Lachlan Carey
@lrcarey.bsky.social
Manager in RMI's Clean Regional Economic Development initiative. Non-resident fellow at United States Studies Center, Sydney University.
Mostly lurking for takes on industrial policy, clean energy, and economics.
Mostly lurking for takes on industrial policy, clean energy, and economics.
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
I have a new essay on place-based economic development policies as "broadly-shared abundance policy" at Site Selection magazine: siteselection.com/incentives-s... Key pt: econ dev policies can boost abundance IF targeted at distressed areas/non-employed, & if local housing policies accommodate.
INCENTIVES: SMART LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY Can Gain Support from The Abundance Movement – Site Selection Magazine
siteselection.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:12 PM
I have a new essay on place-based economic development policies as "broadly-shared abundance policy" at Site Selection magazine: siteselection.com/incentives-s... Key pt: econ dev policies can boost abundance IF targeted at distressed areas/non-employed, & if local housing policies accommodate.
Seeing this chart a bunch. As tempting as it is, it pretty dramatically undervalues US oil & gas exports (I think it just looks at crude oil & LNG exports). Here's what I get with UN Comtrade data:
October 7, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Seeing this chart a bunch. As tempting as it is, it pretty dramatically undervalues US oil & gas exports (I think it just looks at crude oil & LNG exports). Here's what I get with UN Comtrade data:
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
New piece from @arnabdatta.bsky.social and @petereharrell.bsky.social goes through the good and bad in the Trump MP Materials deal.
They note it improves on past industrial policy (e.g. Tesla) while not addressing some current challenges.
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
They note it improves on past industrial policy (e.g. Tesla) while not addressing some current challenges.
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
What the Pentagon’s Rare Earths Deal Gets Right and Wrong
Hello and welcome to the newsletter, a grab bag of daily content from the Odd Lots universe. Sometimes it's us, Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway, bringing you our thoughts on the most recent developme...
www.bloomberg.com
September 12, 2025 at 4:32 PM
New piece from @arnabdatta.bsky.social and @petereharrell.bsky.social goes through the good and bad in the Trump MP Materials deal.
They note it improves on past industrial policy (e.g. Tesla) while not addressing some current challenges.
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
They note it improves on past industrial policy (e.g. Tesla) while not addressing some current challenges.
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
"The material basis of the global production, consumption and information systems are being remade. One doesn’t have to be a Marxist to think that will imply a radical transformation in global politics."
@katemac.bsky.social & I on the new globalization:
phenomenalworld.org/analysis/bri...
@katemac.bsky.social & I on the new globalization:
phenomenalworld.org/analysis/bri...
July 8, 2025 at 9:13 PM
"The material basis of the global production, consumption and information systems are being remade. One doesn’t have to be a Marxist to think that will imply a radical transformation in global politics."
@katemac.bsky.social & I on the new globalization:
phenomenalworld.org/analysis/bri...
@katemac.bsky.social & I on the new globalization:
phenomenalworld.org/analysis/bri...
"Even in 2024, the EU was spending more money on Russian oil and gas (€22 billion) than on financial aid to Ukraine (€19 billion)"
👀
👀
If you’re wondering how on earth Europe navigates the post-transatlantic era of defense spending, self imposed fiscal restraint, energy vulnerability and climate goals… so are @70sbachchan.bsky.social and I www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/eur...
Europe Enters Its Metal Era | Kate Mackenzie & Tim Sahay
What kind of Europe survives a fractured transatlantic military alliance?
www.phenomenalworld.org
March 2, 2025 at 2:27 PM
"Even in 2024, the EU was spending more money on Russian oil and gas (€22 billion) than on financial aid to Ukraine (€19 billion)"
👀
👀
Worth a read. Terrifying that it might be true.
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
Trumpian policy as cultural policy - Marginal REVOLUTION
The Trump administration has issued a blizzard of Executive Orders, and set many other potential changes in the works. They might rename Dulles Airport (can you guess to what?). A bill has been intr...
marginalrevolution.com
February 5, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Worth a read. Terrifying that it might be true.
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
Not saying this is comforting, but here’s our look at what other world powers might & could do, while the US is a source of chaos and volatility. www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pol...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pol...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pol...
Polycrisis 2025 | Kate Mackenzie & Tim Sahay
Diplomacy, finance, and extraction in the year ahead
www.phenomenalworld.org
February 1, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Not saying this is comforting, but here’s our look at what other world powers might & could do, while the US is a source of chaos and volatility. www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pol...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pol...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pol...
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
The most surreal and maddening feature of the campaign was that everyone agreed that high prices were the main issue but the guy explicitly, consistently running on a platform of raising everyone’s prices won voters most concerned about high prices.
We hammered this time and time again and yet.
We hammered this time and time again and yet.
February 2, 2025 at 1:36 PM
The most surreal and maddening feature of the campaign was that everyone agreed that high prices were the main issue but the guy explicitly, consistently running on a platform of raising everyone’s prices won voters most concerned about high prices.
We hammered this time and time again and yet.
We hammered this time and time again and yet.
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
I will never stop saying this: Biden should have given this as the reason for halting permits for new LNG export terminals. Everyone knew it would raise domestic prices, even with the ports already in the works.
Well this is rough news from EIA. Natural gas prices may close to double over the next couple years as we start exporting LNG? Who knew? Who possibly could've predicted this? Did we make our own "national energy emergency"? 🔌💡
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
EIA expects higher wholesale U.S. natural gas prices as demand increases - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
www.eia.gov
January 23, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I will never stop saying this: Biden should have given this as the reason for halting permits for new LNG export terminals. Everyone knew it would raise domestic prices, even with the ports already in the works.
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
www.nybooks.com/online/2025/...
In the @nybooks.com I offer historical perspectives on the political failure of Bidenomics: a massive program built thru business and nonprofit welfarism. Market-making, as I call it, has its place, but it must be embedded within more direct social benefits.
In the @nybooks.com I offer historical perspectives on the political failure of Bidenomics: a massive program built thru business and nonprofit welfarism. Market-making, as I call it, has its place, but it must be embedded within more direct social benefits.
Bidenomics: Farewell to an Idea? | Brent Cebul
As the Democratic Party reckons with another loss to Donald Trump, no issue looms larger than its continued hemorrhaging of working-class voters. It’s not
www.nybooks.com
January 15, 2025 at 5:43 PM
www.nybooks.com/online/2025/...
In the @nybooks.com I offer historical perspectives on the political failure of Bidenomics: a massive program built thru business and nonprofit welfarism. Market-making, as I call it, has its place, but it must be embedded within more direct social benefits.
In the @nybooks.com I offer historical perspectives on the political failure of Bidenomics: a massive program built thru business and nonprofit welfarism. Market-making, as I call it, has its place, but it must be embedded within more direct social benefits.
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
Climate advocates might feel hopeless with Pres-elect Trump returning to the WH.
They shouldn’t.
I wrote about how to make progress for NYT
1. Focus on innovation and industrial strategy
2. Be pragmatic about fossil fuels
3. Expand the interests that gain from decarbonization
They shouldn’t.
I wrote about how to make progress for NYT
1. Focus on innovation and industrial strategy
2. Be pragmatic about fossil fuels
3. Expand the interests that gain from decarbonization
December 8, 2024 at 1:29 PM
Climate advocates might feel hopeless with Pres-elect Trump returning to the WH.
They shouldn’t.
I wrote about how to make progress for NYT
1. Focus on innovation and industrial strategy
2. Be pragmatic about fossil fuels
3. Expand the interests that gain from decarbonization
They shouldn’t.
I wrote about how to make progress for NYT
1. Focus on innovation and industrial strategy
2. Be pragmatic about fossil fuels
3. Expand the interests that gain from decarbonization
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
US power demand now projected to grow by 128 GW by 2029!
Last year, Grid Strategies broke the news that utilities and system operators had doubled their forecasts for electric demand growth from 2022 – a sudden jump driven by data centers and industrial load, among other factors.🧵 1/4
🔌💡
Last year, Grid Strategies broke the news that utilities and system operators had doubled their forecasts for electric demand growth from 2022 – a sudden jump driven by data centers and industrial load, among other factors.🧵 1/4
🔌💡
December 5, 2024 at 2:11 PM
US power demand now projected to grow by 128 GW by 2029!
Last year, Grid Strategies broke the news that utilities and system operators had doubled their forecasts for electric demand growth from 2022 – a sudden jump driven by data centers and industrial load, among other factors.🧵 1/4
🔌💡
Last year, Grid Strategies broke the news that utilities and system operators had doubled their forecasts for electric demand growth from 2022 – a sudden jump driven by data centers and industrial load, among other factors.🧵 1/4
🔌💡
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
Norway's road transport energy use is now highlighting a really important effect: primary energy consumption falling even while people travel more.
Why? Because electrification is energy efficiency.
Chart by @robbieandrew.bsky.social
Why? Because electrification is energy efficiency.
Chart by @robbieandrew.bsky.social
November 27, 2024 at 8:22 AM
Norway's road transport energy use is now highlighting a really important effect: primary energy consumption falling even while people travel more.
Why? Because electrification is energy efficiency.
Chart by @robbieandrew.bsky.social
Why? Because electrification is energy efficiency.
Chart by @robbieandrew.bsky.social
Chart of the Day.
Fun fact - New York City has a bigger GDP than the state of New York.
Fun fact - New York City has a bigger GDP than the state of New York.
November 22, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Chart of the Day.
Fun fact - New York City has a bigger GDP than the state of New York.
Fun fact - New York City has a bigger GDP than the state of New York.
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
A more than doubling during the Biden Administration 🔌💡
In Q3, clean investment made up 5% of total US investment in private structures, equipment, and durable consumer goods.
November 21, 2024 at 5:36 PM
A more than doubling during the Biden Administration 🔌💡
Chart of the Day:
New Clean Investment Monitor data is out, so time to update the IRA growth chart. SAF and carbon management are now so far off the chart it's starting to look silly. EV supply chain manufacturing, solar, and hydrogen continue to grow rapidly, as do EV sales and storage deployment.
New Clean Investment Monitor data is out, so time to update the IRA growth chart. SAF and carbon management are now so far off the chart it's starting to look silly. EV supply chain manufacturing, solar, and hydrogen continue to grow rapidly, as do EV sales and storage deployment.
November 21, 2024 at 5:36 PM
Chart of the Day:
New Clean Investment Monitor data is out, so time to update the IRA growth chart. SAF and carbon management are now so far off the chart it's starting to look silly. EV supply chain manufacturing, solar, and hydrogen continue to grow rapidly, as do EV sales and storage deployment.
New Clean Investment Monitor data is out, so time to update the IRA growth chart. SAF and carbon management are now so far off the chart it's starting to look silly. EV supply chain manufacturing, solar, and hydrogen continue to grow rapidly, as do EV sales and storage deployment.
Chart of the Day:
The number of federal government employees has increased by 6% since 1970, while federal government spending has increased by over 3,000%.
The number of federal government employees has increased by 6% since 1970, while federal government spending has increased by over 3,000%.
November 20, 2024 at 8:28 PM
Chart of the Day:
The number of federal government employees has increased by 6% since 1970, while federal government spending has increased by over 3,000%.
The number of federal government employees has increased by 6% since 1970, while federal government spending has increased by over 3,000%.
Well this jumped out at me:
"the value of China’s clean technology exports is set to exceed USD 340 billion in 2035, based on today’s policy settings. This is roughly equivalent to the projected oil export revenue of both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates combined in 2024."
-IEA ETP, 2024
"the value of China’s clean technology exports is set to exceed USD 340 billion in 2035, based on today’s policy settings. This is roughly equivalent to the projected oil export revenue of both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates combined in 2024."
-IEA ETP, 2024
November 19, 2024 at 9:47 PM
Well this jumped out at me:
"the value of China’s clean technology exports is set to exceed USD 340 billion in 2035, based on today’s policy settings. This is roughly equivalent to the projected oil export revenue of both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates combined in 2024."
-IEA ETP, 2024
"the value of China’s clean technology exports is set to exceed USD 340 billion in 2035, based on today’s policy settings. This is roughly equivalent to the projected oil export revenue of both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates combined in 2024."
-IEA ETP, 2024
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
EU plans to flip the script on China with new tech transfer requirements for Chinese companies seeking EU subsidies. 1/
www.ft.com/content/f4fd...
www.ft.com/content/f4fd...
EU to demand technology transfers from Chinese companies
New requirements will apply to batteries but could be expanded to other green sectors
www.ft.com
November 19, 2024 at 5:53 PM
EU plans to flip the script on China with new tech transfer requirements for Chinese companies seeking EU subsidies. 1/
www.ft.com/content/f4fd...
www.ft.com/content/f4fd...
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
There’s a real risk of over interpreting what happened in a way that sends D’s backwards on so many fronts not least of which is climate/clean energy
Mandate? Trump is now under 50% in the popular vote with his margin ranking 44th out of 51 elections since 1824.
4 Democrats won Senate seats in states Trump carried—compared to zero in 16 and 20.
GOP poised for its smallest House majority since the U.S. had 50 states.
- CNN’s Harry Enten reports
4 Democrats won Senate seats in states Trump carried—compared to zero in 16 and 20.
GOP poised for its smallest House majority since the U.S. had 50 states.
- CNN’s Harry Enten reports
November 18, 2024 at 7:19 PM
There’s a real risk of over interpreting what happened in a way that sends D’s backwards on so many fronts not least of which is climate/clean energy
Chart of the Day: Required Critical Mineral Supply w/ and w/o Recycling. Source: IEA, 'Recycling of Critical Minerals'
Note how copper and cobalt barely budge w/ recycling. Huge challenge building out lithium and nickel supply out to 2040.
Note how copper and cobalt barely budge w/ recycling. Huge challenge building out lithium and nickel supply out to 2040.
November 18, 2024 at 2:49 PM
Chart of the Day: Required Critical Mineral Supply w/ and w/o Recycling. Source: IEA, 'Recycling of Critical Minerals'
Note how copper and cobalt barely budge w/ recycling. Huge challenge building out lithium and nickel supply out to 2040.
Note how copper and cobalt barely budge w/ recycling. Huge challenge building out lithium and nickel supply out to 2040.
Very cool paper from @conorwalsh.bsky.social & Arkolakis. This really stood out:
"when energy is provided by accumulable capital, as in the case of renewables, rather than exhaustible fossil fuels, innovation resources can be redirected to broad innovation and increase the aggregate growth rate"
"when energy is provided by accumulable capital, as in the case of renewables, rather than exhaustible fossil fuels, innovation resources can be redirected to broad innovation and increase the aggregate growth rate"
The economic impacts of moving to a renewable-dominated grid in the US, from Costas Arkolakis and Conor Walsh https://www.nber.org/papers/w33028
November 14, 2024 at 2:44 PM
Very cool paper from @conorwalsh.bsky.social & Arkolakis. This really stood out:
"when energy is provided by accumulable capital, as in the case of renewables, rather than exhaustible fossil fuels, innovation resources can be redirected to broad innovation and increase the aggregate growth rate"
"when energy is provided by accumulable capital, as in the case of renewables, rather than exhaustible fossil fuels, innovation resources can be redirected to broad innovation and increase the aggregate growth rate"
This might be the chart that explains the election imo
The whole post is super wonky but v v interesting
jzmazlish.substack.com/p/yes-inflat...
The whole post is super wonky but v v interesting
jzmazlish.substack.com/p/yes-inflat...
November 13, 2024 at 5:28 PM
This might be the chart that explains the election imo
The whole post is super wonky but v v interesting
jzmazlish.substack.com/p/yes-inflat...
The whole post is super wonky but v v interesting
jzmazlish.substack.com/p/yes-inflat...
Reposted by Lachlan Carey
"covid made everyone nuts" is underrated as an explanation for things imo
At least not in modern history. This is the thing every “inflation” and “the economy” explanation needs to be able to explain.
November 12, 2024 at 2:28 PM
"covid made everyone nuts" is underrated as an explanation for things imo