The hottest Energy Economics Substack posts right now

A Persistent Weak Layer (PWL) in avalanche science is a weak layer of snow that can lead to dangerous avalanches. Understanding these layers is important for safety in avalanche-prone areas.
Geopolitical conflicts, especially in the Middle East, can create financial market risks. Issues like energy price spikes and military actions can substantially impact investments, particularly in crypto markets.
Bitcoin could potentially rise in value if energy prices go up due to geopolitical conflicts. It is seen as a store of value, especially during times of inflation or war, making careful management of investment positions crucial.

Public support for nuclear power mainly depends on cost — people will back it if it delivers cheap electricity.
Survey wording matters because many respondents pick "somewhat" rather than "strongly," showing pragmatic, conditional support instead of ideological commitment.
If nuclear were priced near its realistic "should-cost," it would likely win broad approval since most people just want cheap, reliable, low-emission power.

Small modular reactors come in three main coolant types—light water, molten salt and gas—and choices about fuel form, coolant and neutron speed drive very different safety and performance trade-offs.
Molten salt and high‑temperature gas designs offer stronger passive safety, much higher operating temperatures, and new uses like thermal storage and hydrogen production that conventional water reactors can’t easily do.
Economically and politically, renewables plus batteries are cheaper and scale faster, so nuclear is likely to remain a niche solution unless mass manufacturing, regulation and financing problems are solved; conservative SMR designs are progressing while many novel startups face delays or failure.

The EU is making Contract-for-Differences the main way to support new renewable and nuclear energy projects. This will help create stable financial conditions for these investments.
A traditional CfD can remove market price incentives for energy producers, leading them to produce electricity regardless of demand. This is not ideal because it can flood the market and reduce overall value.
The new idea of a financial CfD separates payments from actual production, giving producers a goal to increase the value of their electricity instead of just maximizing how much they produce. This could lead to better management of resources.

The cost of solar projects has gone down a lot over the last decade, but it is expected to decrease by only about a third in the next decade. This is still good, but not as impressive as before.
Solar module prices were dropping fast, but that trend is slowing down. Improvements in manufacturing are now changing more slowly and the costs of projects could squeeze profits for developers.
Oversizing solar projects, where the installed capacity is greater than the inverter capacity, might become common. This is partly because transmission costs aren’t increasing as quickly as module prices.

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INPO is better at regulating nuclear plants than the NRC because it focuses on practical safety and shares best practices among plants. This leads to higher safety standards and improved performance across the industry.
However, INPO has issues because it is too focused on avoiding lawsuits and is controlled by big utility companies, which can lead to inefficiencies. It doesn't really have to compete with others, making it more bureaucratic.
To improve regulation, some suggest that INPO should report directly to insurers and allow plants to choose their inspection services. Making the system more competitive can help reduce costs and make nuclear energy more viable.