Volts

What with climate change accelerating and US politics falling apart, it’s pretty grim out there. Yet alongside these doom loops, somewhat anomalously, something good is happening: the transition away from fossil fuels to clean, carbon-free energy is underway, and it is accelerating every day. That transition has become an enormous, sprawling meta-story. It spans the entire economy, from heavy industry to tech to retail. It’s unfolding on every level of government, from local zoning boards to the federal government to international treaties. It involves technology, politics, policy, psychology, even philosophy. It’s a lot to track. At Volts, I track it. I follow the news, read the trade publications and research reports, talk to the engineers and policy staffers, and think hard about the larger political and social context. Rather than the broad-and-shallow view offered by most publications, I sift through the flotsam for what matters and then go deep on it. The goal is not quantity of information but quality of understanding. Oh, and fun! I hope to build a community here at Volts as fascinated by this stuff as I am, willing to share their expertise and indulge my dad jokes. I hope you will join us. ### A newsletter and a podcast Volts comes in two forms: a text newsletter and a podcast. Sometimes those podcasts are me reading one of my own posts; sometimes, they are me interviewing analysts, technologists, and politicians about the transition It will arrive in your inbox twice a week, give or take. Most content on Volts will be free to all subscribers, but I ask that those who are capable become paid subscribers. It is paying subscribers who support this work being done and enable me to share it widely. And only paid subscribers are able to comment on articles and participate in discussion threads. I hope this high bar for participation will lead to unusually respectful and insightful conversations.