After two decades of energy analysis & punditry, I conclude that most readers & listeners are attracted to technology stories, because they feel like they understand them. So we have hype cycles around fracking, hydrogen, nukes, etc.
But the things that actually matter--where the real #energytransition happens--are not technology stories at all! They're process and regulation and legislative stories... that bore our tech-obsessed audiences.
It's a real conundrum.
@chrisnelder maybe it is an opportunity for several true-crime style podcast series? First Energy, FPL, and KyMEA are rich with content and characters.
What say you @amywestervelt ?
@bslotterback @waltbaldwin @chrisnelder @amywestervelt @energynewsnetwork We are indeed talking with a major outlet about this but nothing is for sure and nothing I can share right now.
Meanwhile ideas and suggestions are welcome, I can be reached at paulman at fresh-energy dot org.
@chrisnelder
I feel it's because shiny new tech can be sold as a magic wand that solves everything while regulation, legislation, etc sounds too much like hard work.
I see the same within the energy tech industry where you can get better funding for new fancy tech than for old boring tech foundation that the fancy stuff depends on (then the fancy stuff fails because the foundation is not sound).
@chrisnelder As an energy policy person and also a novelist, I agree, and I genuinely wish we could figure out how to tell engaging, narrative-oriented stories about regulation and process.
(If it was me - and I'm not a journalist even a bit - I'd aim toward the 'grand strategy + individual profiles of players' angle on PUC processes, but I am also a nerd for intrigue.)
@chrisnelder . I agree but how have we made it so hard to tell stories about people? Good, bad ugly, people are interesting and energy transitions can be gripping to watch, even when they are about villains.
And for "energy" most people seem to instinctively think "(electricity)". The language many experts use seems to aid and abet that tunnel vision.
Good point, too.
this is true, but there are systemic tools that can be a huge benefit in all jurisdictions. expanding foia/open records laws to regulated IOUs and pushsing harder on agencies already subject to same for broader data access would be monumental.
utilizing that data with accessible planning tools like GenX https://energy.mit.edu/genx/, Calliope https://www.callio.pe/, and Engage (Calliope UI) https://engage.nrel.gov/en/login/?next=/en/ would be a force multiplier.
...and imagine if regulated utilities and Munis all used accessible planning tools? everyone working with a single truth would be priceless (especially on the scale of plexos license fees).
In Ep. 196, @[email protected] joins us to discuss the importance of unglamorous solutions in the #EnergyTransition. What if the most fundamental, transformative and enduring aspects of the energy transition aren’t about technology, but rather policy and investment? https://xenetwork.org/ets/episodes/episode-196-unglamorous-solutions/
@chrisnelder FWIW I found the hardware/software analogy for understanding the energy transition need for innovation in both technology and social systems really resonated with my 4th year students.
When I talked about regulation, policy, norms, attitudes, etc as the software change needed to have technology changes actually work, they got it.
It's grabbed my attention.
Chris Nelder 🤘
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