Charlie
@ichaber.bsky.social
“The uncomfortable possibility for Western analysts is that some of the assumptions long applied to China and India are now obsolete”
The Assumptions That Broke: China, India, and the End of Fossil Growth Models
cleantechnica.com/2026/01/22/t...
cleantechnica.com/2026/01/22/t...
The Assumptions That Broke: China, India, and the End of Fossil Growth Models - CleanTechnica
Coal and LNG fell in China and India while BEV trucks surged. The energy transition moved faster than the models predicted.
cleantechnica.com
January 24, 2026 at 8:56 PM
“The uncomfortable possibility for Western analysts is that some of the assumptions long applied to China and India are now obsolete”
Reposted by Charlie
The Assumptions That Broke: China, India, and the End of Fossil Growth Models
cleantechnica.com/2026/01/22/t...
cleantechnica.com/2026/01/22/t...
The Assumptions That Broke: China, India, and the End of Fossil Growth Models - CleanTechnica
Coal and LNG fell in China and India while BEV trucks surged. The energy transition moved faster than the models predicted.
cleantechnica.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:30 PM
The Assumptions That Broke: China, India, and the End of Fossil Growth Models
cleantechnica.com/2026/01/22/t...
cleantechnica.com/2026/01/22/t...
Reposted by Charlie
“There are two futures before us. In one, closed platforms strangle competition with no incentive to make things better.
In the other, open networks let anyone with a good idea build a better version of social media.” @jay.bsky.team
www.ft.com/content/c698...
In the other, open networks let anyone with a good idea build a better version of social media.” @jay.bsky.team
www.ft.com/content/c698...
Banning under-16s won’t fix social media
The toxic ecosystem we have today can be better addressed with competition than regulation
www.ft.com
January 24, 2026 at 6:47 PM
“There are two futures before us. In one, closed platforms strangle competition with no incentive to make things better.
In the other, open networks let anyone with a good idea build a better version of social media.” @jay.bsky.team
www.ft.com/content/c698...
In the other, open networks let anyone with a good idea build a better version of social media.” @jay.bsky.team
www.ft.com/content/c698...
Reposted by Charlie
As a majority of American face freezing, or below freezing temperature, and likely millions will be without power for a period of time, or extended period, we cannot talk often enough about your vehicle also providing 70-100+ kWh of power for your home in the event of a climate catastrophe.
January 24, 2026 at 3:01 AM
As a majority of American face freezing, or below freezing temperature, and likely millions will be without power for a period of time, or extended period, we cannot talk often enough about your vehicle also providing 70-100+ kWh of power for your home in the event of a climate catastrophe.
Reposted by Charlie
“Withdrawing from the World Health Organisation (WHO) is scientifically reckless,” says R. G. Nahass, president of Infectious Diseases Society of America. “Global cooperation is not a luxury; it is a biological necessity” (for healthy survival)
#NZpol #USpolitics
www.nzherald.co.nz/world/formal...
#NZpol #USpolitics
www.nzherald.co.nz/world/formal...
January 23, 2026 at 10:23 PM
“Withdrawing from the World Health Organisation (WHO) is scientifically reckless,” says R. G. Nahass, president of Infectious Diseases Society of America. “Global cooperation is not a luxury; it is a biological necessity” (for healthy survival)
#NZpol #USpolitics
www.nzherald.co.nz/world/formal...
#NZpol #USpolitics
www.nzherald.co.nz/world/formal...
Reposted by Charlie
Always worth a re-post when we get an update.
Amazes me that Govt get away with saying they have done anything notable to 'tame inflation'. Our peak was relatively low (we weren't exposed to global gas prices 😌), and, over the last year, Govt decisions have demonstrably increased CPI.
Amazes me that Govt get away with saying they have done anything notable to 'tame inflation'. Our peak was relatively low (we weren't exposed to global gas prices 😌), and, over the last year, Govt decisions have demonstrably increased CPI.
January 24, 2026 at 3:52 AM
Always worth a re-post when we get an update.
Amazes me that Govt get away with saying they have done anything notable to 'tame inflation'. Our peak was relatively low (we weren't exposed to global gas prices 😌), and, over the last year, Govt decisions have demonstrably increased CPI.
Amazes me that Govt get away with saying they have done anything notable to 'tame inflation'. Our peak was relatively low (we weren't exposed to global gas prices 😌), and, over the last year, Govt decisions have demonstrably increased CPI.
Reposted by Charlie
Now out from paywall! Good piece from Max Rashbrooke.
“This week’s floods show why we need to talk about climate change - and keep talking” (paywalled) www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3609...
This week’s floods show why we need to talk about climate change - and keep talking
OPINION: It is not a comfortable conversation for many New Zealanders – but it is the conversation we need to have.
www.thepost.co.nz
January 24, 2026 at 3:53 AM
Now out from paywall! Good piece from Max Rashbrooke.
Reposted by Charlie
India's electrification shortcut! ⚡️🇮🇳
Solar, wind, batteries, electric vehicles...India's economy has different tools available than the US and China did at the same stage in their economic development.
The result? An early turn away from fossil molecules towards electrons.
Solar, wind, batteries, electric vehicles...India's economy has different tools available than the US and China did at the same stage in their economic development.
The result? An early turn away from fossil molecules towards electrons.
January 23, 2026 at 12:38 PM
India's electrification shortcut! ⚡️🇮🇳
Solar, wind, batteries, electric vehicles...India's economy has different tools available than the US and China did at the same stage in their economic development.
The result? An early turn away from fossil molecules towards electrons.
Solar, wind, batteries, electric vehicles...India's economy has different tools available than the US and China did at the same stage in their economic development.
The result? An early turn away from fossil molecules towards electrons.
Reposted by Charlie
thread of the day.
yes, even with everything else going on.
yes, even with everything else going on.
It has been clear for decades now that politicians, businesses, and the public are failing to make the obvious link between climate impacts we can be highly certain are coming and what they are likely to mean at the societal, economic, and security level.
January 23, 2026 at 1:01 PM
thread of the day.
yes, even with everything else going on.
yes, even with everything else going on.
Reposted by Charlie
While Australian heatwaves were some of the very first extreme events attributed to climate change, people still underestimate how much worse they got - killing more people than all other natural hazards combined. New @wwattribution.bsky.social study. www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-chan...
January 22, 2026 at 1:56 PM
While Australian heatwaves were some of the very first extreme events attributed to climate change, people still underestimate how much worse they got - killing more people than all other natural hazards combined. New @wwattribution.bsky.social study. www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-chan...
Reposted by Charlie
life ending and infrastructure destroying floods are now an annual occurrence in new zealand. there is no political recognition of this new reality, and thus there is no resourcing for its prevention. we are not ready
January 22, 2026 at 8:26 AM
life ending and infrastructure destroying floods are now an annual occurrence in new zealand. there is no political recognition of this new reality, and thus there is no resourcing for its prevention. we are not ready
Reposted by Charlie
Germany hits 25GWh of battery storage end of 2025
Largest share home storage (19GWh)
Large-scale storage share comes in step changes as facilities added
Majority of installations lithium-ion batteries
battery-charts.rwth-aachen.de/main-page/
Largest share home storage (19GWh)
Large-scale storage share comes in step changes as facilities added
Majority of installations lithium-ion batteries
battery-charts.rwth-aachen.de/main-page/
January 23, 2026 at 2:23 AM
Germany hits 25GWh of battery storage end of 2025
Largest share home storage (19GWh)
Large-scale storage share comes in step changes as facilities added
Majority of installations lithium-ion batteries
battery-charts.rwth-aachen.de/main-page/
Largest share home storage (19GWh)
Large-scale storage share comes in step changes as facilities added
Majority of installations lithium-ion batteries
battery-charts.rwth-aachen.de/main-page/
Reposted by Charlie
Giles Dexter nededs to get some context around this *SHOCK* story. ACC has investments at NZ$51.1 billion (as of 2025), up from NZ$48.1 billion the year before.
So their "deficit" has to be seen in that context. ACC is investing heavily in a portfolio that has a 9.1% return according to their...(1)
So their "deficit" has to be seen in that context. ACC is investing heavily in a portfolio that has a 9.1% return according to their...(1)
January 23, 2026 at 12:41 AM
Giles Dexter nededs to get some context around this *SHOCK* story. ACC has investments at NZ$51.1 billion (as of 2025), up from NZ$48.1 billion the year before.
So their "deficit" has to be seen in that context. ACC is investing heavily in a portfolio that has a 9.1% return according to their...(1)
So their "deficit" has to be seen in that context. ACC is investing heavily in a portfolio that has a 9.1% return according to their...(1)
Reposted by Charlie
Pakistan imported ~50 GW of solar modules in just 3 years — about 200% of its blackout-prone fossil fleet. This wasn’t policy-driven, it was pure economics. #Solar arrived quietly, then all at once. When power gets cheap and reliable, LNG doesn’t transition — it gets dumped. Coal and oil wither.
Pakistan’s installed PV capacity estimated above 27 GW
Pakistan has imported over 50 GW of solar modules from China, including 18 GW during the country’s last fiscal year. In the absence of official installation figures, Islamabad-based thinktank Renewabl...
www.pv-magazine.com
January 21, 2026 at 10:02 PM
Pakistan imported ~50 GW of solar modules in just 3 years — about 200% of its blackout-prone fossil fleet. This wasn’t policy-driven, it was pure economics. #Solar arrived quietly, then all at once. When power gets cheap and reliable, LNG doesn’t transition — it gets dumped. Coal and oil wither.
Reposted by Charlie
The TACO cycle:
Markets want to price in TACO. But TACO only works if Trump sees stocks tank.
So we get a loop: Trump does things → nothing happens (markets already priced in TACO) → that emboldens him to do more → until markets start to think he might not TACO → stocks fall → TACO is restored.
Markets want to price in TACO. But TACO only works if Trump sees stocks tank.
So we get a loop: Trump does things → nothing happens (markets already priced in TACO) → that emboldens him to do more → until markets start to think he might not TACO → stocks fall → TACO is restored.
January 21, 2026 at 7:48 PM
The TACO cycle:
Markets want to price in TACO. But TACO only works if Trump sees stocks tank.
So we get a loop: Trump does things → nothing happens (markets already priced in TACO) → that emboldens him to do more → until markets start to think he might not TACO → stocks fall → TACO is restored.
Markets want to price in TACO. But TACO only works if Trump sees stocks tank.
So we get a loop: Trump does things → nothing happens (markets already priced in TACO) → that emboldens him to do more → until markets start to think he might not TACO → stocks fall → TACO is restored.
Reposted by Charlie
We'll see, but I don't think the apparent TACO on Greenland will last long. It's just another case of "last person he talked to," and that won't be the Europeans once he's back at the West Wing / Mar-a-Lago. For their own anti-NATO reasons, too many in the inner circle are determined to push this.
January 21, 2026 at 7:55 PM
We'll see, but I don't think the apparent TACO on Greenland will last long. It's just another case of "last person he talked to," and that won't be the Europeans once he's back at the West Wing / Mar-a-Lago. For their own anti-NATO reasons, too many in the inner circle are determined to push this.
Reposted by Charlie
How oil companies got the NZ taxpayer to pay $300m for decommissioning the Tui oil field (and how they are trying to do it again). www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto...
How oil companies made you pay $300m to clean up their oil field mess (and how they are trying to do it again) - Greenpeace Aotearoa
How oil companies made you pay $300m to clean up their oil field mess (and how they are trying to do it again)
www.greenpeace.org
January 21, 2026 at 8:12 PM
How oil companies got the NZ taxpayer to pay $300m for decommissioning the Tui oil field (and how they are trying to do it again). www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto...
Reposted by Charlie
a gentle reminder that wind power is bloody great, contributes bulk energy at a scale that was almost literally unimaginable in the energy discourse of the 2010s, and in conjunction with solar power, storage, transmission and aggressive demand reduction where possible, can eliminate fossil fuels ->
#GraphicOfTheWeek: The North Sea is home to 101 operational offshore wind farms, with around 30 GW of installed capacity.
It is the largest wind hub in the world, supplying #renewable #wind energy to six European countries.
See last week's top graphic: https://loom.ly/AWSeFdE
It is the largest wind hub in the world, supplying #renewable #wind energy to six European countries.
See last week's top graphic: https://loom.ly/AWSeFdE
January 21, 2026 at 8:15 PM
a gentle reminder that wind power is bloody great, contributes bulk energy at a scale that was almost literally unimaginable in the energy discourse of the 2010s, and in conjunction with solar power, storage, transmission and aggressive demand reduction where possible, can eliminate fossil fuels ->
This thing can go up to 185km on a charge with 225 vehicles and 2,100 passengers.
Perfect ferry for the Cook Strait!
Maybe even as Interislander (albeit no rail in this build).
Cost? ~$200m apparently and built in Tasmania.
#nzpol
Perfect ferry for the Cook Strait!
Maybe even as Interislander (albeit no rail in this build).
Cost? ~$200m apparently and built in Tasmania.
#nzpol
The world's largest EV, a battery electric catamaran ferry powered up it's water jet motors as part of it's harbor trials. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋 www.autoevolution.com/news/earth-s...
Earth's Largest Electric Vehicle Moves Under Its Own Power for the First Time
Tasmanian boat maker Incat announced it has become trials of the China Zorrilla ferry in the waters of the River Derwent.
www.autoevolution.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:17 AM
This thing can go up to 185km on a charge with 225 vehicles and 2,100 passengers.
Perfect ferry for the Cook Strait!
Maybe even as Interislander (albeit no rail in this build).
Cost? ~$200m apparently and built in Tasmania.
#nzpol
Perfect ferry for the Cook Strait!
Maybe even as Interislander (albeit no rail in this build).
Cost? ~$200m apparently and built in Tasmania.
#nzpol
Reposted by Charlie
Hey the voter suppression laws mean you can only vote up to twelve days before November 7 and have to be registered thirteen days before that. Twelve days before Nov 7 is 26 October. THAT IS LABOUR DAY. THE ELECTION VOTING STARTS ON LABOUR DAY.
January 21, 2026 at 12:27 AM
Hey the voter suppression laws mean you can only vote up to twelve days before November 7 and have to be registered thirteen days before that. Twelve days before Nov 7 is 26 October. THAT IS LABOUR DAY. THE ELECTION VOTING STARTS ON LABOUR DAY.
Reposted by Charlie
NZ geothermal power hit a new record on 28/12/25 – 29,367 MWh, meeting 31% of demand for the day. Looks like there will be more records set in days to come. Note a lot of capacity was offline in Nov-Dec for maintenance.
January 20, 2026 at 11:11 PM
NZ geothermal power hit a new record on 28/12/25 – 29,367 MWh, meeting 31% of demand for the day. Looks like there will be more records set in days to come. Note a lot of capacity was offline in Nov-Dec for maintenance.
Reposted by Charlie
We have an early CME hit! This was the fastest I've ever seen it arrive.
I'm taking this pic standing in the middle of a typical Icelandic hail squall but you can see the aurora through breaks in the clouds. Go outside now if you're in Europe!
19:50 | Þingvellir, Iceland
#aurora #northernlights
I'm taking this pic standing in the middle of a typical Icelandic hail squall but you can see the aurora through breaks in the clouds. Go outside now if you're in Europe!
19:50 | Þingvellir, Iceland
#aurora #northernlights
January 19, 2026 at 7:54 PM
We have an early CME hit! This was the fastest I've ever seen it arrive.
I'm taking this pic standing in the middle of a typical Icelandic hail squall but you can see the aurora through breaks in the clouds. Go outside now if you're in Europe!
19:50 | Þingvellir, Iceland
#aurora #northernlights
I'm taking this pic standing in the middle of a typical Icelandic hail squall but you can see the aurora through breaks in the clouds. Go outside now if you're in Europe!
19:50 | Þingvellir, Iceland
#aurora #northernlights
LNG (liquid methane) comes with strategic risks and dependencies.
Maybe NZ shouldn't push so hard for building expensive LNG terminals!?
Rather electrify everything and expand our own independent domestic supply!
#nzpol
Maybe NZ shouldn't push so hard for building expensive LNG terminals!?
Rather electrify everything and expand our own independent domestic supply!
#nzpol
All the noise that self-styled energy wonks made about how the US should surge LNG exports to Europe did not age well.
Europeans should phase fossil fuels out of their power grids and electrify heating, transport, etc. We all should. It's long past time, and not just because of Trump.
Europeans should phase fossil fuels out of their power grids and electrify heating, transport, etc. We all should. It's long past time, and not just because of Trump.
Fears grow over Europe’s soaring dependence on US gas imports
American LNG was meant to be a safe alternative to Russian gas. That’s no longer a given, with transatlantic relations in crisis
American LNG was meant to be a safe alternative to Russian gas. That’s no longer a given, with transatlantic relations in crisis
January 19, 2026 at 11:03 PM
LNG (liquid methane) comes with strategic risks and dependencies.
Maybe NZ shouldn't push so hard for building expensive LNG terminals!?
Rather electrify everything and expand our own independent domestic supply!
#nzpol
Maybe NZ shouldn't push so hard for building expensive LNG terminals!?
Rather electrify everything and expand our own independent domestic supply!
#nzpol
Reposted by Charlie
State of the Nation
More than 71,000 New Zealand citizens — about 1% of the population — left the country over the 12 months ending in October. Many were chasing salaries and opportunities in neighboring Australia. nyti.ms/3YJaGqH
Why Are New Zealanders Moving to Australia? More Money, Better Vibes.
More than 1 percent of New Zealand’s population left over the year ending in October. Many of the migrants were chasing salaries and opportunities in neighboring Australia.
nyti.ms
January 19, 2026 at 6:35 PM
State of the Nation