Tomorrow, I'm talking with our old friend @jigarshahdc.bsky.social for the pod. We're going to discuss the ongoing mishegas around data centers & the best way forward for the electricity sector. DERs, VPPs, GETs, & BYOC, oh my!
Got questions?
This claim about fossil fuels sounds compelling—but it’s misleading. Let’s break it down 🧵
Yes, fossil fuels were ~77% of global energy in 1995 and ~76% today.
But that stat hides what actually changed.
Hydro hasn’t really moved since 1995 and wind/solar came from nowhere.
Tesla is shipping Semis!
Truckers say that once they drive one they won't go back. Less aches and pains, less noise, more control.
With 500 miles of range, these trucks can now offset 10% of Class 8 trucks on the road today, even with slow 350kW charging.
Donald Trump is the unintended Clean Energy President?
@energyempire.bsky.social
New @energyempire.bsky.social Drop about electricying freight trucks. Particular emphasis on reduction in noise pollution in cities. NY should be putting money into building out charging infra. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydya...
Arnab Pal helped pass the IRA when everyone in the room would have bet against it.
Now he's the founder of Deploy Action — and he's trying to figure out why states that want clean energy can't seem to build it.
New Energy Empire episode out now.
Listen at energyempire.fm
Virtual Power Plants can help data centers get connected faster while giving consumers a 20% discount on their electricity bill.
VPPs are anchored by batteries, EV charging, and smart water heaters.
Fastest way to meet load growth.
@energyempire.bsky.social
Such an excellent discussion of the energy + geopolitical implications of Iran war from James Gutman on @energyempire.bsky.social. Really learned from this one. (Was also fun to hear @jigarshahdc.bsky.social in pure learning mode, rather than as dispenser of well-formed takes.)
The U.S. is one of the largest oil producers on the planet and a net exporter — and most people still don't know that.
The "it's about the oil" argument hasn't aged well since 2003.
@dcjams.bsky.social
Europe is one of the great deliberative bodies in the World today.
"Yes it is hard compromising, it is hard negotiating mutually beneficial solutions so that everyone can have more"
Europe is ready to make hard decisions on energy and defense.
www.energyempire.fm/why-the-war-...
This is exactly what we discussed on the @energyempire.bsky.social with James Gutman. People are accelerating plans to reduce oil imports to reach Energy Sovereignty.
Jigar Shah's investment banker called him after the Iran strikes.
The message? Every solar company just doubled in value.
The best energy security isn't protecting supply chains across the world — it's not needing them.
@jigarshahdc.bsky.social
There is a reason that solar stocks are doing so well.
bsky.app/profile/ener...
Jigar Shah's investment banker called him after the Iran strikes.
The message? Every solar company just doubled in value.
The best energy security isn't protecting supply chains across the world — it's not needing them.
@jigarshahdc.bsky.social
"What incentive does the US have to protect LNG carriers in the Strait of Hormuz? Actually… none."
Listen to the latest episode of Energy Empire with James Gutman, Co-author of The New Joule Order. 🎙️
@jigarshahdc.bsky.social
Countries aren't going clean just for the planet anymore.
Ethiopia banned gas cars because they don't want to keep paying for fuel imports. Big hydro dam + excess electricity = why wouldn't you?
@jigarshahdc.bsky.social
Carter put on a sweater. Reagan said you don't need one.
That feeling — that efficiency means going without — never really went away.
@jigarshahdc.bsky.social and Kevin Book on why clean energy's biggest problem isn't technology. It's vocabulary.
Energy Empire is available on all platforms now.
"The best way to build a data center is to hook it up to the grid."
Tim Hade on why the rush to build off-grid data centers is solving the wrong problem — and what we should be doing instead.
🎧 New episode of Energy Empire out now.
The solar industry has no Super Bowl ads. No mass marketing. Just door-to-door salespeople paid $5,000 per closed sale.
One way to fix that? A two-cents-per-watt fund modeled on ag industry checkoff programs.
What do you think? 🎙️⚡
@jigarshahdc.bsky.social
China didn't accidentally dominate clean energy — they planned it.
Starting around 2008, they asked one question: How do we stop depending on foreign oil and coal?
Massive solar manufacturing. A long bet on EVs & quietly buying up America's bankrupt battery companies.
@jigarshahdc.bsky.social
Politicians are yelling about energy prices. Nobody's solving them.
Abby Hopper says there's a massive political opening for anyone who comes with a solution — not just a complaint. 36 governor races. Every House seat.
Energy prices are on the ballot. 🎙️⚡
truly great multilayered set of thoughts that touch on lots of things we should be asking about re the nexus of ai and energy. Thank you @jigarshahdc.bsky.social
First episode of @energyempire.bsky.social we cover some of the SunEdison story. @philradford.bsky.social and I walk into the bar and the bartender gets interested in solar power and next thing you know he joins the solar industry!
🧵 THREAD: Energy Empire — The Podcast Clean Energy Needs
1/ For most of my career, people asked why I stuck with solar when it was fringe. My uncle said it was a career mistake. Turns out it wasn’t.
Plot twist: DOGE loves solar — @jigarshahdc.bsky.social has questions. 👇
We just launched Energy Empire 🎙️
First 4 episodes are live:
🗽 Who is Jigar Shah? w/ Phil Radford
🗽 The American-Made Solar Billionaire w/ Dean Solon
🗽 A Decade as Solar’s Top Lobbyist w/ Abby Hopper
🗽 Why Wars No Longer Move Oil Markets w/ Kevin Book
@jigarshahdc.bsky.social
Welcome to Energy Empire.
