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Chris Higgins

@cahiggins.bsky.social
936 followers 236 following 487 posts

Supporting Electric Load Growth. Building Policy. Helping homes & buildings improve, Heat Pumps, Passive House, CHBA Net Zero, & better building code.+ EV's, Civil Service, & a Safer City.

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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 3h
Wow. This would be an awesome program to have in Vancouver to make tricker treating safer!
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
At the farmers market. I see an opportunity for low cost power for vendors. All the stalls with generators were in one area and that area already has significant power available via overhead. It would be quite low cost to provide a kiosk that could be utilized for vendors. Less noise. Less exhaust.
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Ember @ember-energy.org · 16/09/2026
For decades, China followed the fossil-heavy development taken by other industrialised economies. But since the 2010s, China’s economy has been increasingly lockstep with electricity consumption – while fossil-fuel use flattens. ember-energy.org/lat...
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Here comes offensively cheap solar! arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026...
arstechnica.com
"Offensively cheap": Solar power is looking up
Chinese-made panels on rooftops across the world are changing the facts of life for big utilities.
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
In eight of 11 industrial sectors in China— including textiles, food, pharmaceuticals, and machinery — fossil fuel use has already peaked. www.yahoo.com/news/science...
yahoo.com
Chinese Industry Is Starting to Wean Off Fossil Fuels
By several measures, Chinese industry is becoming less dependent on fossil fuels, according to a new analysis.
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Heat Pumps FTW! oilprice.com/Energy/Energ...
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
How China became the world's first ElectroState
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Bromptonymous 🇨🇦 @bromptonymous.ca · 09/09/2026
Victoria’s bike share is already exceeding Vancouver’s per capita in … checks notes … its first month. Protected bike lanes and reasonably dense development are the secret sauce to an effective bike transport system.
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Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦 @blakeshaffer.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
static.klipy.com
Bugs Bunny in Canada at Tim Hortons
ALT: Bugs Bunny in Canada at Tim Hortons
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Looking at a heat pump hot water system for 123 homes using the Waterdrop Sanden co2 system. The efficiency of hot water delivery is incredible. COP of upto 5!
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
I am looking for publications that might be interested in a piece talking about (a project where we developed) a language to map how Vancouver is changing as we adopt greater electrification and green infrastructure. Any suggestion of publications welcome.
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Rebecca Bollwitt @miss604.com · 19/08/2026
Leading up to the civic election this fall, @museumofvan.bsky.social will hosts Austerity Tours to highlight the problems, risks and missed opportunities museums typically hide from view. The aim is to make voters understand the risks austerity pose to irreplaceable cultural heritage.
miss604.com
Austerity Tours Offered by Museum of Vancouver
Museum of Vancouver will hosts Austerity Tours to highlight the problems, risks and missed opportunities museums typically hide from view.
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Who is the smartest person in the heat pump world when it comes to growing the market? @energysmartwv.bsky.social is at or near the top. I have stolen many a great idea from him. Listen to him in "A simple fix that could unlock the heat pump market" www.latitudemedia.com/news/open-ci...
latitudemedia.com
A simple fix that could unlock the heat pump market
Is the key to home decarbonization cheaper and simpler than we thought?
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Seth Klein @sethdklein.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Excellent piece by @andreawoo.bsky.social on the many costs of wildfire, particular to our health: www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
theglobeandmail.com
The metrics that reveal the human cost of a wildfire season
Calculations should include health effects and socioeconomic costs, researchers say
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BIV News @bivnews.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
dlvr.it
OneCity wants to make it 'easier, faster, cheaper' to start a business in Vancouver
Mayoral candidate William Azaroff: 'There are so many Vancouverites with dreams, drive and ambition. They just don't have the seed capital to get started, and we're going to close that gap.'
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Nice to see this deflector on a new Mitsubishi condenser in a tight retrofit of a townhouse. My first time seeing a deflector on a residential installation. Design and installation by Combined Comfort System on an existing 100A service with a peak load of 39.5A (using hourly data from smart meter).
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Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I'm not the first person to say this, but the bike industry in the U.S. is really missing a huge opportunity by not aggressively defending and promoting e-bikes. I think this is largely the result of it being an industry built on recreational cycling and not transit riding.
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John Smillie @johnsmillie42.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Any time you see a picture of wind turbine blades piled up for disposal, remember - even if none of it gets recycled (which it increasingly can) - it's about a 95% reduction in solid waste from coal ash (just the ash! not the CO2 or mine waste or additional CO2 and methane from mining and transport)
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Tzeporah Berman @tzeporah.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Canada is being asked to make a $40B bet on the past. We’re told another oil pipeline will bring national unity, economic security & prosperity. We’ve heard this before. You don’t prepare a country for the future by betting billions on the past www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: With a new oil pipeline, Canadians are being asked to make a bet on the past
With $40-billion, we could fund heat pumps and solar panels, build hospitals, tackle clean water on reserves or build the economy of the future
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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
“OneCity Vancouver is promising to make it cheaper to install heat pumps, provide cooling systems to hundreds of vulnerable residents, and reverse building-related climate policy changes made under Mayor Ken Sim...” Vancouver must be a climate action leader again. dailyhive.com/vancouver/on...
Screenshot of article page
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
This plant provides peaking electric capacity about 15 days a year and supports the low cost electric grid where 98% of the electricity is renewable. I am good with it as a measure for such a brief part of the year. dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc...
dailyhive.com
BC Hydro to buy natural gas power plant to help avoid electricity shortage | Daily Hive | Urbanized
To help avoid an electricity shortage, BC Hydro will buy the Island Generation natural gas power plant on Vancouver Island.
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Dr. Jonathan Foley @globalecoguy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
This is why blindly using generative AI is a very, very bad idea. It doesn’t *know* anything… “A Reuters analysis found the image of the map … contained an artificial intelligence watermark that signals it was made with OpenAI tools.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
US government map of Africa mislabels every country at global conference
State department ‘takes full responsibility’ for erroneous, widely shared chart displayed at Aids conference in Brazil
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Nice little piece on this all electric net zero build: vancouversun.com/homes/net-ze...
vancouversun.com
Property Watch: The most intriguing (but less interesting) feature of a Dunbar duplex
“We’re finding not a lot of people care about the net zero aspect itself... But what they do notice is there’s more space in the unit."
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Solar PV inverters about to drop in price in Canada and the EU? www.pv-magazine.com/2026/07/29/f...
pv-magazine.com
US bans foreign-produced solar inverters - pv magazine Global
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau has added foreign-produced power inverters to its Covered List, executing an immediate ban on equ...
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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
REGULATIONS ARE GOOD ACTUALLY
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Our household has been trying out the new BC Hydro (electric utility) optional time of day rate. Saving money so far. We have been able to shift most load out of the peak time. Shifting a good chunk (EV Charging, Dishwasher, and clothes drying) to the night time discount period. No gas use.
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Metin Seven, Moon Child's dad 🌝 @seven.eurosky.social · 19/07/2026
Photo of a van with a text printed on its back: "We fix what ChatGPT said you should try!"
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Another day, another plug in balcony solar inverter comes to market: pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/07/17/a...
pv-magazine-usa.com
APsystems introduces plug-in microinverter for U.S. balcony and DIY solar markets - pv magazine USA
The new EZ1-LV dual microinverter delivers 900 VA of continuous AC output, features integrated safety relays, and offers direct-to-socket plug-and-play installation for non-rooftop residential solar p...
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David Elfstrom 🍁 @davidelfstrom.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
A Redditor put together some instructions on on how to make an optimized 1-filter air cleaner using a box fan from my experimentation several years ago. It's in a Google drive folder here: drive.google.com/drive/folder...
Post to /r/crboxes by gopher_xyzpdq

Zine: How to build an air purifier for <$75
CR Box Build Guide
I made a zine with instructions on how to build a cheap & effective air purifier (1-fan CR Box). The folder also has a presentation version of the instructions. Link

Materials are just a box fan, the box the fan comes in, & MERV 13 filter held together with tape (design based on optimizations/testing by David Elfstrom).

Share with anyone affected by the wildfire smoke plume or wants cleaner air!Google Drive folder preview with a presentation file, a PDF, and a Document about building a DIY air cleaner
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Nice to see the BC to Yukon and Alberta Intertoes named cleantechnica.com/2026/07/13/c...
cleantechnica.com
Canada Has Named Five Interties. It Still Has To Build A National Grid - CleanTechnica
Canada has named five priority electricity interties, but transfer capacity, financing, permits and value will test whether they become a national grid.
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Nice to see this clean mobility pilot that provides transit passes, electric car-sharing and EV education to low-income Indigenous urban-area tenants! electricautonomy.ca/policy-regul...?
electricautonomy.ca
Removing barriers to clean transit for Indigenous Vancouver residents
The Clean Mobility Pilot provides transit passes, electric car-sharing and EV education to low-income Indigenous urban-area tenants
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Nice design for a lot where a pole support wire would impact parking. This design for a 4 home Multiplex lowers the impact and makes best use of the area for car parking.
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Love it.
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Seth Klein @sethdklein.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
How about Free? Is that affordable enough for you? Latest from @billmckibben.bsky.social on how, beginning next week, Australians will begin getting 3 free hours of electricity every afternoon. open.substack.com/pub/billmcki...
open.substack.com
How about Free? Is that affordable enough for you?
The latest on energy, climate and affordability
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William Skudlarek @willskud.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
New blog post on the CfB website from yours truly, discussing our four story single-stair proposal that will be in the 2027 IBC. Encourage anyone interested in single-stair to take a look, even if your city/state has already passed it!
centerforbuilding.org
2027 IBC single-exit height limit to be raised to four stories — Center for Building in North America
Park Modern, a four-story single-stair condo building in Seattle. Photo courtesy of BUILD LLC, who designed the building On May 29, 2026, the International C...
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Hemry, Local Bartender @bartenderhemry.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Shift drink: Reflecting Pool 1oz rum 1oz mezcal .75oz lime .75oz honey barspoon matcha muddled mint
The described cocktail in a coupe glass.  It's very algae lookin
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Free fuel! We are getting a 40A electric vehicle charging circuit installed using RVE DCC-9 which allows us to charge off our townhomes 100A service (our own bill), without a service upgrade & enables free charging leveraging the peak payments from the utility & the clean fuel standard payments.
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
BC Hydro entering a big build period. Along side the wind farms approved it looks like the Site E hydro electric dam is to be studied along with a larger dam near Powell River: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
B.C. 'seriously' considering new hydro dam on the Peace River near Alberta: minister | CBC News
The B.C. government is looking to dust off plans for another multibillion-dollar dam on the Peace River, after the Site C project generated opposition and cost overruns. A second dam is being consider...
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Whole home Mitsubishi going in a townhome, 100A service. Two semi ducted units with one low low wall / floor unit. Silent operation of the outdoor unit. Going from Electric resistance heating. Just in time for this spring heat wave!
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Great turnout at British Columbia Institute of Technology this morning for the Homebuilders of Vancouver on air to water heat pumps. Thanks to Daikin for the learning set up!
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Thomas Seal @twseal.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
British Columbia Premier @davidebybc.bsky.social has invited Somali referee Omar Artan to referee in Vancouver, after he was denied entry to the US
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Chaos this morning. These cars are all driving the wrong way down a 1 way street that is a major E-W artery. Has the @cityofvancouver.bsky.social given up? Looks like it. We need physical infrastructure to stop this. @visionzerovancouver.ca @bikeyvr.bsky.social @hubvancouverubc.bsky.social
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omgisme @omgisme.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Rare “White Auroras” spotted over Norway.🤩
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Solar power gets cheaper still: pv-magazine-usa.com/2018/05/14/c...
pv-magazine-usa.com
California residential solar power headed toward $1/W and 2.5¢/kWh - pv magazine USA
ASU energy security researcher Dr. Wesley Herche and pv magazine author John Weaver describe the new math involved with requiring solar power to be installed at the time of construction for newly buil...
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
@hydroquebec.com still hiding information from @govnl.bsky.social after all these years. Will be interesting to see what happens with the renegotiation talk.
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
BC very fortunate to have good snowpack in large Hydro generating regions this year.
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Batteries are coming for your baseload business case and it is going to be great!
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Chris Higgins @cahiggins.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Two weeks! Amazing. Would love to understand how Texas does the permit? What process do you have @bryangodbe.bsky.social ? Give it to me. I'll push Vancouver to copy it.
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