iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Arthur Downing

London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 20/09/2026

‘“Decarbonisation” was supposed to drive down prices and encourage consumers to switch from using fossil fuels for driving and heating. This hasn’t happened.’ @arthurdowning.bsky.social on Britain’s energy crisis: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

lrb.co.uk

Arthur Downing · Asset Sweating: Britain’s Energy Crisis

Britain has private ownership while making the state responsible for planning via subsidies. The result is a zombie...

0177

Reposted by Arthur Downing

London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 16/09/2026

… Harry George Daniels on Whistler  Laura Tunbridge on Schoenberg David Trotter on microphones Daniel Lee on women of the French resistance @arthurdowning.bsky.social on Britain’s energy crisis a poem by @aestallings.bsky.social and a cover by Alexander Gorlizki. Read now at lrb.co.uk.

lrb.co.uk

London Review of Books

Europe’s leading magazine of ideas, published twice a month. Book reviews and essays (and much more online) renowned for their fearlessness, range and elegance.

162

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

My book, Power and the People: A History of British Energy, is out today and is 30% off www.versobooks.com/en-gb/produc...

020

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

New blog from me on the only comparison to the AI data centre boom I can think of in electricity history.... The Grid is a perfect example of an anti-fragile asset. A platform that enables optionality. But past generations had better institutions and ownership models... substack.com/home/post/p-...

substack.com

The Grid and War

Or the last time something like the AI data centre ‘boom’ happened

040

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

On why Britain's current energy system is nothing like the Central Electricity Generating Board. It is something new. A Central Return Generating Board. open.substack.com/pub/energyne...

open.substack.com

The myth of the central planner

Misremembering the CEGB (1958-1990)

020

Reposted by Arthur Downing

Common Wealth @cmmonwealth.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

The Pensions Review is a great opportunity to boost the UK economy & help savers — but it's being missed. The state must use its fiscal might to enable better outcomes for both the economy & the public, while policymakers must be innovative & take risks. www.common-wealth.org/publications...

common-wealth.org

To Unlock Pension Funds, We Need to Unlock the Pensions Review | Briefing | Common Wealth

258

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

Why did electricity prices collapse between 1920 and 1940? In this post I tell the story of the Central Electricity Board - a remarkable, innovative, state owned entity that transformed the industry It was an engine of abundance open.substack.com/pub/energyne...

open.substack.com

Engines of abundance

The role of the state in the collapse in electricity prices in Britain, 1920-1947.

051

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

“Frenzied”: The first Scottish renewables boom, hydroelectric 1940-1970 My new blog tells the story of a remarkable construction boom that kept the lights on during the 1966 World Cup final. Also includes ‘fish lifts’, zonal pricing of renewables in Scotland! open.substack.com/pub/energyne...

open.substack.com

“Frenzied”: The first Scottish renewables boom, hydroelectric 1940-1970

The story of a remarkable construction boom that kept the lights on during the 1966 World Cup final. Also includes ‘fish lifts’, zonal pricing of renewables in Scotland, the origins of ‘Treasury Brain

151

Reposted by Arthur Downing

New Economy Brief @neweconomybrief.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

What if the economic chaos from Trump's tariffs is part of the plan? Is there method in the madness, or could it backfire? This week we demystify the Trump administration's plan to reindustrialise the US and reshape the global trade system: neweconomybrief.net/the-digest/t...

103

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Building energy grids is slower and more expensive than ever before in British history. New blog. energynetworks.substack.com/p/building-e...

090

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

This is a superb report and thread. If we want a playbook for how to do this, it is in our own history. From 1947 to 1979 the British state successfully coordinated a gargantuan programme of infrastructure development (water, gas, electricity) and housebuilding.

031

Reposted by Arthur Downing

Raoul Ruparel @rruparel.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

Finally made the move over from the other place! Starting off with a recent piece I wrote about what the Chancellor needs to do to deliver on growth ambitions. A big part is, focus on delivery & implementation (often the hardest things in govt) (1/2) www.linkedin.com/pulse/easier...

linkedin.com

Easier Said Than Done: How the Chancellor Can Deliver on UK Infrastructure and Growth Ambitions

The first job of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ speech on 29 January was to demonstrate that this government is serious about growth and set a positive way forward for the UK economy. On this, she clearly ...

211

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

I find it intensely amusing that the French nuclear programme in the 1970s used a 0% discount rate. If they had listened to some economists they wouldn’t have any. And now they might lock up AI as well. Maybe we should study more how organisations like EDF actually worked back then

100

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Great to see! renews.biz/98640/ofgem-...

renews.biz

000

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Want to know more about the history of energy? Here are three ways of thinking about it with some tips on fun stuff to read. I realize this may have been more helpful before Christmas. open.substack.com/pub/energyne...

open.substack.com

Three ways of thinking about the history of energy

With some tips on fun things to read

041

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

Utterly brilliant piece by Commonwealth During the energy crisis 51 per cent of profits went to the wealthiest one per cent, while the bottom 50 per cent not only received just one per cent of the total, but ordinary people also bore the higher burden from increased, everyday costs lnkd.in/eH84BBVX

000

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

An energy transition requires managing the backwash as well as the bow wave

010

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

My thoughts on the essay Foundations. ‘Fixing planning’ is no silver bullet. open.substack.com/pub/energyne...

open.substack.com

Without Foundation

A critique of the essay Foundations by Bowman, Southwood and Hughes

42210

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

When did Britain stop building stuff? Lots of interest in this at the moment. Here is the pattern in energy since 1950. If we are serious about net zero we would the 1950s and 60s are the benchmark.

010

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

"Back then people didn't have deal with NIMBY's". I hear that a lot. The first ever National Grid involved negotiations with 222k landowners and tenants. The Central Electricity Board appointed thousands of officers to persuade. Astonishingly, only 600 cases (0.27%) needed compulsory purchase.

43613

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

The crisis of the present was a choice. Incredible analysis.

0114

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

The history of the French water sector since 1848 suggests: public ownership is good for building assets, private operation good for sweating them. It is interesting that even now while private sector organisations operate the system the investment is publicly funded. Source in comments.

100

Arthur Downing @arthurdowning.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

“BRITAIN HASN’T BUILT A RESERVOIR FOR 30 YEARS!!!!!! When did we build reservoirs? Reservoir capacity grew 82% in the 1950s, 45% in the 1960s, 6% in the 70s & 80s, and just 1% in the 90s, 00s, & 10s Water was under public ownership until 1989. It has been privatized since then.

041