Madeleine Gabriel
@madgabes.bsky.social
Director of the Sustainable Future mission at Nesta - working on decarbonising UK homes, and interested in all things energy and climate related. Views my own
I hate the phrase ‘we apologise for any inconvenience’
It’s usually obvious inconvenience occurred - say, if your Vodafone internet went down for hours
So why not just say ‘we apologise for THE inconvenience’?
In the happy event a customer wasn’t in fact inconvenienced, then you look generous!
It’s usually obvious inconvenience occurred - say, if your Vodafone internet went down for hours
So why not just say ‘we apologise for THE inconvenience’?
In the happy event a customer wasn’t in fact inconvenienced, then you look generous!
October 13, 2025 at 7:19 PM
I hate the phrase ‘we apologise for any inconvenience’
It’s usually obvious inconvenience occurred - say, if your Vodafone internet went down for hours
So why not just say ‘we apologise for THE inconvenience’?
In the happy event a customer wasn’t in fact inconvenienced, then you look generous!
It’s usually obvious inconvenience occurred - say, if your Vodafone internet went down for hours
So why not just say ‘we apologise for THE inconvenience’?
In the happy event a customer wasn’t in fact inconvenienced, then you look generous!
This is an interesting case study of a neighbourhood clean heat scheme in California - with some helpful pointers for future schemes (it didn’t go exactly to plan, but ultimately it did work)
@lauraklivans.bsky.social describes the lessons learned from the EcoBlock decarbonization project in Oakland, California: www.kqed.org/science/1997... 🔌💡
This Oakland Block Tried to Quit Fossil Fuels. Here’s What They Learned | KQED
As an innovative project to cut gas out of an entire block comes to a close, residents and researchers share their lessons.
www.kqed.org
June 14, 2025 at 9:09 AM
This is an interesting case study of a neighbourhood clean heat scheme in California - with some helpful pointers for future schemes (it didn’t go exactly to plan, but ultimately it did work)
It really would be so helpful if the signs of overwatering your plants were not also the signs of underwatering your plants
June 11, 2025 at 6:52 PM
It really would be so helpful if the signs of overwatering your plants were not also the signs of underwatering your plants
With electricity pricing in the news again today, we’ve just published a paper setting out Nesta’s position on the best approach to reforming policy costs on bills
www.nesta.org.uk/report/how-t...
www.nesta.org.uk/report/how-t...
How to make electricity cheaper
Reforming the levies on energy bills
www.nesta.org.uk
June 5, 2025 at 9:59 AM
With electricity pricing in the news again today, we’ve just published a paper setting out Nesta’s position on the best approach to reforming policy costs on bills
www.nesta.org.uk/report/how-t...
www.nesta.org.uk/report/how-t...
Fuel poverty and decarbonisation goals can often seem in tension - what would need to change to align them?
My colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social looks at the role cheaper electricity could play. We’re v keen to work further on this theme, and to hear thoughts
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/we-need...
My colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social looks at the role cheaper electricity could play. We’re v keen to work further on this theme, and to hear thoughts
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/we-need...
We need cheaper electricity to unlock a more effective fuel poverty strategy
As fuel poverty rates remain stubbornly high, we call for a stronger role for low-carbon heat, cheaper electricity through levy reform and a move away from deep retrofits in hard-to-treat homes
www.nesta.org.uk
May 30, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Fuel poverty and decarbonisation goals can often seem in tension - what would need to change to align them?
My colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social looks at the role cheaper electricity could play. We’re v keen to work further on this theme, and to hear thoughts
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/we-need...
My colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social looks at the role cheaper electricity could play. We’re v keen to work further on this theme, and to hear thoughts
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/we-need...
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
Today, the 1 metre ruling requiring a minimum of 1 metre between a heat pump & property boundaries has been lifted for homes in England, meaning thousands of homeowners can make the first step to getting one.
🔖 Our new explainer outlines the planning process for getting a heat pump: bit.ly/4mAIDo0
🔖 Our new explainer outlines the planning process for getting a heat pump: bit.ly/4mAIDo0
May 29, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Today, the 1 metre ruling requiring a minimum of 1 metre between a heat pump & property boundaries has been lifted for homes in England, meaning thousands of homeowners can make the first step to getting one.
🔖 Our new explainer outlines the planning process for getting a heat pump: bit.ly/4mAIDo0
🔖 Our new explainer outlines the planning process for getting a heat pump: bit.ly/4mAIDo0
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
🔥 1,600 heat pump visits in one year
🔥 Over 900 hosts signed up
🔥 47 installers registered
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/one-yea...
@codrinacretu.bsky.social @alasdair.co @madgabes.bsky.social @kieranran.bsky.social @markobroin.bsky.social
🔥 Over 900 hosts signed up
🔥 47 installers registered
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/one-yea...
@codrinacretu.bsky.social @alasdair.co @madgabes.bsky.social @kieranran.bsky.social @markobroin.bsky.social
One year on, Visit a Heat Pump sees over 1,600 visitors
Our research has shown visits make a clear difference to people’s attitudes, knowledge and confidence on heat pumps
www.nesta.org.uk
May 23, 2025 at 5:33 PM
🔥 1,600 heat pump visits in one year
🔥 Over 900 hosts signed up
🔥 47 installers registered
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/one-yea...
@codrinacretu.bsky.social @alasdair.co @madgabes.bsky.social @kieranran.bsky.social @markobroin.bsky.social
🔥 Over 900 hosts signed up
🔥 47 installers registered
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/one-yea...
@codrinacretu.bsky.social @alasdair.co @madgabes.bsky.social @kieranran.bsky.social @markobroin.bsky.social
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
The @telegraphnews.bsky.social claims that the 'boiler tax' has returned.
Has it? Was it even there in the first place? And what about claims that heat pump demand is "flatlining"?
& did the boiler companies ensure that the boiler tax they collected was returned to 'ripped off' consumers?🧵
Has it? Was it even there in the first place? And what about claims that heat pump demand is "flatlining"?
& did the boiler companies ensure that the boiler tax they collected was returned to 'ripped off' consumers?🧵
May 19, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The @telegraphnews.bsky.social claims that the 'boiler tax' has returned.
Has it? Was it even there in the first place? And what about claims that heat pump demand is "flatlining"?
& did the boiler companies ensure that the boiler tax they collected was returned to 'ripped off' consumers?🧵
Has it? Was it even there in the first place? And what about claims that heat pump demand is "flatlining"?
& did the boiler companies ensure that the boiler tax they collected was returned to 'ripped off' consumers?🧵
If only we already had an established way of funding public spending that sets thresholds by which higher earners pay more 🤷🏻♀️
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/a...
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/a...
Increased bills for higher earners could fund UK energy upgrade, Ofgem says
Regulator to consult industry on how to recover network costs via standing charge in a ‘more progressive’ way
www.theguardian.com
April 15, 2025 at 6:29 PM
If only we already had an established way of funding public spending that sets thresholds by which higher earners pay more 🤷🏻♀️
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/a...
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/a...
Last year we ran a big survey of UK heat pump installers with @betatalk.bsky.social and @imsheat.bsky.social
We couldn’t put all the data in our main report, so the team is writing follow ups. Here’s a deep dive on what installers say about skills and training
www.nesta.org.uk/project-upda...
We couldn’t put all the data in our main report, so the team is writing follow ups. Here’s a deep dive on what installers say about skills and training
www.nesta.org.uk/project-upda...
What skills and training are heat pump engineers looking for?
We found that beyond core technical skills, installers seek training in business management, administration, and system design to support their work
www.nesta.org.uk
April 15, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Last year we ran a big survey of UK heat pump installers with @betatalk.bsky.social and @imsheat.bsky.social
We couldn’t put all the data in our main report, so the team is writing follow ups. Here’s a deep dive on what installers say about skills and training
www.nesta.org.uk/project-upda...
We couldn’t put all the data in our main report, so the team is writing follow ups. Here’s a deep dive on what installers say about skills and training
www.nesta.org.uk/project-upda...
Would people be more likely to switch to low carbon heating if they could do it as part of an area-based scheme?
In principle, a coordinated scheme could reduce hassle, lower costs & boost confidence, compared to acting alone
We commissioned BIT to do an online experiment to test these ideas…
In principle, a coordinated scheme could reduce hassle, lower costs & boost confidence, compared to acting alone
We commissioned BIT to do an online experiment to test these ideas…
April 14, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Would people be more likely to switch to low carbon heating if they could do it as part of an area-based scheme?
In principle, a coordinated scheme could reduce hassle, lower costs & boost confidence, compared to acting alone
We commissioned BIT to do an online experiment to test these ideas…
In principle, a coordinated scheme could reduce hassle, lower costs & boost confidence, compared to acting alone
We commissioned BIT to do an online experiment to test these ideas…
EDF launched a new heat pump tariff today - no electricity standing charge and ‘six hours of discounted energy per day’. It’s tied to their HP offer with Ideal
www.edfenergy.com/media-centre...
All the biggest UK electricity suppliers (and some others) now offer some form of heat pump tariff
www.edfenergy.com/media-centre...
All the biggest UK electricity suppliers (and some others) now offer some form of heat pump tariff
EDF boosts heat pump savings with zero standing charge tariff
EDF, in partnership with Ideal Heating, is helping more customers save cash and carbon every day, all year round, with a new zero standing charge heat pump tariff
www.edfenergy.com
April 3, 2025 at 5:47 PM
EDF launched a new heat pump tariff today - no electricity standing charge and ‘six hours of discounted energy per day’. It’s tied to their HP offer with Ideal
www.edfenergy.com/media-centre...
All the biggest UK electricity suppliers (and some others) now offer some form of heat pump tariff
www.edfenergy.com/media-centre...
All the biggest UK electricity suppliers (and some others) now offer some form of heat pump tariff
It’s good to see insurers speaking up on impacts of climate change.
Heavy rain & prolonged dry weather increase risk to properties from flooding & subsidence. 2024 saw a 2-decade high in UK property insurance claims. This could quickly become unsustainable
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Heavy rain & prolonged dry weather increase risk to properties from flooding & subsidence. 2024 saw a 2-decade high in UK property insurance claims. This could quickly become unsustainable
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Climate crisis on track to destroy capitalism, warns top insurer
Action urgently needed to save the conditions under which markets – and civilisation itself – can operate, says senior Allianz figure
www.theguardian.com
April 3, 2025 at 12:21 PM
It’s good to see insurers speaking up on impacts of climate change.
Heavy rain & prolonged dry weather increase risk to properties from flooding & subsidence. 2024 saw a 2-decade high in UK property insurance claims. This could quickly become unsustainable
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Heavy rain & prolonged dry weather increase risk to properties from flooding & subsidence. 2024 saw a 2-decade high in UK property insurance claims. This could quickly become unsustainable
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Have probably spent longer than I should trying to photograph the partial eclipse through holes in things
March 29, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Have probably spent longer than I should trying to photograph the partial eclipse through holes in things
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
Good morning to everyone, and especially the Bloomberg crew who just did the deep dive on transformers I’ve been waiting 3 years for someone to write.
And you should read every word of it.
🔌💡
www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
And you should read every word of it.
🔌💡
www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
Heathrow Shutdown Shows How Electrified World Depends on One Device
A shortage of transformers is causing delays to power projects everywhere, holding trillion-dollar industries hostage—and that was before tariffs.
www.bloomberg.com
March 25, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Good morning to everyone, and especially the Bloomberg crew who just did the deep dive on transformers I’ve been waiting 3 years for someone to write.
And you should read every word of it.
🔌💡
www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
And you should read every word of it.
🔌💡
www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
Could grants for low-carbon heating be brought together in new ways to help fund area-based schemes?
@marine-furet.bsky.social sets out some ideas
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/how-cou...
@marine-furet.bsky.social sets out some ideas
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/how-cou...
How could subsidies incentivise clean heat neighbourhoods?
Restructuring public grants and subsidies can accelerate the heat transition, driving positive change
www.nesta.org.uk
March 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Could grants for low-carbon heating be brought together in new ways to help fund area-based schemes?
@marine-furet.bsky.social sets out some ideas
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/how-cou...
@marine-furet.bsky.social sets out some ideas
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/how-cou...
This is an incredible story
Experienced pilot reports safety concerns
Her employers have her diagnosed with bipolar & stop her flying
She fights back and wins. Delta keep appealing - and losing
She wins a final legal battle and eventually gets compensation
Her (male) bosses are… promoted
Experienced pilot reports safety concerns
Her employers have her diagnosed with bipolar & stop her flying
She fights back and wins. Delta keep appealing - and losing
She wins a final legal battle and eventually gets compensation
Her (male) bosses are… promoted
Hey, @ox.ac.uk, how about an honorary degree for this woman pilot with a PhD in aviation safety, whose employer hired a crooked psychiatrist to label her mentally ill after she blew the whistle on safety practices? She fought (for years) and won.
www.seattletimes.com/business/boe...
www.seattletimes.com/business/boe...
Seattle pilot fought back after Delta ‘weaponized’ mental health rules
When Delta grounded her after securing a bogus bipolar diagnosis, Seattle-based pilot Karlene Petitt fought back. She resisted. And she won.
www.seattletimes.com
February 21, 2025 at 11:06 AM
This is an incredible story
Experienced pilot reports safety concerns
Her employers have her diagnosed with bipolar & stop her flying
She fights back and wins. Delta keep appealing - and losing
She wins a final legal battle and eventually gets compensation
Her (male) bosses are… promoted
Experienced pilot reports safety concerns
Her employers have her diagnosed with bipolar & stop her flying
She fights back and wins. Delta keep appealing - and losing
She wins a final legal battle and eventually gets compensation
Her (male) bosses are… promoted
Love birds and renewables?
Good news: a new study finds that when managed in a way that allows grass and hedges to grow, solar farms have more diversity and abundance of birds than arable land
Good news: a new study finds that when managed in a way that allows grass and hedges to grow, solar farms have more diversity and abundance of birds than arable land
Our new paper, free to read in Bird Study, compares bird counts on solar farms and adjacent farmland. For solar farms with infrequently cut/grazed grass and bounded by hedges/trees, both farmland and woodland birds were more abundant than on adjacent arable land www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
February 21, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Love birds and renewables?
Good news: a new study finds that when managed in a way that allows grass and hedges to grow, solar farms have more diversity and abundance of birds than arable land
Good news: a new study finds that when managed in a way that allows grass and hedges to grow, solar farms have more diversity and abundance of birds than arable land
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
Jon Davis cartoon in the Guardian on "how the UK government is tackling the climate crisis"
Or any government, for that matter...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Or any government, for that matter...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
February 20, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Jon Davis cartoon in the Guardian on "how the UK government is tackling the climate crisis"
Or any government, for that matter...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Or any government, for that matter...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Welsh Gov is consulting on planning rules - as my colleague @marine-furet.bsky.social sets out, it’s a good chance to make heat pumps easier to install by removing the ‘3m rule’ - and to avoid making it harder by increasing costs for HP planning applications
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/the-wel...
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/the-wel...
The Welsh Government must commit to planning reform so we can unleash clean heat
We’re proposing three simple planning policies that could support Wales’ clean heat future
www.nesta.org.uk
February 14, 2025 at 1:01 PM
The Welsh Gov is consulting on planning rules - as my colleague @marine-furet.bsky.social sets out, it’s a good chance to make heat pumps easier to install by removing the ‘3m rule’ - and to avoid making it harder by increasing costs for HP planning applications
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/the-wel...
www.nesta.org.uk/blog/the-wel...
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
Cars are getting 1cm wider every two years. That may not sound much, but over time it adds up, and they're showing no signs of slowing down 😬
That's #carspreading. Our new campaign is calling on city leaders to make parking policies fairer by varying costs based on the size of a car.
Why? 🧵1/8
That's #carspreading. Our new campaign is calling on city leaders to make parking policies fairer by varying costs based on the size of a car.
Why? 🧵1/8
February 12, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Cars are getting 1cm wider every two years. That may not sound much, but over time it adds up, and they're showing no signs of slowing down 😬
That's #carspreading. Our new campaign is calling on city leaders to make parking policies fairer by varying costs based on the size of a car.
Why? 🧵1/8
That's #carspreading. Our new campaign is calling on city leaders to make parking policies fairer by varying costs based on the size of a car.
Why? 🧵1/8
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
I generally like David Gauke's writing, but this is really poor on energy prices and net zero I'm afraid.
Not going to rebut the whole thing, but a couple of quick points...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Not going to rebut the whole thing, but a couple of quick points...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
February 13, 2025 at 4:56 PM
I generally like David Gauke's writing, but this is really poor on energy prices and net zero I'm afraid.
Not going to rebut the whole thing, but a couple of quick points...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Not going to rebut the whole thing, but a couple of quick points...
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
With all the talk about energy prices, I'm sure you're all asking yourselves how much households other than yours pay for energy. Surely not everyone spends £[insert price cap] a year. Ask no more.
Here we explain and chart how things like heating tech, house size and lifestyles affect bills:
Here we explain and chart how things like heating tech, house size and lifestyles affect bills:
How different households use energy and how much it costs them
How different households use energy and how much it costs them
www.nesta.org.uk
November 26, 2024 at 5:17 PM
With all the talk about energy prices, I'm sure you're all asking yourselves how much households other than yours pay for energy. Surely not everyone spends £[insert price cap] a year. Ask no more.
Here we explain and chart how things like heating tech, house size and lifestyles affect bills:
Here we explain and chart how things like heating tech, house size and lifestyles affect bills:
Reposted by Madeleine Gabriel
Contrary to popular belief, there are only four kinds of bats.
November 21, 2024 at 2:23 PM
Contrary to popular belief, there are only four kinds of bats.
Ofgem gas just confirmed the energy price cap for January - March 2025.
But what’s in an energy bill anyway? My colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social has written a great explainer…
www.nesta.org.uk/report/whats...
But what’s in an energy bill anyway? My colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social has written a great explainer…
www.nesta.org.uk/report/whats...
What’s in an energy bill?
This explainer picks apart the gas and electricity bill of a typical household.
www.nesta.org.uk
November 22, 2024 at 1:24 PM
Ofgem gas just confirmed the energy price cap for January - March 2025.
But what’s in an energy bill anyway? My colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social has written a great explainer…
www.nesta.org.uk/report/whats...
But what’s in an energy bill anyway? My colleague @martinakavan.bsky.social has written a great explainer…
www.nesta.org.uk/report/whats...