John Smillie
@johnsmillie42.bsky.social
Husband, father, dog owner, hiker, climate action advocate, amateur energy nerd, heat pump evangelist, audiobook enthusiast.
"Who is going to clean this up at the end of its useful life?" is a question opponents love to ask wind and solar devs, which O&G driller have been skillfully avoiding for quite some time.
I've written a lot about the abandoned well crisis in this country. It's an environmental and climate disaster but also a financial disaster. This new article notes the financial reality about why nothing is done.
“They can’t, because it bankrupts the industry as we know it.”
“They can’t, because it bankrupts the industry as we know it.”
Meet the TikTok stars demanding oil companies clean up their mess
There are millions of abandoned oil wells across the United States. A group of unlikely activists in Texas is making sure no one forgets they need to be cleaned up.
www.motherjones.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:21 PM
"Who is going to clean this up at the end of its useful life?" is a question opponents love to ask wind and solar devs, which O&G driller have been skillfully avoiding for quite some time.
I always thought sports was my trivia weakness, but it turns out it is classical music.
December 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
I always thought sports was my trivia weakness, but it turns out it is classical music.
Pretty bleak that the weakest district is still like R+12
Indiana Republicans will try to pass a new congressional gerrymander this week that is designed to wipe out the remaining two Democrats next year.
Supporters of this power grab have been using terrorism to intimidate the Republican holdouts in the state Senate, where its passage is in doubt
Supporters of this power grab have been using terrorism to intimidate the Republican holdouts in the state Senate, where its passage is in doubt
December 9, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Pretty bleak that the weakest district is still like R+12
www.axios.com/2025/12/08/j...
So if Netflix's attempt to buy WB fails, but Paramount's succeeds, I think we will know why.
So if Netflix's attempt to buy WB fails, but Paramount's succeeds, I think we will know why.
Jared Kushner is part of Paramount's hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Paramount is telling WBD shareholders that it has a smoother path to regulatory approval than does Netflix.
www.axios.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:26 PM
www.axios.com/2025/12/08/j...
So if Netflix's attempt to buy WB fails, but Paramount's succeeds, I think we will know why.
So if Netflix's attempt to buy WB fails, but Paramount's succeeds, I think we will know why.
Reposted by John Smillie
the lesson executives should learn from this whole paramount debacle is that it is extraordinarily corrosive to a functional business environment to have a personalist authoritarian regime, and they should not support that in the future
what they will learn is they should get closer to trump
what they will learn is they should get closer to trump
December 8, 2025 at 6:04 PM
the lesson executives should learn from this whole paramount debacle is that it is extraordinarily corrosive to a functional business environment to have a personalist authoritarian regime, and they should not support that in the future
what they will learn is they should get closer to trump
what they will learn is they should get closer to trump
www.pharostribune.com/cnhi_network...
Solar and wind as a financial lifeline to Indiana farmers.
Wind leaves the vast majority of the land untouched. Solar occupies more space, but with the right practices can preserve soil for later use, or have dual use now.
Solar and wind as a financial lifeline to Indiana farmers.
Wind leaves the vast majority of the land untouched. Solar occupies more space, but with the right practices can preserve soil for later use, or have dual use now.
Solar, wind projects offer financial stability for many Indiana farmers
GREENTOWN, Ind. — A series of wind turbines dot the southern sky in rural Central Indiana, about an hour north of Indianapolis.
www.pharostribune.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:26 PM
www.pharostribune.com/cnhi_network...
Solar and wind as a financial lifeline to Indiana farmers.
Wind leaves the vast majority of the land untouched. Solar occupies more space, but with the right practices can preserve soil for later use, or have dual use now.
Solar and wind as a financial lifeline to Indiana farmers.
Wind leaves the vast majority of the land untouched. Solar occupies more space, but with the right practices can preserve soil for later use, or have dual use now.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/c...
The inherent conflict between MAHA (no "toxins!") and the Trump EPA (how much pollution can we get away with?) has finally bubbled up.
The inherent conflict between MAHA (no "toxins!") and the Trump EPA (how much pollution can we get away with?) has finally bubbled up.
MAHA Activists Urge Trump to Fire His E.P.A. Administrator
www.nytimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:20 PM
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/c...
The inherent conflict between MAHA (no "toxins!") and the Trump EPA (how much pollution can we get away with?) has finally bubbled up.
The inherent conflict between MAHA (no "toxins!") and the Trump EPA (how much pollution can we get away with?) has finally bubbled up.
Geothermal for direct heat is the single biggest exception to electrify everything.
Energy use is about 50% heat, 30% transportation, and 20% electricity.
The less heat you have to put on a winter peaking electric grid, the better.
Energy use is about 50% heat, 30% transportation, and 20% electricity.
The less heat you have to put on a winter peaking electric grid, the better.
Geothermal energy for heat (for greenhouses, district heating, industrial processes) is going to grow in the EU a lot in the next few years (Munich, for example, is drilling like crazy at the moment). Geothermal electricity generation is still much more of an open question. Good reporting here.
NEW from me: i talked to the founders of a geothermal startup that is working on a simple (but surprisingly difficult) solution to find more geothermal energy: seek out systems deep underground that we can use for power. it's harder than you think!
December 8, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Geothermal for direct heat is the single biggest exception to electrify everything.
Energy use is about 50% heat, 30% transportation, and 20% electricity.
The less heat you have to put on a winter peaking electric grid, the better.
Energy use is about 50% heat, 30% transportation, and 20% electricity.
The less heat you have to put on a winter peaking electric grid, the better.
Reposted by John Smillie
“The Daily Nebraskan found in the leaked spreadsheet that every program eliminated appeared to be profitable…every program that the chancellor proposed eliminating generated more money from tuition dollars than the department costs to run”
December 7, 2025 at 2:11 PM
“The Daily Nebraskan found in the leaked spreadsheet that every program eliminated appeared to be profitable…every program that the chancellor proposed eliminating generated more money from tuition dollars than the department costs to run”
www.indystar.com/story/opinio...
The second offensively bad Indy Star OpEd I've seen this weekend
Duffy touts that by making cars less safe and less efficient, they can lower the price by 1k. Omitting that tariffs have added 6k (www.kbb.com/tariffs/) and worse stds raise TCO and DEATHS.
The second offensively bad Indy Star OpEd I've seen this weekend
Duffy touts that by making cars less safe and less efficient, they can lower the price by 1k. Omitting that tariffs have added 6k (www.kbb.com/tariffs/) and worse stds raise TCO and DEATHS.
We're ending Biden's EV madness and restoring freedom | Opinion
The average new car costs $49,000. Biden squeezed the middle class out of the market. We're fixing that.
www.indystar.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:14 PM
www.indystar.com/story/opinio...
The second offensively bad Indy Star OpEd I've seen this weekend
Duffy touts that by making cars less safe and less efficient, they can lower the price by 1k. Omitting that tariffs have added 6k (www.kbb.com/tariffs/) and worse stds raise TCO and DEATHS.
The second offensively bad Indy Star OpEd I've seen this weekend
Duffy touts that by making cars less safe and less efficient, they can lower the price by 1k. Omitting that tariffs have added 6k (www.kbb.com/tariffs/) and worse stds raise TCO and DEATHS.
Reposted by John Smillie
More people now work, around the world, in producing + distributing power—making electricity from wind, solar + other sources—than in extracting + supplying fuels like oil, gas or coal, the @iea.org says.
It's a sign of what IEA calls the "age of electricity." Solar in particular is rising quickly.
It's a sign of what IEA calls the "age of electricity." Solar in particular is rising quickly.
World Energy Employment 2025 – Analysis - IEA
World Energy Employment 2025 - Analysis and key findings. A report by the International Energy Agency.
www.iea.org
December 7, 2025 at 1:35 PM
More people now work, around the world, in producing + distributing power—making electricity from wind, solar + other sources—than in extracting + supplying fuels like oil, gas or coal, the @iea.org says.
It's a sign of what IEA calls the "age of electricity." Solar in particular is rising quickly.
It's a sign of what IEA calls the "age of electricity." Solar in particular is rising quickly.
Health insurance wasn't even his original stated excuse. It was life insurance. He wanted to leave behind 700k.
He even just wanted to skip the treatments and die until Jr. yelled at him.
He even just wanted to skip the treatments and die until Jr. yelled at him.
Breaking bad was about a guy who had many opportunities for his healthcare to be paid for (his former business partners, jrs accidental money laundering go fund me), but he preferred selling meth because ruining other people's lives feels more manly than accepting gifts.
December 7, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Health insurance wasn't even his original stated excuse. It was life insurance. He wanted to leave behind 700k.
He even just wanted to skip the treatments and die until Jr. yelled at him.
He even just wanted to skip the treatments and die until Jr. yelled at him.
Reposted by John Smillie
Buddy, I have bad news for you about how many 90yos should be driving
December 6, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Buddy, I have bad news for you about how many 90yos should be driving
deepfission.com/department-o...
Dissatisfied with the performance of your geothermal borehole? Have you tried adding a 15MWe nuclear reactor?
Deep Fission to build underground nuclear reactor in Kansas, aiming for completion in a blazing 7 months.
Definitely one of the most Out There concepts
Dissatisfied with the performance of your geothermal borehole? Have you tried adding a 15MWe nuclear reactor?
Deep Fission to build underground nuclear reactor in Kansas, aiming for completion in a blazing 7 months.
Definitely one of the most Out There concepts
Nuclear Company Deep Fission Announces Site for Department of Energy Pilot at Great Plains Industrial Park in Kansas - Deep Fission, Inc
Deep Fission, Inc. announced the Great Plains Industrial Park in Parsons, Kansas, as the site of its advanced reactor pilot project.
deepfission.com
December 6, 2025 at 1:58 PM
deepfission.com/department-o...
Dissatisfied with the performance of your geothermal borehole? Have you tried adding a 15MWe nuclear reactor?
Deep Fission to build underground nuclear reactor in Kansas, aiming for completion in a blazing 7 months.
Definitely one of the most Out There concepts
Dissatisfied with the performance of your geothermal borehole? Have you tried adding a 15MWe nuclear reactor?
Deep Fission to build underground nuclear reactor in Kansas, aiming for completion in a blazing 7 months.
Definitely one of the most Out There concepts
Yes, this. It's agribusiness and corrupt wastewater management, and they put a data center giant in the headline for clicks.
i have been doing a deep dive into the Rolling Stone / Eastern Oregon datacenter water story, and... as far as i can tell, no named source other than the corrupt republican county commissioner who was turned out of office because he was _responsible_ for the nitrate spraying mentioned Amazon at all.
December 6, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Yes, this. It's agribusiness and corrupt wastewater management, and they put a data center giant in the headline for clicks.
Reposted by John Smillie
i have been doing a deep dive into the Rolling Stone / Eastern Oregon datacenter water story, and... as far as i can tell, no named source other than the corrupt republican county commissioner who was turned out of office because he was _responsible_ for the nitrate spraying mentioned Amazon at all.
December 6, 2025 at 3:46 AM
i have been doing a deep dive into the Rolling Stone / Eastern Oregon datacenter water story, and... as far as i can tell, no named source other than the corrupt republican county commissioner who was turned out of office because he was _responsible_ for the nitrate spraying mentioned Amazon at all.
I have 2 all-time favorites at The Onion, one for commentary and one for sheer hilarity
theonion.com/study-38-per...
and
theonion.com/man-dies-aft...
The historical " Holy +×#*#& Man Walks on $*%*#^ Moon!" is also a gem
theonion.com/study-38-per...
and
theonion.com/man-dies-aft...
The historical " Holy +×#*#& Man Walks on $*%*#^ Moon!" is also a gem
December 5, 2025 at 9:00 PM
I have 2 all-time favorites at The Onion, one for commentary and one for sheer hilarity
theonion.com/study-38-per...
and
theonion.com/man-dies-aft...
The historical " Holy +×#*#& Man Walks on $*%*#^ Moon!" is also a gem
theonion.com/study-38-per...
and
theonion.com/man-dies-aft...
The historical " Holy +×#*#& Man Walks on $*%*#^ Moon!" is also a gem
Induction range arrived. 3 minutes to boiling, baby. Now we're cooking with magnets.
December 5, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Induction range arrived. 3 minutes to boiling, baby. Now we're cooking with magnets.
Trump talking about kei cars positively was not on my bingo card.
Is it his love of golf carts? Longshot bribe by an interested manufacturer? Both?
Is it his love of golf carts? Longshot bribe by an interested manufacturer? Both?
December 5, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Trump talking about kei cars positively was not on my bingo card.
Is it his love of golf carts? Longshot bribe by an interested manufacturer? Both?
Is it his love of golf carts? Longshot bribe by an interested manufacturer? Both?
Better late than never
Utilities give up hope on using hydrogen in their gas grids – report
“The assessment that gas networks will no longer play a central role in the future is becoming increasingly widespread”
www.cleanenergywire.org/news/utiliti...
“The assessment that gas networks will no longer play a central role in the future is becoming increasingly widespread”
www.cleanenergywire.org/news/utiliti...
December 5, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Better late than never
eavor.com/press-releas...
The world now has commercial power production from closed-loop advanced geothermal.
The world now has commercial power production from closed-loop advanced geothermal.
Eavor Technologies Achieves First Electricity Production at Geretsried Site - Eavor
Calgary, Alberta, Canada — Revolutionary Project Signals a New Era for Geothermal Energy
eavor.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:42 PM
eavor.com/press-releas...
The world now has commercial power production from closed-loop advanced geothermal.
The world now has commercial power production from closed-loop advanced geothermal.
gmauthority.com/blog/2025/12...
I am somewhere between the Donald Glover "Good" and the Ron Burgundy "I don't believe you" here
I am somewhere between the Donald Glover "Good" and the Ron Burgundy "I don't believe you" here
December 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM
gmauthority.com/blog/2025/12...
I am somewhere between the Donald Glover "Good" and the Ron Burgundy "I don't believe you" here
I am somewhere between the Donald Glover "Good" and the Ron Burgundy "I don't believe you" here