Brendan Pierpont
@brendan.bsky.social
Energy and climate nerd. Electricity @energyinnovation.bsky.social. Views are my own.
Lots of folks sharing this scary-looking map from NERC.
But it should be read as the highest-value places to build demand flexibility, large scale and distributed storage, energy efficiency over the next 4 years, which can be built much faster than new gas plants.
www.nerc.com/globalassets...
But it should be read as the highest-value places to build demand flexibility, large scale and distributed storage, energy efficiency over the next 4 years, which can be built much faster than new gas plants.
www.nerc.com/globalassets...
January 30, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Lots of folks sharing this scary-looking map from NERC.
But it should be read as the highest-value places to build demand flexibility, large scale and distributed storage, energy efficiency over the next 4 years, which can be built much faster than new gas plants.
www.nerc.com/globalassets...
But it should be read as the highest-value places to build demand flexibility, large scale and distributed storage, energy efficiency over the next 4 years, which can be built much faster than new gas plants.
www.nerc.com/globalassets...
This is such a good, important piece. Read it.
New from @gruberte.bsky.social and I in @science.org: The energy transition is at risk, and energy models are missing the threat. Fossil energy networks from oil to coal to gas have minimum viable scales of operation, and those thresholds are closer than we think:
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
💡🔌
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
💡🔌
Fossil energy minimum viable scale
Unseen infrastructural threats to safety and decarbonization may arise as fossil energy systems are phased out
www.science.org
January 30, 2026 at 10:16 PM
This is such a good, important piece. Read it.
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
"What about recycling the batteries?" is something the fossil fuel people who don't care about the climate or environment like to say about batteries.
What if they were recycled into money?
What if they were recycled into money?
As Redwood Materials shifts into developing storage, Google invests
Armed with $425 million and new hyperscale investors, the recycling company is going all-in on powering data centers.
www.latitudemedia.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:52 PM
"What about recycling the batteries?" is something the fossil fuel people who don't care about the climate or environment like to say about batteries.
What if they were recycled into money?
What if they were recycled into money?
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
1) Fuck ICE, and
2) in our ongoing pursuit of a more just, more dignified, more joyful, and better future, @jlappen1.bsky.social and I are really proud of our new piece in Science on managing fossil fuel phase-out
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
2) in our ongoing pursuit of a more just, more dignified, more joyful, and better future, @jlappen1.bsky.social and I are really proud of our new piece in Science on managing fossil fuel phase-out
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Fossil energy minimum viable scale
Unseen infrastructural threats to safety and decarbonization may arise as fossil energy systems are phased out
www.science.org
January 29, 2026 at 7:13 PM
1) Fuck ICE, and
2) in our ongoing pursuit of a more just, more dignified, more joyful, and better future, @jlappen1.bsky.social and I are really proud of our new piece in Science on managing fossil fuel phase-out
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
2) in our ongoing pursuit of a more just, more dignified, more joyful, and better future, @jlappen1.bsky.social and I are really proud of our new piece in Science on managing fossil fuel phase-out
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
TFW your kids school sends parents an email regarding the nationwide general strike being organized for tomorrow.
January 29, 2026 at 8:22 PM
TFW your kids school sends parents an email regarding the nationwide general strike being organized for tomorrow.
Building a data center costs between $9-15 million per MW of IT load, BEFORE the cost of chips and servers (which multiply this cost by 4-5x).
Some great data in this report: cushwake.cld.bz/Data-Center-...
Some great data in this report: cushwake.cld.bz/Data-Center-...
January 29, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Building a data center costs between $9-15 million per MW of IT load, BEFORE the cost of chips and servers (which multiply this cost by 4-5x).
Some great data in this report: cushwake.cld.bz/Data-Center-...
Some great data in this report: cushwake.cld.bz/Data-Center-...
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
Woah this NYC isometric map (looks just like Simcity 2000) is blowing my mind! cannoneyed.com/isometric-nyc/
January 28, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Woah this NYC isometric map (looks just like Simcity 2000) is blowing my mind! cannoneyed.com/isometric-nyc/
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
This is a super insightful graph from @kingsmillbond.bsky.social illustrating how countries like India that are experiencing economic development later are skipping over some (not all) fossil dependency.
ember-energy.org/latest-insig...
ember-energy.org/latest-insig...
January 28, 2026 at 7:19 PM
This is a super insightful graph from @kingsmillbond.bsky.social illustrating how countries like India that are experiencing economic development later are skipping over some (not all) fossil dependency.
ember-energy.org/latest-insig...
ember-energy.org/latest-insig...
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
We got the former heads of international finance at both the Federal Reserve and the US Treasury to write a guest post for @alphaville.ft.com about what Trump is doing to the dollar.
They were … unimpressed. www.ft.com/content/0933...
They were … unimpressed. www.ft.com/content/0933...
Termites are slowly feasting away at the foundations of the dollar’s dominance
Chomp chomp chomp
www.ft.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:30 PM
We got the former heads of international finance at both the Federal Reserve and the US Treasury to write a guest post for @alphaville.ft.com about what Trump is doing to the dollar.
They were … unimpressed. www.ft.com/content/0933...
They were … unimpressed. www.ft.com/content/0933...
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
Batteries. Batteries, batteries, batteries. Furthermore, batteries. In conclusion: batteries!
Why Power Outages Do More Economic Damage Than We Think
Most estimates of losses from US blackouts don’t fully account for indirect and longer-term impacts, a new analysis finds.
www.bloomberg.com
January 27, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Batteries. Batteries, batteries, batteries. Furthermore, batteries. In conclusion: batteries!
Early/mid-career energy modeling folks - great opportunity here with some of the smartest people in the modeling community: www.sylvan.energy/careers
Careers — Sylvan Energy Analytics
www.sylvan.energy
January 27, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Early/mid-career energy modeling folks - great opportunity here with some of the smartest people in the modeling community: www.sylvan.energy/careers
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
this is totally unfair, they also don't work in the heat
Fossil fuels are simply not reliable in winter weather.
Fossil Fuels Failed During Winter Storm Fern
Power plant outages in America's largest grid show we can't depend upon fossil fuels
thepowerline.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:54 PM
this is totally unfair, they also don't work in the heat
Falling costs of clean energy generation and electrified end uses are converging into one global trend. Love this framing from Ember and DER Task Force: www.dertaskforce.com/p/the-electr...
The electrotech revolution in 10 charts and not too many numbers
The big picture of the energy transition in a few snapshots
www.dertaskforce.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Falling costs of clean energy generation and electrified end uses are converging into one global trend. Love this framing from Ember and DER Task Force: www.dertaskforce.com/p/the-electr...
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
Coal + gas fail once again during a winter storm.
20GW of generation went offline in America's largest grid during Winter Storm Fern.
DOE's policies to keep old coal plants running + expand gas dependency make our grid LESS RELIABLE + risk MORE BLACKOUTS
thepowerline.substack.com/p/fossil-fue...
20GW of generation went offline in America's largest grid during Winter Storm Fern.
DOE's policies to keep old coal plants running + expand gas dependency make our grid LESS RELIABLE + risk MORE BLACKOUTS
thepowerline.substack.com/p/fossil-fue...
Fossil Fuels Failed During Winter Storm Fern
Power plant outages in America's largest grid show we can't depend upon fossil fuels
thepowerline.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Coal + gas fail once again during a winter storm.
20GW of generation went offline in America's largest grid during Winter Storm Fern.
DOE's policies to keep old coal plants running + expand gas dependency make our grid LESS RELIABLE + risk MORE BLACKOUTS
thepowerline.substack.com/p/fossil-fue...
20GW of generation went offline in America's largest grid during Winter Storm Fern.
DOE's policies to keep old coal plants running + expand gas dependency make our grid LESS RELIABLE + risk MORE BLACKOUTS
thepowerline.substack.com/p/fossil-fue...
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
My slightly informed crank tank is that every single class 1 railroad line should have a 5GW+ buried HVDC line in its RoW
January 26, 2026 at 7:45 PM
My slightly informed crank tank is that every single class 1 railroad line should have a 5GW+ buried HVDC line in its RoW
Love for the grid to rely on a fuel that does this every time it gets cold:
January 26, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Love for the grid to rely on a fuel that does this every time it gets cold:
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
YouGov is out with a new poll after ICE killed another person in Minnesota today. Abolishing ICE is now +5 among all adults, and **+12 among independents**
substack.com/@gelliottmor...
substack.com/@gelliottmor...
January 25, 2026 at 2:10 AM
YouGov is out with a new poll after ICE killed another person in Minnesota today. Abolishing ICE is now +5 among all adults, and **+12 among independents**
substack.com/@gelliottmor...
substack.com/@gelliottmor...
What an awful sad troubling day to add to this list of awful sad troubling days in 2026. Hope you are all hanging in there.
January 25, 2026 at 3:46 AM
What an awful sad troubling day to add to this list of awful sad troubling days in 2026. Hope you are all hanging in there.
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
NEW: India is avoiding the fossil fuel detour 🪝
Where China built first on coal and gas, India is taking a shortcut >>> read in 5 graphics🧵
Where China built first on coal and gas, India is taking a shortcut >>> read in 5 graphics🧵
January 23, 2026 at 10:51 AM
NEW: India is avoiding the fossil fuel detour 🪝
Where China built first on coal and gas, India is taking a shortcut >>> read in 5 graphics🧵
Where China built first on coal and gas, India is taking a shortcut >>> read in 5 graphics🧵
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
It beggars belief that after 6 years and $273 million spent on consultants, Interstate Bridge officials can't confirm w/in a few billion dollars how much it will cost. "Maybe by March, but "no firm commitments."
"That is the best I can offer you" www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/p...
"That is the best I can offer you" www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/p...
Oregon Transportation Commission questions cost for interstate bridge
Leaders of the Interstate Bridge Replacement project were in the hot seat at the Oregon Transportation Commission meeting Jan. 22.
www.statesmanjournal.com
January 24, 2026 at 4:04 AM
It beggars belief that after 6 years and $273 million spent on consultants, Interstate Bridge officials can't confirm w/in a few billion dollars how much it will cost. "Maybe by March, but "no firm commitments."
"That is the best I can offer you" www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/p...
"That is the best I can offer you" www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/p...
New work from UCS highlights how utilities and regulators can make sure data center demand growth gets met with clean energy and doesn't shift costs onto other customers: www.ucs.org/resources/da...
Data Center Power Play
Unmitigated data center growth puts the public at risk of higher utility bills and public health costs.
www.ucs.org
January 21, 2026 at 7:38 PM
New work from UCS highlights how utilities and regulators can make sure data center demand growth gets met with clean energy and doesn't shift costs onto other customers: www.ucs.org/resources/da...
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
Reposted by Brendan Pierpont
Fervo Energy Bedrock Program applications are open! 2 years, 4 rotations, 1 unique career-making opportunity. Special opportunity for those just getting started on their energy career.
Super competitive, apply today!
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
Super competitive, apply today!
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
Fervo Energy hiring Fervo Bedrock Program in Houston, TX | LinkedIn
Posted 8:53:23 PM. The Fervo Bedrock Program is a cross-functional development program designed to shape the next…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.
www.linkedin.com
January 21, 2026 at 3:55 AM
Fervo Energy Bedrock Program applications are open! 2 years, 4 rotations, 1 unique career-making opportunity. Special opportunity for those just getting started on their energy career.
Super competitive, apply today!
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
Super competitive, apply today!
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...