Surprised to learn copper is not a critical mineral

usgs.gov/news/national-…

Natural gas prices fell over 50% between 2023 and 2024 yet gas power production in CAISO fell in that same time period to all time lows.

Spark spreads (profitability) are not driving macro gas plant behavior anymore. Batteries have changed the rules of the game.

Update your

In 2024, natural gas generation on an average April day in California hit a 7-year low.

This is a significant trend reversal from what we saw from 2021 to 2023 in CAISO.

ICYMI - the The White House announced last week a goal to 'upgrade 100,000 miles of existing transmission lines' by 2029. This alongside a U.S. Department of Energy categorical exclusion under NEPA for projects utilizing existing transmission rights of way. nrdc.org/bio/cullen-how….

Brought to you in Holland, MI.

Must read! Importantly with the Categorical Exemption we are seeing many Utilities use our Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (1706) program to make reconductoring more affordable. Increase debt to 80% vs 50% and lower interest rates

energy.gov/lpo/articles/l…

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm Jigar Shah But good news on both these fronts:

- Last week, the Biden admin said reconductoring should get a categorical exclusion (CE) from enviro review.

Before. only transmission lines <20 miles were CE eligible.

Now virtually all are. This is huge.

8/12
energy.gov/articles/doe-r…

At long last: 'the 2nd new nuclear unit at Plant Vogtle has entered commercial service... marking the end of the expansion of the nuclear power plant near Augusta, beset by years of delays and cost overruns.' Vogtle Unit 4 brings 1.2 GW of new CO2-free electricity onto Georgia's

Wow, 15.5%. And GDP growth sluggish but still positive.

Stumbled upon portion of the massive solar farms in NW Indiana.

The visual impact was... underwhelming? Setbacks from the property lines & waterways meant I couldn't get close. Tillable ground & grass buffers often.

Gah why am I just now learning this

arpa-e.energy.gov/news-and-media…(

Zap's Z-pinch fusion technique verified as the smallest and simplest (no magnets, no lasers) fusion technique to break 10M degrees C. And they are already taking measurements on the next generation machine which has 10x sized power banks.