Gregor Macdonald
@gregor.us
Journalist covering cities, climate, and energy.
Proprietor of Cold Eye Earth (formerly The Gregor Letter)
https://www.coldeye.earth | @coldeye.earth
Proprietor of Cold Eye Earth (formerly The Gregor Letter)
https://www.coldeye.earth | @coldeye.earth
Pinned
Gregor Macdonald
@gregor.us
· Aug 19
With US emissions and US consumption of fossil fuels no longer falling, and a new set of destructive policies just starting to land, only an economic recession during the Trump term would effectively counter the new trend. #energysky
Having grown up in New England,I am long familiar with the curious phenomenon of anti-progress progressives. This strain of anti-AI within the left is so familiar, and so tedious.
Congratulations to the people of Chandler, AZ, who — despite a fierce lobbying campaign — defeated a massive AI data center that would have raised utility bills and drained scarce water.
Oligarchs want working Americans to foot the bill while they profit. Not gonna happen!
Oligarchs want working Americans to foot the bill while they profit. Not gonna happen!
December 13, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Having grown up in New England,I am long familiar with the curious phenomenon of anti-progress progressives. This strain of anti-AI within the left is so familiar, and so tedious.
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
the left nimby crashout bc Zohran actually wants to build more housing is genuinely so funny
November 24, 2025 at 11:59 PM
the left nimby crashout bc Zohran actually wants to build more housing is genuinely so funny
Extraordinary performance today by @nealkatyal.bsky.social before SCOTUS in the tariff case. The argumentation was so crisp, the responses so perfect, it felt like I was listening to a film script. Words as sharp as a scalpel.
November 5, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Extraordinary performance today by @nealkatyal.bsky.social before SCOTUS in the tariff case. The argumentation was so crisp, the responses so perfect, it felt like I was listening to a film script. Words as sharp as a scalpel.
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
A classic case of irresponsible both-sidesism from the NYT. The story is that Trump and MAGA propagandists are lying about Portland to incite a conflict, not that there are different views of the matter.
October 11, 2025 at 1:26 PM
A classic case of irresponsible both-sidesism from the NYT. The story is that Trump and MAGA propagandists are lying about Portland to incite a conflict, not that there are different views of the matter.
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
Newsom signed SB79! So, so huge. Enormous props to all the people who worked so hard, for so long, to make this happen, above all @scottwiener.bsky.social. It's going to change California, and the country.
Governor Newsom Signs Senator Wiener’s Landmark Law To Build More Homes Near Public Transit
Official website of Senator Scott Wiener, representing California Senate District 11.
sd11.senate.ca.gov
October 10, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Newsom signed SB79! So, so huge. Enormous props to all the people who worked so hard, for so long, to make this happen, above all @scottwiener.bsky.social. It's going to change California, and the country.
US coal consumption in the power sector is up +15% in the first half of 2025: www.eia.gov/outlooks/ste...
Short-Term Energy Outlook - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis
www.eia.gov
October 7, 2025 at 4:07 PM
US coal consumption in the power sector is up +15% in the first half of 2025: www.eia.gov/outlooks/ste...
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power by the President of the United States.
America is on the brink of martial law.
Do not be silent.
America is on the brink of martial law.
Do not be silent.
This evening, President Trump is ordering 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States. No officials from the federal government called me directly to discuss or coordinate.
October 6, 2025 at 2:03 AM
This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power by the President of the United States.
America is on the brink of martial law.
Do not be silent.
America is on the brink of martial law.
Do not be silent.
Not a lawyer but it seems to me Trump's intention/declaration today that he will re-purpose already federalized National Guard from CA to OR would function as defying the spirit of Judge Imergut's ruling to block putting OR Nat'l Guard on Portland streets.
October 5, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Not a lawyer but it seems to me Trump's intention/declaration today that he will re-purpose already federalized National Guard from CA to OR would function as defying the spirit of Judge Imergut's ruling to block putting OR Nat'l Guard on Portland streets.
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
Agreed. This ought to be examined immediately.
This is an absolutely extraordinary, revelatory quote. Why is the NBC affiliate in Portland the only place reporting it? www.kgw.com/article/news...
Trump seems to back off Portland military plan: 'Am I watching things on television that are different from what's happening?'
President Trump had said he will send troops to Portland to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, which he said were "under attack."
www.kgw.com
September 29, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Agreed. This ought to be examined immediately.
The more @mattyglesias.bsky.social flogs the idea that moderation of positions will help Democrats the more it seems like a squishy thesis. What's missing: 1. RW media effectively portrays all Dem positions as extreme. 2. Dems are bad at messaging. If Dems can't cure #2, moderation gains no ground.
September 28, 2025 at 6:53 PM
The more @mattyglesias.bsky.social flogs the idea that moderation of positions will help Democrats the more it seems like a squishy thesis. What's missing: 1. RW media effectively portrays all Dem positions as extreme. 2. Dems are bad at messaging. If Dems can't cure #2, moderation gains no ground.
As someone who lives inside a mile to Portland's ICE facility, I can report:
1. I pass by (within 100 feet of ICE) on the bikepath nearly every day.
2. It's been pretty quiet and dull over there for a month.
3. I did not enjoy the military helicopter flying overhead for hours last night.
1. I pass by (within 100 feet of ICE) on the bikepath nearly every day.
2. It's been pretty quiet and dull over there for a month.
3. I did not enjoy the military helicopter flying overhead for hours last night.
September 28, 2025 at 6:35 PM
As someone who lives inside a mile to Portland's ICE facility, I can report:
1. I pass by (within 100 feet of ICE) on the bikepath nearly every day.
2. It's been pretty quiet and dull over there for a month.
3. I did not enjoy the military helicopter flying overhead for hours last night.
1. I pass by (within 100 feet of ICE) on the bikepath nearly every day.
2. It's been pretty quiet and dull over there for a month.
3. I did not enjoy the military helicopter flying overhead for hours last night.
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
War-ravaged Portland
September 27, 2025 at 2:44 PM
War-ravaged Portland
Someone made a panicked decision at $DIS and hoo boy are they going to regret it.
September 17, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Someone made a panicked decision at $DIS and hoo boy are they going to regret it.
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
trump approval hits a new low in today's yougov/economist poll. now worse than he was in yougov's data at this point in 2017 www.economist.com/interactive/...
September 16, 2025 at 4:01 PM
trump approval hits a new low in today's yougov/economist poll. now worse than he was in yougov's data at this point in 2017 www.economist.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
September 12, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Fossil fuels are dirt cheap. The whole lot of 'em.
www.eia.gov/outlooks/ste...
"Driven by falling gasoline prices, U.S. drivers’ gasoline expenditures as a share of disposable personal income are likely to be the lowest since at least 2005—excluding the pandemic-affected year of 2020."
www.eia.gov/outlooks/ste...
"Driven by falling gasoline prices, U.S. drivers’ gasoline expenditures as a share of disposable personal income are likely to be the lowest since at least 2005—excluding the pandemic-affected year of 2020."
Short-Term Energy Outlook - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis
www.eia.gov
September 10, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Fossil fuels are dirt cheap. The whole lot of 'em.
www.eia.gov/outlooks/ste...
"Driven by falling gasoline prices, U.S. drivers’ gasoline expenditures as a share of disposable personal income are likely to be the lowest since at least 2005—excluding the pandemic-affected year of 2020."
www.eia.gov/outlooks/ste...
"Driven by falling gasoline prices, U.S. drivers’ gasoline expenditures as a share of disposable personal income are likely to be the lowest since at least 2005—excluding the pandemic-affected year of 2020."
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
In the nightcap Julian puts JB Straubel and new second-life battery player Redwood Materials in the spotlight "second-life batteries are the cheapest form of long-duration storage. If true, battery startups are in trouble — and renewables are in luck." 🔌💡
www.canarymedia.com/articles/lon...
www.canarymedia.com/articles/lon...
Used EV batteries could upend the race for long-duration storage
Redwood Materials says second-life batteries are the cheapest form of long-duration storage. If true, battery startups are in trouble — and renewables are…
www.canarymedia.com
September 6, 2025 at 11:08 PM
In the nightcap Julian puts JB Straubel and new second-life battery player Redwood Materials in the spotlight "second-life batteries are the cheapest form of long-duration storage. If true, battery startups are in trouble — and renewables are in luck." 🔌💡
www.canarymedia.com/articles/lon...
www.canarymedia.com/articles/lon...
Absolutely stunned by this story from Rachel Cusk, my very first encounter with her work. Feels like a breakthrough in what the short story can be. Can't remember being this jolted since the time I first read Murakami.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
“Project,” by Rachel Cusk
Reality became malleable, was always giving way and changing its rules.
www.newyorker.com
September 4, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Absolutely stunned by this story from Rachel Cusk, my very first encounter with her work. Feels like a breakthrough in what the short story can be. Can't remember being this jolted since the time I first read Murakami.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
Tariffs are going to have to be paid back. The more I hear about the case, the more I think this could be a 9-0 SCOTUS opinion against Trump’s use of IEEPA. Plaintiffs are mostly libertarian, no-taxation-without-representation types, and the “major questions” doctrine test should easily be met here.
If the tariffs are finally struck down by the Supreme Court, the treasury will have to refund all of the money, which could be as much as $200 billion dollars, plus the administrative time required to accomplish the task.
August 30, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Tariffs are going to have to be paid back. The more I hear about the case, the more I think this could be a 9-0 SCOTUS opinion against Trump’s use of IEEPA. Plaintiffs are mostly libertarian, no-taxation-without-representation types, and the “major questions” doctrine test should easily be met here.
Someone will have to explain to me the idea that China is now becoming an electrostate, when China has always and everywhere been an electrostate. 🔌💡
August 30, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Someone will have to explain to me the idea that China is now becoming an electrostate, when China has always and everywhere been an electrostate. 🔌💡
Reposted by Gregor Macdonald
How big is the slow down in US clean energy manufacturing investments? Huge. 🔌💡
We are now tracking 39 projects, $41.8B in investment and 42,429 jobs that have slowed since Trump took office.
That compares to 70 projects, totaling $31.9B, and 36,554 jobs that have advanced during the same time.
We are now tracking 39 projects, $41.8B in investment and 42,429 jobs that have slowed since Trump took office.
That compares to 70 projects, totaling $31.9B, and 36,554 jobs that have advanced during the same time.
August 25, 2025 at 2:28 PM
How big is the slow down in US clean energy manufacturing investments? Huge. 🔌💡
We are now tracking 39 projects, $41.8B in investment and 42,429 jobs that have slowed since Trump took office.
That compares to 70 projects, totaling $31.9B, and 36,554 jobs that have advanced during the same time.
We are now tracking 39 projects, $41.8B in investment and 42,429 jobs that have slowed since Trump took office.
That compares to 70 projects, totaling $31.9B, and 36,554 jobs that have advanced during the same time.
Intriguing: EIA expects a new all time high for NG consumption in the US--but not because of growth in the power sector(which has actually been the source of NG strength for years).
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
August 25, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Intriguing: EIA expects a new all time high for NG consumption in the US--but not because of growth in the power sector(which has actually been the source of NG strength for years).
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
This is an exceptionally well written piece on $META's supercluster AI project in Louisiana, by @delaneynolan.bsky.social. Really evokes the scale of the data center to come, while also setting the rural context. Very strong prose.
fortune.com/2025/08/24/m...
fortune.com/2025/08/24/m...
Meta is sinking $10 billion into Louisiana to build its wildest AI aspirations, setting the template for the grid buildout
The massive data center buildout is underway, requiring massive amounts of new power and, increasingly, more fossil fuels and gas plants.
fortune.com
August 25, 2025 at 3:14 AM
This is an exceptionally well written piece on $META's supercluster AI project in Louisiana, by @delaneynolan.bsky.social. Really evokes the scale of the data center to come, while also setting the rural context. Very strong prose.
fortune.com/2025/08/24/m...
fortune.com/2025/08/24/m...
High level, good quality conversation between @cjhandmer.bsky.social and @dwarkesh.bsky.social on future solar prospects and costs of different energy sources as we scale AI. 💡🔌
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cDH...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cDH...
China is killing the US on energy. Does that mean they’ll win AGI? - Casey Handmer
YouTube video by Dwarkesh Patel
www.youtube.com
August 25, 2025 at 12:14 AM
High level, good quality conversation between @cjhandmer.bsky.social and @dwarkesh.bsky.social on future solar prospects and costs of different energy sources as we scale AI. 💡🔌
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cDH...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cDH...