Big Oil’s Billion Dollar California Oopsie
Refining is mostly a grind punctuated by windfalls. Two companies just missed out on a big one. When Phillips 66 announced in 2024 that it would close its Los Angeles … Continue Reading Big Oil’s Billion Dollar California Oopsie
When Monopoly Comes Naturally
Understanding why we regulate electricity distribution systems is key to regulating them well. What if your city had two water utilities? Not dividing up the area into two sub-regions, but … Continue Reading When Monopoly Comes Naturally
Pain at the Pump: $130 Billion and Counting
According to Brown University’s Iran War Energy Cost Tracker (IWECT), increased fuel costs for U.S. consumers since the beginning of the Iran war now exceed $130 billion, equivalent to more than $1,000 on average per household.
Buying Time, Burning Gas
Why AI companies are paying a premium to go off the grid (and what this costs the rest of us). The race is on to train the next generation of … Continue Reading Buying Time, Burning Gas
Satan’s Buzzsaw
Does a data center in your neighborhood make your house worthless? Like most people, I have a few rules in my life that keep me sane. Like “choose the route … Continue Reading Satan’s Buzzsaw
Fuel Price Spikes and the Clean Transportation Revolution
Transitory gasoline and diesel price increases are unlikely to stimulate widespread adoption of electric transportation. Since the Iran War began on February 28, 2026 the war’s effects have been felt … Continue Reading Fuel Price Spikes and the Clean Transportation Revolution
Why Don’t We Pay For Distribution Lines Like Roads?
The current approach to financing local electricity infrastructure undermines safety and decarbonization. Many of our Energy Institute bloggers have at some point written a post that discusses the gap between … Continue Reading Why Don’t We Pay For Distribution Lines Like Roads?
