprehensive package of projects that will benefit both of our provinces"
January 28, 2026 at 8:52 PM
I hadn’t looked in a while but Alberta’s emissions credits (the industrial carbon price) are now at C$41/tonne. This is up from $18 only 2 months ago when the AB-CAN MOU was signed. Quite the move.

Recall that the MOU includes words calling for this price to rise to $130.
January 28, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Despite some concerted efforts to effect the contrary, solar + wind + nuclear accounted for ~100% of global electricity generation growth in the first 11 months of 2025.
January 27, 2026 at 5:11 AM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents border patrol officers at the National Border Patrol Council, calls on Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller to resign or be fired
January 27, 2026 at 2:07 AM
January 27, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
Politicians gotta start calling for Miller to go. Right now.
January 27, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Good article on the pathological liar that Trump is.

I shouldn’t be, but I am still shocked that “32% of Americans still find this guy ‘honest and trustworthy’”.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/25/u...
For Trump, the Truth in Minneapolis Is What He Says It Is
www.nytimes.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Umm… hard NO to this.

Has this master of strategery learned nothing from Trump’s behaviour? No amount of appeasement nor pride swallowing will satisfy Trump. It just emboldens the next ask/demand.

Firm resolve. Build what’s in our control. And stay the course as a sovereign nation. 🇨🇦
January 25, 2026 at 11:22 PM
This man is no assassin. No domestic terrorist. Just someone who could be any of us who cares deeply about right and wrong. Whose last words were those of care for others in danger.

#RIPAlexPretti
January 25, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
That's Kremlin & White House spokesman Peskov for you.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov declares neither Russia nor the US will ever discuss anything with EU foreign policy chief Kallas, adding that everyone should simply wait for her to leave.
January 25, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
The govt lying about the killing of a U.S. citizen at the hands of the state, is by itself, a front page a story, worthy of drumbeat coverage, resignations, and impeachments.
January 25, 2026 at 1:16 AM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.

"Please get the truth out about our son."
January 25, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Everyone from the officers on the ground to the politicians condoning the violence to the Trump admin who are directing it needs to be ultimately held accountable for what they've done.
Alex Pretti was an ICU nurse serving veterans. He died trying to protect protestors being assaulted. A group of anonymous & masked men fired chemicals into his face, beat him, disarmed him, and shot him in broad daylight in front of witnesses. Then his government smeared him & defended his murder.
January 25, 2026 at 12:07 AM
750MW of $450US oil-fired power headed to Quebec this hour...
January 24, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
This was murder. Pretti did not initiate the confrontation. He didn’t strike them. He didn’t brandish his gun. They tackled him, beat him, disarmed him, and shot him.
Holy crap.

This is the most damning video yet.

It shows Border Patrol agents clearly taking Alex's firearm, running it away, and THEN executed him in cold blood by emptying a clip into his face.

Murder.
January 24, 2026 at 9:46 PM
If the Democrats were serious about meeting the moment every Senator and House leader would be in Minnesota this afternoon.
ICE out of Minnesota NOW.
Breaking News: Federal law enforcement agents shot and killed a person in Minneapolis on Saturday morning, state and local officials said. Follow live updates.
January 24, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Reposted by Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦
Walz: "I call on all Americans to see the decency this state is exhibiting, and the horrific cruelty, unprofessional, absolute abomination that is passing for what these f--- ICE agents are doing on our streets."
January 24, 2026 at 7:40 PM