Vikas Mehta
@vikmet.bsky.social
Displaced Indian, working on misplaced energy choices. Talk climate, energy, politics and cricket. ED@ SED.fund daytime. Dad+dog dad all the time. Whatever I say, is my own, not my org’s.
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Today on Volts: a solo pod! This is just me talking, pulling together the strands -- the bits and pieces I've covered on pods over the last few years -- into a coherent narrative. Data centers, utilities, rising demand, politics ... this is, in my words, what's going on in energy world right now.
What's going on in electricity world?
Some thoughts on where we are in the electricity sector -- data centers, rising rates, etc. -- and a way forward that can benefit everyone.
www.volts.wtf
November 28, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Today on Volts: a solo pod! This is just me talking, pulling together the strands -- the bits and pieces I've covered on pods over the last few years -- into a coherent narrative. Data centers, utilities, rising demand, politics ... this is, in my words, what's going on in energy world right now.
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Did you wake up the day before Thanksgiving and think "you know, my working hours aren't complete without a thorough explainer on the weirdest electrical load day of the year in the US?"
Well then, I've got you covered!
Happy reading from me and @halcyonai.bsky.social hubs.la/Q03VT-v20
Well then, I've got you covered!
Happy reading from me and @halcyonai.bsky.social hubs.la/Q03VT-v20
November 26, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Did you wake up the day before Thanksgiving and think "you know, my working hours aren't complete without a thorough explainer on the weirdest electrical load day of the year in the US?"
Well then, I've got you covered!
Happy reading from me and @halcyonai.bsky.social hubs.la/Q03VT-v20
Well then, I've got you covered!
Happy reading from me and @halcyonai.bsky.social hubs.la/Q03VT-v20
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
A tremendous own goal for the US to be breaking up offices in the Department of Energy that had bipartisan support and that stood to help the US compete in industries of the future.
@bradplumer.bsky.social has the RIP for MESC, OCED, and LPO.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/c...
@bradplumer.bsky.social has the RIP for MESC, OCED, and LPO.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/c...
A Trump Overhaul of the Energy Dept. Breaks Up Clean Energy Offices
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:54 PM
A tremendous own goal for the US to be breaking up offices in the Department of Energy that had bipartisan support and that stood to help the US compete in industries of the future.
@bradplumer.bsky.social has the RIP for MESC, OCED, and LPO.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/c...
@bradplumer.bsky.social has the RIP for MESC, OCED, and LPO.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/c...
“The kWh is the new economic base layer. Petro-dollar is dead. Long live the electro-dollar.”
electrek.co/2025/11/21/e...
electrek.co/2025/11/21/e...
Electricity is about to become the new base currency and China figured it out
As we accelerate into an all-electric, all-digital age, the ultimate representation of productive capacity becomes the kilowatt-hour (kWh).
electrek.co
November 24, 2025 at 12:42 PM
“The kWh is the new economic base layer. Petro-dollar is dead. Long live the electro-dollar.”
electrek.co/2025/11/21/e...
electrek.co/2025/11/21/e...
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
"The cost of running coal plants rose 28 percent from 2021 to 2024, nearly double the rate of inflation over that time, forcing consumers to pay $6 billion in unnecessary energy bills," writes @energyinnovation.org's @silviomarcacci.bsky.social: thepowerline.substack.com/p/coals-not-... 🔌💡
Coal’s Not Coming Back
19th century technology can’t compete economically with 21st century clean energy
thepowerline.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:56 AM
"The cost of running coal plants rose 28 percent from 2021 to 2024, nearly double the rate of inflation over that time, forcing consumers to pay $6 billion in unnecessary energy bills," writes @energyinnovation.org's @silviomarcacci.bsky.social: thepowerline.substack.com/p/coals-not-... 🔌💡
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
What will the next generation say about COPs of the 2020s?
Bloomberg Green's final dispatch from COP30 concludes: “How can a small island state force the EU to do anything? Multilateralism is the only way to give voice to those with less geopolitical power.”
🎁🔗 www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Bloomberg Green's final dispatch from COP30 concludes: “How can a small island state force the EU to do anything? Multilateralism is the only way to give voice to those with less geopolitical power.”
🎁🔗 www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
A Decade After Paris, Climate Diplomacy Is About Saving Itself
The outcome of the COP30 summit in Brazil kept multilateralism alive while barely pushing forward the promise of combatting global warming.
www.bloomberg.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:55 AM
What will the next generation say about COPs of the 2020s?
Bloomberg Green's final dispatch from COP30 concludes: “How can a small island state force the EU to do anything? Multilateralism is the only way to give voice to those with less geopolitical power.”
🎁🔗 www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Bloomberg Green's final dispatch from COP30 concludes: “How can a small island state force the EU to do anything? Multilateralism is the only way to give voice to those with less geopolitical power.”
🎁🔗 www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Today on Volts: the subset of cleantech known as "electrotech" -- solar, batteries, heat pumps, etc. -- is marching toward inevitable victory, not because it's low-emissions (though it is), but because it's more efficient & cheaper. I discuss the good news with @kingsmillbond.bsky.social.
Clean electrification is inevitable
Kingsmill Bond explains why the global march of "electrotech" has moved beyond the reach of US political interference.
www.volts.wtf
November 21, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Today on Volts: the subset of cleantech known as "electrotech" -- solar, batteries, heat pumps, etc. -- is marching toward inevitable victory, not because it's low-emissions (though it is), but because it's more efficient & cheaper. I discuss the good news with @kingsmillbond.bsky.social.
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
The cure for FOMO is...time.
"Stick around and watch" is almost always good advice.
www.downtownjoshbrown.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Coal mines emitted ~40mn tonnes of #methane every year, EXCEEDING the global gas sector according to @iea.org
Tackling CMM is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to slow global heating 🌡️⏳
Yet, CMM emissions could be much more than we think, urgently needing better reporting 📝🚨
Tackling CMM is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to slow global heating 🌡️⏳
Yet, CMM emissions could be much more than we think, urgently needing better reporting 📝🚨
November 16, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Clean Energy accounted for all electricity growth this year. Gas/Coal were basically a wash and will be for years to come for electricity generation.
We need to ramp up batteries because they are 90% cheaper than distribution grid upgrades which is the main reason we have rate increases.
We need to ramp up batteries because they are 90% cheaper than distribution grid upgrades which is the main reason we have rate increases.
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Clean Energy accounted for all electricity growth this year. Gas/Coal were basically a wash and will be for years to come for electricity generation.
We need to ramp up batteries because they are 90% cheaper than distribution grid upgrades which is the main reason we have rate increases.
We need to ramp up batteries because they are 90% cheaper than distribution grid upgrades which is the main reason we have rate increases.
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Developed w/#SpatialFinance, GEM’s new Global Chemicals Inventory maps 868 plants in 80 countries — tracking 8 core chemicals forming the backbone of modern materials & fertilizers.
Built for transparency in one of the world’s most energy-intensive sectors: globalenergymonitor.org/projects/glo...
Built for transparency in one of the world’s most energy-intensive sectors: globalenergymonitor.org/projects/glo...
Global Chemicals Inventory
The Global Chemicals Inventory (GChI) provides information on global production of eight “building block” chemicals: ethylene, propylene, and butadiene (“olefins”); benzene, toluene, and xylene (“arom...
globalenergymonitor.org
November 13, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Developed w/#SpatialFinance, GEM’s new Global Chemicals Inventory maps 868 plants in 80 countries — tracking 8 core chemicals forming the backbone of modern materials & fertilizers.
Built for transparency in one of the world’s most energy-intensive sectors: globalenergymonitor.org/projects/glo...
Built for transparency in one of the world’s most energy-intensive sectors: globalenergymonitor.org/projects/glo...
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
"Fossil demand has been flat for industrial energy since 2014, for buildings since 2018, for road transport since 2019, & may peak for electricity this year. 2/3 of countries have already seen peak fossil demand in end-use sectors, & half the world has seen a peak in fossil fuels for electricity."
The Electrotech Revolution | Ember
The annual slidedeck from Kingsmill Bond and the Ember Futures team unpacks how electrotech is rewriting the economics and geopolitics of energy.
ember-energy.org
November 11, 2025 at 6:02 AM
"Fossil demand has been flat for industrial energy since 2014, for buildings since 2018, for road transport since 2019, & may peak for electricity this year. 2/3 of countries have already seen peak fossil demand in end-use sectors, & half the world has seen a peak in fossil fuels for electricity."
As COP inches on, energy transition leapfrogs on energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com//news/renewa...
A flood of green tech from China is upending global climate politics
World Resources Institute: As developing nations embrace renewable energy, driven by affordable Chinese technology, global climate politics is undergoing a significant shift. This article explores the...
energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:22 AM
As COP inches on, energy transition leapfrogs on energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com//news/renewa...
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
It turns out that the madman theory works on one particular target. danieldrezner.substack.com/p/the-madman...
The Madman Theory's Perfect Target
Yes, it's moderate Democrats.
danieldrezner.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
It turns out that the madman theory works on one particular target. danieldrezner.substack.com/p/the-madman...
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Two companies are responsible for 50% of the world's battery deployment so far this year. Both are, of course, Chinese.
"Global EV battery installations totaled 811.7 GWh from January to September"
👀👀
cnevpost.com/2025/11/05/g...
👀👀
cnevpost.com/2025/11/05/g...
Global EV battery market share in Jan-Sept 2025: CATL 36.6%, BYD 17.9%
CATL and BYD collectively installed 442.2 GWh of EV batteries in January-September 2025, accounting for 54.5 percent of the global total.
cnevpost.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Two companies are responsible for 50% of the world's battery deployment so far this year. Both are, of course, Chinese.
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Hey, so we have a bunch of open positions right now, working on cement, chemicals, clean energy (gosh, do we need a lot to electrify industry), and leading our Michigan work. These jobs will take you from the Central Valley in California to green cement plants in Tanzania, and beyond. Know anyone?
Industrious Labs
Putting climate solutions to work.
industriouslabs.org
November 7, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Hey, so we have a bunch of open positions right now, working on cement, chemicals, clean energy (gosh, do we need a lot to electrify industry), and leading our Michigan work. These jobs will take you from the Central Valley in California to green cement plants in Tanzania, and beyond. Know anyone?
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
We are going to live in a world where the the marginal cost of electricity is very close to zero
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Australia has so much solar that it's offering everyone free electricity
Australia's extensive solar power penetration makes so much energy that the government wants to offer free electricity at peak hours.
electrek.co
November 6, 2025 at 5:51 PM
We are going to live in a world where the the marginal cost of electricity is very close to zero
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
How's this for energy abundance? Millions of Aussies will start receiving three hours of free power each day in 2026. This is what happens when you make rooftop solar less than a buck a watt!!
"Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯
🔌💡
"Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯
🔌💡
November 6, 2025 at 12:46 AM
How's this for energy abundance? Millions of Aussies will start receiving three hours of free power each day in 2026. This is what happens when you make rooftop solar less than a buck a watt!!
"Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯
🔌💡
"Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (U.S.) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates." 🤯
🔌💡
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Absolutely amazing: they've got so much solar in Australia that they need more people to use more of it, so the gov't has instructed energy retailers to offer *at least three hours of free power* during the middle of the day.
Meanwhile fossil-addled US struggles with an energy-price crisis ...
Meanwhile fossil-addled US struggles with an energy-price crisis ...
Energy retailers to be directed to offer free power three hours a day
Saying there is enough solar power for everyone in the daytime, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen will direct retailers to provide three hours of free power every day to consumers.
www.abc.net.au
November 3, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Absolutely amazing: they've got so much solar in Australia that they need more people to use more of it, so the gov't has instructed energy retailers to offer *at least three hours of free power* during the middle of the day.
Meanwhile fossil-addled US struggles with an energy-price crisis ...
Meanwhile fossil-addled US struggles with an energy-price crisis ...
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
🇨🇳 🇺🇳 NEW | Report: Assessing China’s overseas coal power ban 4 years on
Following President Xi's 2021 pledge of no new overseas coal projects, 59.3GW of projects have been cancelled, or 6.1bn tonnes of avoided lifetime carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, yet loopholes persist
Following President Xi's 2021 pledge of no new overseas coal projects, 59.3GW of projects have been cancelled, or 6.1bn tonnes of avoided lifetime carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, yet loopholes persist
November 3, 2025 at 12:30 AM
🇨🇳 🇺🇳 NEW | Report: Assessing China’s overseas coal power ban 4 years on
Following President Xi's 2021 pledge of no new overseas coal projects, 59.3GW of projects have been cancelled, or 6.1bn tonnes of avoided lifetime carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, yet loopholes persist
Following President Xi's 2021 pledge of no new overseas coal projects, 59.3GW of projects have been cancelled, or 6.1bn tonnes of avoided lifetime carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, yet loopholes persist
No offense to the “World Series”, but this actual World Cup series feels way more satisfying. I assume 1.5 billion people will agree.
www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-w...
www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-w...
Deepti, Shafali star as India savour World Cup glory
Women's World Cup 2025/26, IND Women vs SA Women Match Report: Laura Wolvaardt backed up a century in the semi-final with another one in the final but South Africa fell short in a chase of 299
www.espncricinfo.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:47 PM
No offense to the “World Series”, but this actual World Cup series feels way more satisfying. I assume 1.5 billion people will agree.
www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-w...
www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-w...
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
Anyone who has experience in an abusive household, or who has worked with people in them, or has read a lot about them, will be familiar with a particular dynamic:
Dad is full of loud passions & intense moods, sweeping through like a thunderstorm, unpredictable, volatile, often violent. He is ...
Dad is full of loud passions & intense moods, sweeping through like a thunderstorm, unpredictable, volatile, often violent. He is ...
August 15, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Anyone who has experience in an abusive household, or who has worked with people in them, or has read a lot about them, will be familiar with a particular dynamic:
Dad is full of loud passions & intense moods, sweeping through like a thunderstorm, unpredictable, volatile, often violent. He is ...
Dad is full of loud passions & intense moods, sweeping through like a thunderstorm, unpredictable, volatile, often violent. He is ...
Personally, I have seen little climate denialism outside the US and Western Europe. Climate change is a lived reality already in Asia and Africa at least. False trade offs can make dealing with it a lot harder.
indianexpress.com/article/opin...
indianexpress.com/article/opin...
Pratap Bhanu Mehta writes on climate change: If Trump’s denialism is dangerous, Bill Gates’s complacency is more so
Gates’s argument, Trump’s appropriation notwithstanding, is not denialist. Nor is it a call to ignore climate change. Yet his reframing of priorities is, in some ways, more insidious
indianexpress.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Personally, I have seen little climate denialism outside the US and Western Europe. Climate change is a lived reality already in Asia and Africa at least. False trade offs can make dealing with it a lot harder.
indianexpress.com/article/opin...
indianexpress.com/article/opin...
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
The high rainfall in May was a result of an early monsoon, which led to cooler temperatures in the hottest months of May and June, in turn leading to less use of air conditioning, and less power demand. This is a core reason why India's emissions have grown much less so far this year.
November 1, 2025 at 9:39 AM
The high rainfall in May was a result of an early monsoon, which led to cooler temperatures in the hottest months of May and June, in turn leading to less use of air conditioning, and less power demand. This is a core reason why India's emissions have grown much less so far this year.
Reposted by Vikas Mehta
[India] "This is something the western world is now beginning to realise. That we are not pushing coal, but using it only to meet the demand that renewables are currently unable to."
www.ft.com/content/4d4f...
www.ft.com/content/4d4f...
Sumant Sinha: Renewables can’t keep up with India’s surging power needs
ReNew Energy founder and co-chair of the Alliance of CEO climate leaders on the clean energy opportunity in India
www.ft.com
October 31, 2025 at 4:37 AM
[India] "This is something the western world is now beginning to realise. That we are not pushing coal, but using it only to meet the demand that renewables are currently unable to."
www.ft.com/content/4d4f...
www.ft.com/content/4d4f...