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Joshua Basseches

@joshuabasseches.bsky.social
14K followers 2K following 4K posts

Renewable energy and climate politics and policy. Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University. Author of Owning The Green Grid (MIT Press). More at joshuabasseches.com

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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
"Schwab is an experienced environmental attorney and a familiar face in conservative circles who was thanked in the author’s note for Project 2025’s EPA chapter." subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...
subscriber.politicopro.com
POLITICO Pro: Trump selects EPA veteran to lead air office
Justin Schwab is an experienced environmental attorney and a familiar face in conservative circles.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
"DOT estimated the new rule, which replaces Biden-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for cars, would reduce car prices by $1,289 when it takes full effect in 2031." (1/)
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Under a first-of-its-kind Virginia law, investor-owned utilities will soon submit grid utilization metrics to the State Corporation Commission (Virginia's PUC): www.utilitydive.com/news/looking...
utilitydive.com
Looking beyond peak: Industry coalition floats new approach to measuring grid utilization
Current grid utilization should be viewed not as a problem, but as an opportunity to advance affordability and free up new capacity, writes Ian Magruder, executive director of Utilize Coalition.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Super exciting! www.canarymedia.com/articles/geo...
canarymedia.com
In global first, a next-gen geothermal plant goes live at utility…
Fervo Energy is producing clean power at Cape Station in Utah. It’s a big milestone, but the industry must tackle high costs and other barriers in order…
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Wise words from @gruberte.bsky.social: "I think [Birol is] basically correct, but the reason we’re not seeing transition happening rapidly and naturally is that the ‘we’ he’s referring to is not the ‘we’ that actually makes the decisions." insideclimatenews.org/news/0110202...
insideclimatenews.org
All Hail Electrification. But Let’s Talk About the Hard Part. - Inside Climate News
The IEA and climate negotiators want to set a target for shifting the economy to run on electricity. Upfront costs are just one of the obstacles.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Just voted early. No way I was going to sit this one out, or even take my chances on Election Day!
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Ameren Missouri is just the latest investor-owned utility leaning heavily into gas over the next -- in this case -- 20 (!) years. Those in DC who have waged war on renewable energy policy for the last year and a half couldn't be more pleased. (1/2) www.utilitydive.com/news/ameren-...
utilitydive.com
Ameren Missouri files 20-year plan with 10.6 GW of gas additions
Company executives said the plan was designed to ensure a diversity of resources to maintain reliability and manage costs. But environmental advocates said it would significantly increase the utility’s reliance on fossil fuels.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
In one blue, climate-forward state at least, voters are blaming Trump and utilities themselves -- not the governor or state lawmakers -- for high energy costs. State policymakers in MA and other blue, climate-forward states: take note! commonwealthbeacon.org/politics/mas...
commonwealthbeacon.org
Mass. voters hold Trump, utilities most responsible for high energy costs, new poll finds
Healey’s ability to evade the bulk of the blame with voters for high energy costs is notable as she seeks reelection this fall, given how energy issues have proven stubborn, dogging much of her first ...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
"POLITICO has contacted more than two dozen people currently or formerly associated with the groups filing open records requests. All of them have declined to comment ..." (1/2)
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"The upshot is that even some data center development projects advanced enough to appear in utility load forecasts with a named hyperscaler attached are not certain to move forward." www.utilitydive.com/news/the-dat...
utilitydive.com
The data center boom continues apace, but projects face mounting obstacles
Shortages of skilled labor and equipment, as well as local opposition, are threatening even high-profile projects backed by big tech companies. Developers are responding by embracing flexibility and a...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Unbelievable. smdh. www.utilitydive.com/news/usda-ru...
utilitydive.com
Lawsuit alleges USDA illegally slashed rural solar development program
Internal emails show a department administrator stating “let’s let the comms shop find . . . the rationale behind their statistics” when asked to substantiate anti-solar claims underpinning the policy...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Good news on building emissions in NYC! "Over 9,950 of these covered properties met emissions limits for 2024, making up 95% of filings." www.utilitydive.com/news/most-ny...
utilitydive.com
Most NYC buildings met emissions standard in first compliance year
Many improved their performance through building upgrades and energy-efficiency measures like lighting upgrades, envelope work, installing heat pumps or implementing energy management systems, a city ...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"But renewables are overly reliant on subsidies"🙄 www.nytimes.com/2026/09/28/c...
nytimes.com
The Coal Industry Asked for a Rescue. Trump Obliged.
In a previously unreported letter, a top lobbyist floated the idea of using emergency powers to keep aging coal plants open.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Worth a read on scrutinizing what politicians say vs. do on data centers. As the saying goes, "talk is cheap": heatmap.news/ideas/2026-g...
heatmap.news
Should You Trust a Politician’s Pivot on Data Centers?
The cofounders of The Impact Project have a three-step test for voters.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
This is sad: heatmap.news/energy/arevi...
heatmap.news
Scoop: Arevia Power’s ‘Evolution’ From Solar to Gas and Data Centers
The renewables developer is expanding its business to serve “our nation’s growing energy needs.”
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Thank goodness for groups like the Southern Environmental Law Center: subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...
subscriber.politicopro.com
POLITICO Pro: Greens challenge air permits for $10B Amazon data center
The Southern Environmental Law Center filed suit against two air permits issued by North Carolina officials for diesel-fired generators at an Amazon data center, arguing they violate the Clean Air Act...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Insane that this happened (the confiscating ballots, I mean): www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/u...
nytimes.com
Republican Sheriff Illegally Seized California Ballots, Court Rules
The California Supreme Court ordered Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County to return ballots to election officials after he confiscated them for an investigation.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
"Whitehouse maintains his colleagues are making a mistake if they aren’t talking about climate change, and about how industry money and influence on every branch of government has stymied action." insideclimatenews.org/news/2009202...
insideclimatenews.org
Whitehouse: Call Out the Corruption Propelling the US Climate Retreat - Inside Climate News
The Rhode Island senator, who could lead the Judiciary Committee if Democrats win in November, urges stronger messaging and a focus on Supreme Court reform.
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Reposted by Joshua Basseches
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Unless Congress reclaims its power, this will just become the new normal. A good first step would be to impeach Vought. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/u...
nytimes.com
National Science Foundation Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress
The move, affecting about one-fifth of the National Science Foundation’s primary research budget, is the latest sign of how the White House is asserting more control over grants.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Very glad to see this. Can't overstate what a huge unforced error this was on the part of the United States in setting back our clean energy transition. It may also have been illegal. We cannot forget this! www.utilitydive.com/news/states-...
utilitydive.com
States sue Trump administration, developers over offshore wind lease buyouts
Attorneys general from California and a coalition of Northeastern states accused the federal government of violating several laws and the developers of colluding with the administration.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
We have long seen a collective action problem framework used to explain the difficulty of climate mitigation policy, but here's an example of it applied to climate *adaptation* policy: www.politico.eu/article/how-...
politico.eu
How Brussels wants to stop the climate disaster blame game
New Commission proposal will seek to clarify who’s in charge of managing fires and floods.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
“Super-intelligence” implies superiority over human intelligence. “Artificial intelligence” implies non-human, and therefore non-authentic. The language isn’t an accident … it’s part of a dangerous political project.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
This piece by @aripeskoe.bsky.social should embolden FERC to assert its authority over PJM governance: www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-op...
utilitydive.com
FERC has options for modernizing PJM’s governance
The commission’s jurisdiction over transmission governance allows it to modify filing-rights allocations and adjust the PJM Interconnection’s nominating committee, writes Harvard Law’s Ari Peskoe.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"In total, the site will require more than 3 gigawatts of power to run at full capacity. In comparison, the city of Atlanta uses about 1 gigawatt at any given time." With respect to the "AI revolution," more people need to be asking: "at what cost?" insideclimatenews.org/news/2209202...
insideclimatenews.org
Georgia Residents Sue Over OpenAI Data Center - Inside Climate News
Residents and environmental advocates are challenging a county’s handling of a proposed data center campus, citing concerns over public input, environmental impacts and electricity costs.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Glad to see the Ratepayer Protection Pledge invoked for PUC scrutiny. It's completely toothless and they shouldn't need it to do their jobs, but if it's there, might as well use it! www.utilitydive.com/news/north-c...
utilitydive.com
North Carolina regulators deny Duke Energy gas turbine request over ‘staggering’ cost, uncertain need
The order called out Duke’s commitment to the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge, saying the utility had not established the specific extent to which the proposed facility is intended to serve da...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The "RTO adder" is the sort of "fat" that should be immediately cut in an era of electric unaffordability. Why is it there in the first place? Because not enough people (other than the monopoly investor-owned utilities) were paying attention: www.utilitydive.com/news/new-eng...
utilitydive.com
Other New England states back Maine’s RTO adder complaint
The complaint at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is part of a trend of states seeking to end an extra 0.5% return utilities can earn for voluntarily joining a transmission organization.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
AI leads to advances in attribution science: heatmap.news/climate/euro...
heatmap.news
The Next Frontier of Attribution Science Has Arrived
New research finds that Europe’s 2025 heat wave was made measurably worse by greenhouse gas emissions since the Paris Agreement.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"'When an agency acts outside the bounds of its statutory authority, it violates the [Administrative Procedure Act],' Judge Mary McElroy, a Trump-appointed judge with the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, wrote in her ruling.": www.utilitydive.com/news/federal...
utilitydive.com
Federal judge restores $7B Solar for All program, says EPA illegally axed it
A Trump-appointed judge said the One Big Beautiful Bill Act did not convert the funding into “a lump-sum amount subject to EPA’s discretion.” Defendants acted contrary to Congress’ intent and with “no...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"Opponents argued the project was no longer necessary due to the cancellation of several offshore wind projects. Regulators, however, pointed out that the state’s renewable energy goals remain unchanged despite project headwinds [read: Trump] ..." www.utilitydive.com/news/new-yor...
utilitydive.com
New York regulators approve 90-mile transmission line
The $3.3-billion project aims to improve downstate power delivery by 2030. It is being developed by New York Transco and the New York Power Authority.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Attention academics in my field on the job market: two amazing-looking opportunities, with deadlines in October (1/3)
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
An important state enforcement action in NJ, where dozens of unpermitted gas generators were found at the site of a data center. Intrepid investigative reporting alerted the state to the problem: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
New Jersey datacenter fined $1.1m after visual investigation showed dozens of unpermitted generators
State regulator’s record fine for DataOne facility in Vineland follows Floodlight investigation with the Guardian
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
"Climate change already hits American households for $400 to $900 annually ... More than half of those costs came from higher home insurance rates — and indirect insurance costs on businesses that are passed on to consumers — the researchers said." subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...
subscriber.politicopro.com
POLITICO Pro: Prices are already high. Add ‘climateflation’ to the tab.
Climate change is boosting costs for households beyond the inflationary pressures from war and tariffs.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
"Massachusetts has nearly 11,000 businesses and 163,000 jobs in climate tech, according to the MassCEC — more employees than in biotech or higher education. Of the world’s top 20 companies in the energy transition, 16 have a presence in Massachusetts": www.bostonglobe.com/2026/09/16/b...
bostonglobe.com
Massachusetts is betting on this industry to be its next big thing. The economy needs it. - The Boston Globe
Governor Healey is betting big on clean technology. There’s more work to do.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Not a bad idea ... which is why we'd never do it here: www.politico.eu/article/eu-u...
politico.eu
EU pressures Big Tech to go green with new data center sustainability label
The scheme, which forces data centers to disclose energy and water use, would be the most comprehensive of its kind in the world.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Defying court orders re: restricting freedom of the press = constitutional crisis
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The Texas Railroad Commission (which regulates oil and gas, not railroads) is in need of serious reform. That starts (but doesn't end) by electing Rosenthal (as opposed to his opponent, who's so crazy that Karl Rove is voting for the Dem): insideclimatenews.org/news/1609202...
insideclimatenews.org
Texas Oil and Gas Regulator Doubles Down and Defies State Legislature - Inside Climate News
After backlash to a new public comment policy, Commissioner Wayne Christian refused to attend a legislative hearing and cursed at a member of the public.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Heinrich's legislation is more serious ... www.utilitydive.com/news/house-p...
utilitydive.com
House passes ratepayer protection bill to limit data center cost shifts
The bill would “largely reinforce” a transition that is already underway as more states adopt large-load tariffs and is unlikely to pass the Senate before the midterm elections, according to ClearView...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
California and Colorado receive shoutouts for thoughtful EV policies in the face of federal rollbacks: www.utilitydive.com/news/trump-i...
utilitydive.com
Trump is stalling EV adoption. Here’s how states can step up.
While President Trump attacks electric vehicles, a few states are charting a path to expand electric transportation and reduce residents’ costs, writes the Sierra Club's Katherine García.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I just finished @leahstokes.bsky.social's new book, The Carbon Wave. I'd planned to read it slowly over weeks, one short chapter each day as a break from other tasks-- to unwind. Ended up reading the entire thing in 24 hours, simply because I couldn't put it down. (1/2)
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Having trouble keeping up with everything that's going on in the world of utility regulation? It's a lot, but it's important as ever. I recommend signing up for this brand new newsletter by @powerlines.org: mailchi.mp/2d5afc6fbf8b...
mailchi.mp
Newsletter Sign Up
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Positive news in clean energy transition is few & far between these days. But there's some to report out of WA state, where the state Supreme Court determined I-2066 - which sought to ban municipalities from banning new gas hookups - to be unconstitutional: www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf...
courts.wa.gov
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The Big Apple is going big on EV charging infrastructure: heatmap.news/electric-veh...
heatmap.news
It’s Electric to Install 700 Curbside EV Chargers in New York City
The startup and the city announced the contract on Tuesday.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
This report is alarming, to say the least. For the sake of our planet and affordability, we shouldn't consider the higher-end demand projections as inevitable. Big Tech is not entitled to grow its footprint and consumption at all costs ... www.utilitydive.com/news/pjms-re...
utilitydive.com
PJM faces 2030 reliability crisis if data center load growth continues: report
In a worst-case scenario, the modeled loss of load expectation is “over 100 times worse than PJM’s planning criterion,” indicating an expectation of “more than 13 days with loss of load events per yea...
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"'It's going to be very hard to get Democratic votes for a new permitting reform law that the Trump administration will violate,' Whitehouse told POLITICO." (1/2)
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The Senate has the opportunity to do something real on data centers (unlike the toothless legislation which passed the House, almost unanimously): www.politico.com/news/2026/09...
politico.com
Senate roadblock sparks new competition over data center bills
With the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act stalled, senators are vying for action on their bills to shield consumers from data center costs.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"Heinrich’s bill, introduced last month, would go further than the Ratepayer Protection Act by directing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue rules for large electricity customers connecting to the grid to pay for necessary grid upgrades." www.politico.com/live-updates...
politico.com
Democrat blocks fast-track passage for data center ratepayer bill
Overwhelming House approval on the Ratepayer Protection Act wasn't enough to secure quick passage in the Senate.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Big utility news out west: www.caiso.com/about/news/n...
caiso.com
NV Energy signs agreement to join Extended Day-Ahead Market | California ISO
The California ISO manages the flow of electricity on high-voltage power lines, operates a wholesale energy market, and oversees infrastructure planning.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Utility lobbying strikes again. Terrific investigative reporting by ICN on how Alabama Power (a Southern Company subsidiary) intervened to block reform at a low-visibility stage of the legislative process, catching even state legislators off guard: (1/2)
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
This administration promised that "unleashing oil and gas" would make life less expensive for Americans. Instead, it's unleashed corporate profits, made fossil fuel consumption more expensive, & done everything it can to set back domestic renewable energy generation:
bostonglobe.com
Diesel prices soar past $6 a gallon, affecting the cost of nearly everything else - The Boston Globe
The national average retail price of diesel fuel stood at $6.06 per gallon on Friday, according to the US Energy Information Administration, up from $3.71 a year ago.
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Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
"Hostility to solar and — especially — wind from President Donald Trump has filtered down into federal agencies since the president took office for his second term." (1/2)
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