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Nick Frass

@nickfrass.bsky.social
103 followers 126 following 147 posts

I write The Forward Curve, a newsletter where I explore energy and economics. open.substack.com/pub/nickfrass?utm…

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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Over the last half century, the decline of manufacturing has led to wage stagnation for non-college-educated men which in turn fueled the manosphere. The abundance movement could create millions of highly paid infrastructure jobs to disempower the manosphere. nickfrass.substack.com/p/the-abunda...
nickfrass.substack.com
The Abundance Movement Can Save Masculinity
Without making us poor
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
3) Half personal essay and half survey of the forces slowing clean energy development in the Delaware River Valley. nickfrass.substack.com/p/dam-the-ni...
nickfrass.substack.com
Dam The NIMBYs
How the movement that saved the Delaware River is blocking a clean energy future
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
2) A deep analysis about what makes coal so hard to defeat in developing countries: nickfrass.substack.com/p/why-king-c...
nickfrass.substack.com
Why King Coal Rules In Developing Countries
This post is part of a series on coal use in developing countries.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
1) A wonderful interview with Solar Analyst Jenny Chase: nickfrass.substack.com/p/the-future...
nickfrass.substack.com
The Future of Solar with Jenny Chase
What promises and perils lie ahead?
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
To fight climate change, we need an energy system that is cheap, clean, and reliable. Over the last year, I've been detangling how such a system would work at The Forward Curve. Many of you have read and enjoyed our pieces, but now you should consider subscribing. Here are my 3 favorite pieces. 🔌💡
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Did you know a Tesla model 3 can store enough energy to power the average American home for 3 days? We should use EV batteries to make the grid cleaner and more affordable for everyone. Come read my roadmap for the widespread adoption of Vehicle-to-Grid. nickfrass.substack.com/p/balcony-so...
nickfrass.substack.com
Balcony Solar Proves Vehicle-to-Grid Can Work
A modest proposal for a cleaner future
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
In my most recent essay I argue that balcony solar provides a useful model for decentralized low-power grid resources with direct application to Vehicle-to-Grid. Give it a read and consider subscribing below #energysky nickfrass.substack.com/p/balcony-so...
nickfrass.substack.com
Balcony Solar Proves Vehicle-to-Grid Can Work
A modest proposal for a cleaner future
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Your neighbor having windmills isn't gonna make your corn fields any less productive. #energysky
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Happy Labor day everyone. The utility industry is one of the most heavily unionized sectors of the economy. If you're enjoying your day off, let's take a moment to think about the workers who keep the lights on. #energysky
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
I'm gonna need you to provide a source, because a quick check tells me this isn't accurate at all.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The same movement that saved the Delaware River Valley from a monstrous dam in the 1970s is now stifling climate progress. If we want a clean energy future, we need to address NIMBYism. #energysky nickfrass.substack.com/p/dam-the-ni...
nickfrass.substack.com
Dam The NIMBYs
How the movement that saved the Delaware River is blocking a clean energy future
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
New heat pump meme. #energysky
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
In 1975, a nascent environmental movement blocked the Tocks Island Dam from destroying the Delaware River. 50 years later, we need a massive build out of renewable energy, to combat climate change, but too many environmentalists are still fighting the last war. nickfrass.substack.com/p/dam-the-ni...
nickfrass.substack.com
Dam The NIMBYs
How the movement that saved the Delaware River is blocking a clean energy future
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Her videos are beyond parody
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
The bigger the better!
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
You can't import solar panels. You can't import the stuff needed to make solar panels. 🔌💡 #econsky
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Does decoupling noticeably improve the willingness of utilities to participate?
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
I miss this. When the heroes decided they could just kill the villains, it felt cool and edgy. But I think it is good to reinforce that sometimes the process matters.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
There was a moment in a lot of old media where the hero apprehends a villain who has done something terrible (i.e. rape, murder, etc.) and they want to kill them, but instead they turn to the camera and say "No... I must turn them into the authorities so they can be tried by a jury of their peers."
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Is solar the Costco or Whole Foods of energy? It turns out the answer is complicated. Solar can raise or lower electricity bills depending upon how much of it is built and where. I explore these nuances in my most recent post. 🔌💡 #energysky #climatesky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...
open.substack.com
Is Solar the Costco or Whole Foods of Energy?
How to think about the cost of renewables
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Cars are safer and more efficient. Electricity is less polluting.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
"The number of lives saved by controlling air pollution in America is probably over 200k/year, but the number of people who think their life was saved by controlling air pollution is zero." Hank Green
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Admittedly, I've been a fan of Hank Green for more than a decade, but this "controversy" feels so silly. Like, I'm sure the mothers at the Maternal Center of Excellence in Sierra Leone are really upset that he used AI to help him research a video. I can't name a more responsible internet celebrity.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
As solar and batteries expand, heat waves will be increasingly trivial to deal with. Cold snaps still keep me up at night, though.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
I think the vast majority of our efforts should be around "easy" abatements like green energy and electrification, but this is a strong point. With all the negative PR celebrities get from flying private jets, they should just be allowed to buy offsets and move on.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
I think some people are really overreacting to this thread. This site's moderation is not transphobic for enforcing TOS against trans people.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Depends upon the actor. Large institutions can hedge with futures. You and I get screwed by the volatility, though.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
This is great. I'd love to look at how much extra wind capacity could realistically come from repowering existing farms.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Carney needs the liberals to maintain power. That can require compromise.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
In the short term they've gotten some incredible profits.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
I recently discussed Balcony Solar with Cora Stryker from @brightsaver.bsky.social. She spoke on the organization's efforts to promote balcony solar, recent legislative wins, barriers that remain, and what individuals can do to help bring Balcony Solar to their state. 🔌💡 substack.com/@nickfrassin...
substack.com
Can Balcony Solar Make Electricity Affordable
A Conversation with Cora Stryker from Bright Saver
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
JUST DROPPED: Does the existence of hard-to-abate sectors discredit electrification? No, it actually makes electrification far more urgent. I discuss why in my most recent blog post. open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...
open.substack.com
Electrification Will Not Stop Climate Change
But It Will Buy Us Time
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Reposted by Nick Frass
The Onion @theonion.com · 21/06/2026
Ninja Parade Slips By Town Unnoticed Once Again
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Really enjoyed. Thanks for sharing
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
What do you think absolute decoupling is? It's when GDP grows and emissions shrink simultaneously. This has happened. Most academic degrowth literature acknowledges this has happened. They don't think emissions are shrinking rapidly enough, but they are shrinking.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
I feel like my claim was pretty specific. Developed countries have experienced absolute decoupling since the mid 2000s. Developed countries are the countries we would want to degrow, so whether or not they have absolute decoupling is relevant.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Expansion of what, though? Most of the problems are caused by energy and agriculture. We can simultaneously fix these and expand the economy. Allowing more renewables and stopping corn and livestock subsidies. These actions would both help the economy grow faster and help the planetary boundaries.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Degrowth is not a useful framework for tackling climate change. At the end of the day, we need wind turbines, not a recession. In my most recent blog post, I show that economic growth in developed countries has no strong correlation with emissions. 🔌💡 #econsky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...
open.substack.com
Why Degrowth Doesn't Help the Climate
We need wind turbines, not a recession.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Is there any equivalent to #energysky over on threads. I have started looking at threads, but when I try searching for energy information, I'm given posts about "crystal healing energy".
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Every time I hear something about Wiener, I like him more.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
When we stop using so much land for ethanol and feeding livestock, I hope we start growing tree plantations for a lot of cheap wood construction.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
The data centers aren't being built by the government, so it isn't a competition. In fact, use the tax revenue from the data centers to help fund healthcare.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
But they aren't forcing gas stations to do it. If a gas station judges it will require expensive upgrades, they probably just won't do it. I'm not pro ethanol, but as a short-term stop-gap measure this seems slightly positive/mostly a nothing burger. Long term the air quality effects are troubling.
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Reposted by Nick Frass
Quantian @quantian.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Solar canopies over car lots are a terrible idea relative to just sticking them in a field somewhere but it is an idea that will never ever ever die because it’s like catnip for boomers
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Reposted by Nick Frass
John Smillie @johnsmillie42.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
I did give a presentation on the case for utility scale solar yesterday, and while I did have someone ask about warehouse roofs, nobody asked about parking lots! I had braced for it.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
I had a fantastic and illuminating conversation with @solarchase.bsky.social. We discussed solar manufacturing, declining costs, and the growing trend of solar saturation. Check out my substack for the full audio. #energysky #econsky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...
open.substack.com
The Future of Solar with Jenny Chase
What promises and perils lie ahead?
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Over the last few years I have seen more people souring on the idea of autonomous vehicles. In my most recent blog post, I argue that robotaxis are primarily useful as a vector for electrifying transportation. #energysky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...
open.substack.com
A Waymo Future is a Zero-Emission Future
How robotaxis can accelerate the transition to electric vehicles
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Energy is constantly analyzed in a market context. Analysts look at spot prices, futures contracts and power purchase agreements. Today I looked at something a little different. What are the Degenerate Oracles of Kalshi saying? #energysky #econsky open.substack.com/pub/nickfras...
open.substack.com
The Degenerate Oracles of Energy
Kalshi's forecasts for oil, solar and fusion
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
What if we get a doctor's note saying it's a comfort robot.
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Nick Frass @nickfrass.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
I agree, but I also think friend shoring is more important than re industrializing. We need security. We don't really need those 100 jobs if it means things are going to get more expensive.
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