jo melville
@jmelville.science
climate tech (electrochemistry, industrial decarb, synthetic fuels, carbon removal, deep biogeochemistry, solar radiation management)
formerly: ARPA-E, Georgetown, MIT (PhD), UC Berkeley (BSc)
ask me anything: https://jmelville.science/ask/
🇺🇸→🇸🇬
formerly: ARPA-E, Georgetown, MIT (PhD), UC Berkeley (BSc)
ask me anything: https://jmelville.science/ask/
🇺🇸→🇸🇬
funny story, the ~2008 shale boom + US becoming the biggest gas producer happened to coincide with a global acceleration in atmospheric methane levels.
also turns out that O&G methane leaks were self-reported and systematically underestimated. probably just a coincidence!
cc @kevinjkircher.com
also turns out that O&G methane leaks were self-reported and systematically underestimated. probably just a coincidence!
cc @kevinjkircher.com
January 16, 2026 at 5:25 AM
funny story, the ~2008 shale boom + US becoming the biggest gas producer happened to coincide with a global acceleration in atmospheric methane levels.
also turns out that O&G methane leaks were self-reported and systematically underestimated. probably just a coincidence!
cc @kevinjkircher.com
also turns out that O&G methane leaks were self-reported and systematically underestimated. probably just a coincidence!
cc @kevinjkircher.com
this shift is basically 100% attributable to the coal-to-gas transition in the US power sector, driven by the shale/tight gas fracking boom of the mid-aughts...
🔌💡
🔌💡
January 16, 2026 at 5:25 AM
this shift is basically 100% attributable to the coal-to-gas transition in the US power sector, driven by the shale/tight gas fracking boom of the mid-aughts...
🔌💡
🔌💡
i suspect i have been pwned
January 11, 2026 at 3:57 PM
i suspect i have been pwned
shout-out to the Anonymous Hamburger
January 11, 2026 at 3:38 PM
shout-out to the Anonymous Hamburger
toying with a new idea. can you guess the fuel source and nameplate capacity of a power plant, based solely on satellite imagery?
jmelville.science/plantle/
this is a hacky pre-alpha prototype, feedback very welcome (:
#energysky
jmelville.science/plantle/
this is a hacky pre-alpha prototype, feedback very welcome (:
#energysky
January 11, 2026 at 3:02 PM
toying with a new idea. can you guess the fuel source and nameplate capacity of a power plant, based solely on satellite imagery?
jmelville.science/plantle/
this is a hacky pre-alpha prototype, feedback very welcome (:
#energysky
jmelville.science/plantle/
this is a hacky pre-alpha prototype, feedback very welcome (:
#energysky
time to reissue my SSL certs
January 7, 2026 at 12:10 PM
time to reissue my SSL certs
in my previous job, I ran out of space on the whiteboard walls so I started scribbling calculations on the window
January 4, 2026 at 12:45 AM
in my previous job, I ran out of space on the whiteboard walls so I started scribbling calculations on the window
the EPA Class VI well spec was written in 2010. it doesn't account for downhole microbiota (no CCUS regs anywhere in the world do) because stimulated methanogenesis has only gained salience recently (breakthrough paper I cited is from 2021!)
December 23, 2025 at 8:43 PM
the EPA Class VI well spec was written in 2010. it doesn't account for downhole microbiota (no CCUS regs anywhere in the world do) because stimulated methanogenesis has only gained salience recently (breakthrough paper I cited is from 2021!)
it's not a matter of opinion. structural/stratigraphic trapping like you describe is considered to be the least secure form of geologic carbon storage. long-term sequestration requires residual trapping, dissolution, and mineralization — all of which methane is much worse at than CO2:
December 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
it's not a matter of opinion. structural/stratigraphic trapping like you describe is considered to be the least secure form of geologic carbon storage. long-term sequestration requires residual trapping, dissolution, and mineralization — all of which methane is much worse at than CO2:
i think this is half true. as we're seeing especially for solar, it's possible for renewables to compete with fossil fuels on a pure cost basis, without subsidies.
but this still leaves carbon emissions as an unpriced externality. solar is fighting with one arm tied behind its back — and winning!
but this still leaves carbon emissions as an unpriced externality. solar is fighting with one arm tied behind its back — and winning!
December 20, 2025 at 10:01 PM
i think this is half true. as we're seeing especially for solar, it's possible for renewables to compete with fossil fuels on a pure cost basis, without subsidies.
but this still leaves carbon emissions as an unpriced externality. solar is fighting with one arm tied behind its back — and winning!
but this still leaves carbon emissions as an unpriced externality. solar is fighting with one arm tied behind its back — and winning!
184/ the more I learn about geochemistry the less I understand
December 18, 2025 at 4:04 AM
184/ the more I learn about geochemistry the less I understand
183/ don't call yourself a real gamer if you don't have one of these
December 18, 2025 at 3:57 AM
183/ don't call yourself a real gamer if you don't have one of these
citogenesis: no longer limited to Wikipedia
December 16, 2025 at 1:39 AM
citogenesis: no longer limited to Wikipedia
stratigraphic trapping is well known to be the least reliable form.
methane is lighter than CO2 (more buoyant) and hence more effusive, so worse at residual trapping — less soluble in water — virtually unmineralizable (clathrates don't count)
in every way subsurface CH4 is far less secure than CO2
methane is lighter than CO2 (more buoyant) and hence more effusive, so worse at residual trapping — less soluble in water — virtually unmineralizable (clathrates don't count)
in every way subsurface CH4 is far less secure than CO2
December 12, 2025 at 8:34 PM
stratigraphic trapping is well known to be the least reliable form.
methane is lighter than CO2 (more buoyant) and hence more effusive, so worse at residual trapping — less soluble in water — virtually unmineralizable (clathrates don't count)
in every way subsurface CH4 is far less secure than CO2
methane is lighter than CO2 (more buoyant) and hence more effusive, so worse at residual trapping — less soluble in water — virtually unmineralizable (clathrates don't count)
in every way subsurface CH4 is far less secure than CO2
and my point is that *all* CO2 used for EOR is "captured instead of being polluted" because the CO2 separation is mandatory for AGR and if there isn't sufficient EOR demand it just gets vented.
see for instance these representative figures for CO2 captured at Shute Creek WY (Labarge):
see for instance these representative figures for CO2 captured at Shute Creek WY (Labarge):
December 12, 2025 at 8:04 PM
and my point is that *all* CO2 used for EOR is "captured instead of being polluted" because the CO2 separation is mandatory for AGR and if there isn't sufficient EOR demand it just gets vented.
see for instance these representative figures for CO2 captured at Shute Creek WY (Labarge):
see for instance these representative figures for CO2 captured at Shute Creek WY (Labarge):
how did Palmer Luckey get an advance copy of my pitch to the UK government next week
December 4, 2025 at 12:48 PM
how did Palmer Luckey get an advance copy of my pitch to the UK government next week
reupping this to commemorate the WSJ expose on the fabricated "AI for materials discovery" MIT economics paper. QM is an approximation to the furnace.
h/t @robertpalgrave.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/economy/aida...
h/t @robertpalgrave.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/economy/aida...
November 24, 2025 at 9:01 AM
reupping this to commemorate the WSJ expose on the fabricated "AI for materials discovery" MIT economics paper. QM is an approximation to the furnace.
h/t @robertpalgrave.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/economy/aida...
h/t @robertpalgrave.bsky.social
www.wsj.com/economy/aida...
ski pass prices are extortionate but have discounts for students, children, and military members. some discounts stack, so you can get a "teen military" or a "child military" pass. I assume this is for servicemembers with kids but it makes it sound like there is a special discount for child soldiers
November 23, 2025 at 8:53 AM
ski pass prices are extortionate but have discounts for students, children, and military members. some discounts stack, so you can get a "teen military" or a "child military" pass. I assume this is for servicemembers with kids but it makes it sound like there is a special discount for child soldiers
I go back and forth on the "hope for climate" question.
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
November 20, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I go back and forth on the "hope for climate" question.
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
On one hand, I think of this hapless interview with Andreas Malm where the journalist begs him to give them a reason to live. (yes, really)
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
oh my god they got Jonkers
November 19, 2025 at 7:59 AM
oh my god they got Jonkers
here is an alternate version of this meme that gives Eu the special attention it deserves
November 8, 2025 at 2:37 PM
here is an alternate version of this meme that gives Eu the special attention it deserves
SAVOIR FAIRE [Challenging: Failure]
![the Boston Steel slide with a Disco Elysium interface overlay:
PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT Ten meters of polished steel, baby. Your mind races at the thought of conquering this this children's play equipment. Take the plunge. Go down that slide.
SAVOIR FAIRE [Trivial: Failure]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4gfg7lhcz32br6n6u5f3vbao/bafkreic7xzbyih3cigpnbkljdbq3zs6wpmn6jd3lup2z4yxiisucytbw4y@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 7:34 AM
SAVOIR FAIRE [Challenging: Failure]
You (yes, you) are sleeping on variable-weight fonts with your Microsoft Word 2003 "normal" vs "bold" binary. I'm out here tastefully modulating to lights & semibolds within a consistent aesthetic frame while you mash four incompatible typefaces onto a single page. Get on my level.
November 7, 2025 at 6:44 AM
You (yes, you) are sleeping on variable-weight fonts with your Microsoft Word 2003 "normal" vs "bold" binary. I'm out here tastefully modulating to lights & semibolds within a consistent aesthetic frame while you mash four incompatible typefaces onto a single page. Get on my level.