Alex Rybchuk
@rybchuk.bsky.social
Atmospheric and ML researcher at NREL, focused on wind energy | Formerly CU Boulder | he/him
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
My department (Purdue Mechanical Engineering) is hiring a tenure-track assistant professor who works on energy (any subfield). Please feel free to share with students or postdocs who may be interested.
careers.purdue.edu/job/Assistan...
careers.purdue.edu/job/Assistan...
Assistant/Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering - Energy
Assistant/Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering - Energy
careers.purdue.edu
November 1, 2025 at 3:33 PM
My department (Purdue Mechanical Engineering) is hiring a tenure-track assistant professor who works on energy (any subfield). Please feel free to share with students or postdocs who may be interested.
careers.purdue.edu/job/Assistan...
careers.purdue.edu/job/Assistan...
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Today we are taking politics out of Californian’s utility bills and putting an end to the use of ratepayer funds for the political and promotional benefit of IOUs. (1/2)
October 12, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Today we are taking politics out of Californian’s utility bills and putting an end to the use of ratepayer funds for the political and promotional benefit of IOUs. (1/2)
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
This one of many reasons that 21st century liberalism should reorient itself around *places*, namely creating places that are actually pleasant to live in, with generous public spaces that bring people's physical bodies into proximity.
The Anti-Social Century
Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality.
www.theatlantic.com
October 5, 2025 at 7:57 PM
This one of many reasons that 21st century liberalism should reorient itself around *places*, namely creating places that are actually pleasant to live in, with generous public spaces that bring people's physical bodies into proximity.
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Electricity now costs 267% more (!!) for 1 month vs. what it cost 5 years ago near data center hotspots. Awesome reporting from Josh Saul @dinabass.bsky.social Leonardo Nicoletti @naurtorious.bsky.social Demetrios Pogkas (gift link) www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring
Wholesale electricity costs as much as 267% more than it did five years ago in areas near data centers. That’s being passed on to customers.
www.bloomberg.com
September 29, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Electricity now costs 267% more (!!) for 1 month vs. what it cost 5 years ago near data center hotspots. Awesome reporting from Josh Saul @dinabass.bsky.social Leonardo Nicoletti @naurtorious.bsky.social Demetrios Pogkas (gift link) www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Hey New York folk, come on down to this:
Canary Media x Volts at Climate Week NYC
Join Canary Media and Volts’ David Roberts for a live double podcast with Carlos Araque of Quaise Energy and Doreen Harris of NYSERDA.
www.eventbrite.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Hey New York folk, come on down to this:
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Trump flips the script: from blaming Ukraine for “taking on a nation 10 times your size” to now saying Ukraine can win back all its territory with EU and NATO support. Calls Russia “a paper tiger” and says the war is dragging Moscow into deep economic trouble.
September 23, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Trump flips the script: from blaming Ukraine for “taking on a nation 10 times your size” to now saying Ukraine can win back all its territory with EU and NATO support. Calls Russia “a paper tiger” and says the war is dragging Moscow into deep economic trouble.
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
PolymathicAI is recruiting two postdoctoral researchers to join our team at Cambridge, to work on building and understanding large-scale foundation models for science. Please share with potential candidates!
September 4, 2025 at 9:46 AM
PolymathicAI is recruiting two postdoctoral researchers to join our team at Cambridge, to work on building and understanding large-scale foundation models for science. Please share with potential candidates!
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
USEIA reported that the United States added 12 GW of utility-scale solar in the first half of 2025, and another 21 GW is planned to become operational by year’s end.
Solar will make up over half of the 64 GW of new capacity coming online this year.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
Solar will make up over half of the 64 GW of new capacity coming online this year.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
August 20, 2025 at 8:15 PM
USEIA reported that the United States added 12 GW of utility-scale solar in the first half of 2025, and another 21 GW is planned to become operational by year’s end.
Solar will make up over half of the 64 GW of new capacity coming online this year.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
Solar will make up over half of the 64 GW of new capacity coming online this year.
www.eia.gov/todayinenerg...
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
This is such an insane statistic that it's hard to understand. 40% of what is shipped is fossil fuels -- not 40% of things are shipped *by* fossil fuels. 40% of *what is being carried* is the fossil fuels themselves.
We ship 11 billion tonnes of stuff around the world and 40% of that is fossil fuels.
Baltimore shipping channel reopened after explosion on cargo ship near site of 2024 bridge collapse
Authorities are investigating the cause of an explosion aboard a cargo ship that was leaving the Port of Baltimore when it issued a mayday call.
apnews.com
August 20, 2025 at 6:47 PM
This is such an insane statistic that it's hard to understand. 40% of what is shipped is fossil fuels -- not 40% of things are shipped *by* fossil fuels. 40% of *what is being carried* is the fossil fuels themselves.
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Just back from a support group for laid-off feds— mostly aid workers. They dubbed their first meeting a “sad hour,” but now focus on the job search.
“This group feeds my soul,” said one attendee. “And we have snacks to feed you!” chimed another — standing next to pretzels and chips.
Coming soon.
“This group feeds my soul,” said one attendee. “And we have snacks to feed you!” chimed another — standing next to pretzels and chips.
Coming soon.
August 19, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Just back from a support group for laid-off feds— mostly aid workers. They dubbed their first meeting a “sad hour,” but now focus on the job search.
“This group feeds my soul,” said one attendee. “And we have snacks to feed you!” chimed another — standing next to pretzels and chips.
Coming soon.
“This group feeds my soul,” said one attendee. “And we have snacks to feed you!” chimed another — standing next to pretzels and chips.
Coming soon.
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Thanks @billmckibben.bsky.social for this perspective:
Opponents argue renewables take up too much land.
The math tells a different story:
1 acre of corn for ethanol fuels an F-150 for ~25,000 miles.
1 acre of solar panels powers an F-150 Lightning for 700,000 miles.
That’s not even close.
Opponents argue renewables take up too much land.
The math tells a different story:
1 acre of corn for ethanol fuels an F-150 for ~25,000 miles.
1 acre of solar panels powers an F-150 Lightning for 700,000 miles.
That’s not even close.
Here Comes the Sun: Bill McKibben on Solar’s Breakout Moment
Why getting most of our power from solar and storage is no longer a distant hope but the fastest, cheapest, most common-sense way to power our world.
open.substack.com
August 19, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Thanks @billmckibben.bsky.social for this perspective:
Opponents argue renewables take up too much land.
The math tells a different story:
1 acre of corn for ethanol fuels an F-150 for ~25,000 miles.
1 acre of solar panels powers an F-150 Lightning for 700,000 miles.
That’s not even close.
Opponents argue renewables take up too much land.
The math tells a different story:
1 acre of corn for ethanol fuels an F-150 for ~25,000 miles.
1 acre of solar panels powers an F-150 Lightning for 700,000 miles.
That’s not even close.
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Marianna Dudley’s new book, Electric Wind, is an exciting new history of wind power. It tells the story of a technology which is transforming Britain and the people and places which made it happen.
If you would like to review my book for a publication, get in touch! The book is a history of wind energy and I’m trying to get it out to as wide an audience as possible.
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182968/
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182968/
Manchester University Press - Electric wind
Electric wind - Browse and buy the Paperback edition of Electric wind by Marianna Dudley
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
August 7, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Marianna Dudley’s new book, Electric Wind, is an exciting new history of wind power. It tells the story of a technology which is transforming Britain and the people and places which made it happen.
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
NEW: The NWS has received permission to hire up to 450 meteorologists/hydrologists/radar technicians after DOGE-related cuts. Agency also given a public safety exemption from federal hiring freeze after losing more than 550 people in those cuts. (1/2)
August 5, 2025 at 4:02 PM
NEW: The NWS has received permission to hire up to 450 meteorologists/hydrologists/radar technicians after DOGE-related cuts. Agency also given a public safety exemption from federal hiring freeze after losing more than 550 people in those cuts. (1/2)
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
🚨Job Alert🚨
We're hiring in the broad area of *Earth Surface Dynamics Geophysics*
Please help me advertise this (rare) opportunity for a full-time tenure track assistant professorship.
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
We're hiring in the broad area of *Earth Surface Dynamics Geophysics*
Please help me advertise this (rare) opportunity for a full-time tenure track assistant professorship.
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
August 4, 2025 at 8:09 PM
🚨Job Alert🚨
We're hiring in the broad area of *Earth Surface Dynamics Geophysics*
Please help me advertise this (rare) opportunity for a full-time tenure track assistant professorship.
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
We're hiring in the broad area of *Earth Surface Dynamics Geophysics*
Please help me advertise this (rare) opportunity for a full-time tenure track assistant professorship.
illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
From 2020 to 2023, smoke PM2.5 concentrations were 2.6–6.7 times higher than the 2006–2019 average, with exposure periods twice as long.
Argument mostly resolved by this super interesting and depressing figure:
doi.org/10.31223/X57...
Clearly we're in a new normal. Open question - do we know yet whether the new normal is more like 2020/21 or more like 2023? I suspect the latter, since Canada is so darn big & it keeps burning. /end
doi.org/10.31223/X57...
Clearly we're in a new normal. Open question - do we know yet whether the new normal is more like 2020/21 or more like 2023? I suspect the latter, since Canada is so darn big & it keeps burning. /end
August 4, 2025 at 2:46 PM
From 2020 to 2023, smoke PM2.5 concentrations were 2.6–6.7 times higher than the 2006–2019 average, with exposure periods twice as long.
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Fascinating piece of data- capital expenditures from big tech up ~3x in last few years but tech employment is roughly flat/declining over that time, at least per: www.comptia.org/en-us/resour...
The AI infrastructure build-out is so gigantic that in the past 6 months, it contributed more to the growth of the U.S. economy than /all of consumer spending/
The 'magnificent 7' spent more than $100 billion on data centers and the like in the past three months *alone*
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/sili...
The 'magnificent 7' spent more than $100 billion on data centers and the like in the past three months *alone*
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/sili...
August 1, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Fascinating piece of data- capital expenditures from big tech up ~3x in last few years but tech employment is roughly flat/declining over that time, at least per: www.comptia.org/en-us/resour...
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
🚨 Postdoc in AI + Earth Science
Join ELLIOT (€25M EU project) in València to build next-gen foundation models for climate + Earth data 🌍🤖
🔗 Apply: forms.gle/gvhCQfLB4kko...
🗓 Deadline: Sept 15
#AI #Postdoc #ML #HorizonEurope #OpenScience #ELLIS @esa @esascience
Join ELLIOT (€25M EU project) in València to build next-gen foundation models for climate + Earth data 🌍🤖
🔗 Apply: forms.gle/gvhCQfLB4kko...
🗓 Deadline: Sept 15
#AI #Postdoc #ML #HorizonEurope #OpenScience #ELLIS @esa @esascience
https://forms.gle/gvhCQfLB4kkoTZ…
July 31, 2025 at 4:10 PM
🚨 Postdoc in AI + Earth Science
Join ELLIOT (€25M EU project) in València to build next-gen foundation models for climate + Earth data 🌍🤖
🔗 Apply: forms.gle/gvhCQfLB4kko...
🗓 Deadline: Sept 15
#AI #Postdoc #ML #HorizonEurope #OpenScience #ELLIS @esa @esascience
Join ELLIOT (€25M EU project) in València to build next-gen foundation models for climate + Earth data 🌍🤖
🔗 Apply: forms.gle/gvhCQfLB4kko...
🗓 Deadline: Sept 15
#AI #Postdoc #ML #HorizonEurope #OpenScience #ELLIS @esa @esascience
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
You've heard of #methane super-emitters at oil and gas facilities.
But have you heard of super-emitting LNG supply chains?
Our latest work uses satellite data on 12 LNG exporting countries to assess their GHG intensity.
Paper: chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
But have you heard of super-emitting LNG supply chains?
Our latest work uses satellite data on 12 LNG exporting countries to assess their GHG intensity.
Paper: chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
July 31, 2025 at 4:27 PM
You've heard of #methane super-emitters at oil and gas facilities.
But have you heard of super-emitting LNG supply chains?
Our latest work uses satellite data on 12 LNG exporting countries to assess their GHG intensity.
Paper: chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
But have you heard of super-emitting LNG supply chains?
Our latest work uses satellite data on 12 LNG exporting countries to assess their GHG intensity.
Paper: chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Seriously this is the most useful single table I’ve seen for summarizing what just happened to US clean energy tax credits. It is a beast. heatmap.news/politics/obb...
July 18, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Seriously this is the most useful single table I’ve seen for summarizing what just happened to US clean energy tax credits. It is a beast. heatmap.news/politics/obb...
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
New paper: For 30+ years, researchers have worked on data-driven software (what some now call "AI") to heat and cool buildings more efficiently/comfortably and in better harmony with power grids. But <4% of papers in the field deploy in real buildings. We reviewed all the real stuff we could find.🧵
July 18, 2025 at 3:18 PM
New paper: For 30+ years, researchers have worked on data-driven software (what some now call "AI") to heat and cool buildings more efficiently/comfortably and in better harmony with power grids. But <4% of papers in the field deploy in real buildings. We reviewed all the real stuff we could find.🧵
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
🎉 Great news: Our Machine Learning and Physical Sciences workshop will be back again this year! 🎉
Keep an eye out for updates on deadlines etc, we will be updating the website soon
ml4physicalsciences.github.io
#ML4PS2025
Keep an eye out for updates on deadlines etc, we will be updating the website soon
ml4physicalsciences.github.io
#ML4PS2025
July 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM
🎉 Great news: Our Machine Learning and Physical Sciences workshop will be back again this year! 🎉
Keep an eye out for updates on deadlines etc, we will be updating the website soon
ml4physicalsciences.github.io
#ML4PS2025
Keep an eye out for updates on deadlines etc, we will be updating the website soon
ml4physicalsciences.github.io
#ML4PS2025
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Senate committee on appropriations markup meeting is starting now. They'll be discussing a lot of stuff, but in particular, science agencies like NSF & NASA.
Yesterday Sen. Moran indicated funding would be 33.9 billion, preserving FY '24 numbers.
www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/ful...
Yesterday Sen. Moran indicated funding would be 33.9 billion, preserving FY '24 numbers.
www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/ful...
Full Committee Markup of Commerce, Justice, Science; Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA; and Legislative Branch Appropriations Acts | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
www.appropriations.senate.gov
July 10, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Senate committee on appropriations markup meeting is starting now. They'll be discussing a lot of stuff, but in particular, science agencies like NSF & NASA.
Yesterday Sen. Moran indicated funding would be 33.9 billion, preserving FY '24 numbers.
www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/ful...
Yesterday Sen. Moran indicated funding would be 33.9 billion, preserving FY '24 numbers.
www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/ful...
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
Announcing the release of “Zoning Report: Colorado,” our first state-level report capturing unprecedented information about how land is zoned across Colorado. 🎉
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
July 1, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Announcing the release of “Zoning Report: Colorado,” our first state-level report capturing unprecedented information about how land is zoned across Colorado. 🎉
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
Reposted by Alex Rybchuk
US home prices have greatly outpaced incomes: in 2024, the price-to-income ratio hit 5, well above the ratio of 3 that has traditionally been considered affordable. As prices rose, existing home sales dropped to a 30-year low.
New report out today:
www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nation...
New report out today:
www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nation...
June 24, 2025 at 1:26 PM
US home prices have greatly outpaced incomes: in 2024, the price-to-income ratio hit 5, well above the ratio of 3 that has traditionally been considered affordable. As prices rose, existing home sales dropped to a 30-year low.
New report out today:
www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nation...
New report out today:
www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nation...