Isak Kvam
@isakkvam.bsky.social
MN writer interested in climate, decarb, and wild places. Comms for Fresh Energy. DM me bird and typewriter photos. Posts are mine, my own, my precious. 🔌💡
@adnroy.bsky.social can I get a spider ID for central MN?
September 10, 2025 at 5:18 PM
@adnroy.bsky.social can I get a spider ID for central MN?
On the one hand, I'm with other climate folks in being happy that current gas turbine manufacturing can't meet current gas turbine demand. On the other hand, I'm so sad about high gas turbine demand.
www.utilitydive.com/news/mitsubi...
www.utilitydive.com/news/mitsubi...
September 5, 2025 at 7:25 PM
On the one hand, I'm with other climate folks in being happy that current gas turbine manufacturing can't meet current gas turbine demand. On the other hand, I'm so sad about high gas turbine demand.
www.utilitydive.com/news/mitsubi...
www.utilitydive.com/news/mitsubi...
Anyways, MISO as a whole is >50% carbon-free today. But in my neck of the woods, the MN/ND/SD subregion is about 62% wind and 14% nuclear, so >75% carbon-free.
September 5, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Anyways, MISO as a whole is >50% carbon-free today. But in my neck of the woods, the MN/ND/SD subregion is about 62% wind and 14% nuclear, so >75% carbon-free.
Told my wife 'it sure is windy' and started tapping on my phone and she immediately asked if I was checking the electrical grid on my phone again. Dear reader, ...
September 5, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Told my wife 'it sure is windy' and started tapping on my phone and she immediately asked if I was checking the electrical grid on my phone again. Dear reader, ...
Next time I write about the importance of clean energy jobs, I'm just going to be thinking of him.
May 29, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Next time I write about the importance of clean energy jobs, I'm just going to be thinking of him.
"EVs don't pay a gas tax" MN EVs have a higher annual tab fee and pay more into transportation funding than gas cars.
That's not stopping bills in the MN House and US House from collectively raising annual EV fees to $450/year/vehicle. Families with two EVs will pay $900/yr. This is bad policy.
That's not stopping bills in the MN House and US House from collectively raising annual EV fees to $450/year/vehicle. Families with two EVs will pay $900/yr. This is bad policy.
May 6, 2025 at 5:35 PM
"EVs don't pay a gas tax" MN EVs have a higher annual tab fee and pay more into transportation funding than gas cars.
That's not stopping bills in the MN House and US House from collectively raising annual EV fees to $450/year/vehicle. Families with two EVs will pay $900/yr. This is bad policy.
That's not stopping bills in the MN House and US House from collectively raising annual EV fees to $450/year/vehicle. Families with two EVs will pay $900/yr. This is bad policy.
Wait I did not mean this to be a Miss Congeniality reference but sometimes life works out that way
April 25, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Wait I did not mean this to be a Miss Congeniality reference but sometimes life works out that way
Finally got to see the inside of my home’s pad-mounted transformer
April 24, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Finally got to see the inside of my home’s pad-mounted transformer
Windy day in the Midwest today! Our electric grid's at 57% carbon-free power with wind coming in as the biggest source of electricity generation. Set two #3 MISO records today for max renewables (32,403 MW) and max renewables to load ratio (0.44).
April 14, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Windy day in the Midwest today! Our electric grid's at 57% carbon-free power with wind coming in as the biggest source of electricity generation. Set two #3 MISO records today for max renewables (32,403 MW) and max renewables to load ratio (0.44).
I don't know if anyone else needs to put words to this, but I highly recommend being inspired/guided by things you despise. I read this book by @austinkleon.bsky.social 6 years ago and realized how often my writing and professional work is guided by working from the negative — what you DON'T believe
April 11, 2025 at 1:26 PM
I don't know if anyone else needs to put words to this, but I highly recommend being inspired/guided by things you despise. I read this book by @austinkleon.bsky.social 6 years ago and realized how often my writing and professional work is guided by working from the negative — what you DON'T believe
So my 2025 hobby has been c r i t t e r s and I am pleased to introduce you to the great horned owl, Phil the woodchuck who has been engaging in lawn and structure destruction, and this inquisitive stray cat
April 8, 2025 at 8:43 PM
So my 2025 hobby has been c r i t t e r s and I am pleased to introduce you to the great horned owl, Phil the woodchuck who has been engaging in lawn and structure destruction, and this inquisitive stray cat
Honestly like 50% of my clean energy takes are just "lets put money for fossil fuels into clean energy instead" and I know it's nowhere near that simple but like also it kinda is
March 27, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Honestly like 50% of my clean energy takes are just "lets put money for fossil fuels into clean energy instead" and I know it's nowhere near that simple but like also it kinda is
Update: Still here and I finally held my phone to my binocs juuust right for a photo. I'm ecstatic!
March 25, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Update: Still here and I finally held my phone to my binocs juuust right for a photo. I'm ecstatic!
I've been staring out my window for 3 hours
March 25, 2025 at 3:17 PM
I've been staring out my window for 3 hours
Behind the scenes at MPR News today! Tune in now to hear about Minnesota’s energy transition.
March 11, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Behind the scenes at MPR News today! Tune in now to hear about Minnesota’s energy transition.
Real ones check the weather forecast, see that it’s windy, then check the real-time fuel mix. MISO is roughly 58% carbon-free rn, which felt a bit bonkers a decade ago. Lots to do to get net-zero, but rad to see.
February 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Real ones check the weather forecast, see that it’s windy, then check the real-time fuel mix. MISO is roughly 58% carbon-free rn, which felt a bit bonkers a decade ago. Lots to do to get net-zero, but rad to see.
As part of my work, I've had one-on-one interviews with about 30 or so different clean energy and climate professionals in Minnesota. And when asked if there's a place they care about that inspires their work, literally *every single person* has said the Boundary Waters.
Minnesotans love the BWCA.
Minnesotans love the BWCA.
February 25, 2025 at 6:28 PM
As part of my work, I've had one-on-one interviews with about 30 or so different clean energy and climate professionals in Minnesota. And when asked if there's a place they care about that inspires their work, literally *every single person* has said the Boundary Waters.
Minnesotans love the BWCA.
Minnesotans love the BWCA.
Regret to inform that I have grown from identifying with Calvin to Calvin’s dad
February 18, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Regret to inform that I have grown from identifying with Calvin to Calvin’s dad
Meta is proposing a new 2,262 MW natural gas plant in Louisiana to power a data center.
I asked Meta’s AI if that was good decision for people and our climate.
I asked Meta’s AI if that was good decision for people and our climate.
December 6, 2024 at 5:45 PM
Meta is proposing a new 2,262 MW natural gas plant in Louisiana to power a data center.
I asked Meta’s AI if that was good decision for people and our climate.
I asked Meta’s AI if that was good decision for people and our climate.
Then there’s Sherco: replacing the coal plant (whose emissions I can see from my driveway in winter) with 710 MW of solar and a 10 MW Form Energy battery, one of the largest projects in the country.
Funded by IRA. New jobs, tax revenue, clean energy. Not far from the best diner in my area.
Funded by IRA. New jobs, tax revenue, clean energy. Not far from the best diner in my area.
November 16, 2024 at 7:04 PM
Then there’s Sherco: replacing the coal plant (whose emissions I can see from my driveway in winter) with 710 MW of solar and a 10 MW Form Energy battery, one of the largest projects in the country.
Funded by IRA. New jobs, tax revenue, clean energy. Not far from the best diner in my area.
Funded by IRA. New jobs, tax revenue, clean energy. Not far from the best diner in my area.
There’s also a new Form Energy battery being built a half hour east of me by GRE at Cambridge at their peaker plant (I thiiink where the gravel pad is below?). 1.5-MW battery for 100 hours of discharge. Funded by IRA.
November 16, 2024 at 6:58 PM
There’s also a new Form Energy battery being built a half hour east of me by GRE at Cambridge at their peaker plant (I thiiink where the gravel pad is below?). 1.5-MW battery for 100 hours of discharge. Funded by IRA.
Thinking about rural energy transition (check that transmission line from the 50s!) this morning during MN deer opener.
November 9, 2024 at 1:35 PM
Thinking about rural energy transition (check that transmission line from the 50s!) this morning during MN deer opener.
I thought this book was just going to be about how wildfires are important but climate change and management have made them apocalyptic, but it’s so much more (and so much better) than that
November 5, 2024 at 3:29 PM
I thought this book was just going to be about how wildfires are important but climate change and management have made them apocalyptic, but it’s so much more (and so much better) than that
Trying the savory s’mores trend (melted cheese on jam and crackers) at Mammoth Cave and can report: it’s pretty good.
October 26, 2024 at 1:42 AM
Trying the savory s’mores trend (melted cheese on jam and crackers) at Mammoth Cave and can report: it’s pretty good.