Why the Electricity Competition Debate Just Flipped—Again In 1998 California’s Power Exchange wholesale power market went live, symbolizing the then-new impetus for efficiency through electricity markets. The promise then was disarmingly…
By Lynne Kiesling | May 29, 2025
In 2024, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression called for colleges and universities to formally adopt institutional neutrality, defined as: “When a contested social issue arises…
By Roger Pielke Jr. | May 27, 2025
One of the challenges, even for experts, in making sense of climate projections is that the scenarios underlying the projections are so complex as to be impenetrable without a lot…
By Roger Pielke Jr. | May 14, 2025
I’ve spent some time this week looking into the massive blackout that struck Spain and Portugal a few days ago, and today I share some of what I’ve learned. I…
By Roger Pielke Jr. | May 1, 2025
The rapid rise of generative AI has triggered a sharp escalation in data center electricity consumption, with profound implications for national energy use, system planning, and climate goals. Data centers…
By Lynne Kiesling | Rachel Lomasky | April 28, 2025
America’s nuclear paradox: Yesterday’s reactors are being resurrected to power the future. For example: At Palisades, Michigan, engineers rush to repair steam generators before an October 2025 restart, while at…
By James Pethokoukis | April 21, 2025
I was listening to Tyler Cowen’s Conversations With Tyler podcast with Jennifer Pahlka, rich and full of detail relevant to my previous post on the pacing problem. In addition to recommending…
By Lynne Kiesling | April 17, 2025
For this first edition of THB Subscriber Questions (THBSQ#1) I am going to address one question asked by many readers. Anders Valland asks: Professor, now you know where it starts. What…
By Roger Pielke Jr. | April 4, 2025
The electricity industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation characterized by smaller-scale, decentralized, and digital technologies. But transitions are rarely easy. Significant challenges arise as the rapid pace of technological innovation…
By Lynne Kiesling | April 3, 2025
In recent years, when teaching my senior policy capstone course I would often pivot the course on short notice to discuss current events, updating the readings on the syllabus, and…
By Roger Pielke Jr. | March 31, 2025
Who uttered the quote that is the title of this post? A prominent climate activist, perhaps? Or maybe, a progressive Democratic member of Congress? No and no. The quote comes…
By Roger Pielke Jr. | March 31, 2025
The International Energy Agency has just published its Global Energy Review 2025. In this post I share the five most important take-aways I see in the report. I encourage you to…
By Roger Pielke Jr. | March 27, 2025
One would think that Republicans would know better. One would think that Republicans from an important oil- and gas-producing state would know better. One would think, or hope, that they would prioritize…
By Benjamin Zycher | March 26, 2025
Event Summary On March 25, AEI hosted a conference on the challenges of balancing energy constraints with the rapid growth of AI and data centers. AEI’s L. Lynne Kiesling opened…
By L. Lynne Kiesling | Will Rinehart | Mark Jamison | March 25, 2025
In this RTO series, I’ve been exploring the decision-making processes and corporate governance structures within Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), highlighting how these institutions perpetuate the control and decision-making power of…
By Lynne Kiesling | March 20, 2025