Destenie Nock, PhD
@destenie.bsky.social
Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Energy Affordability. Energy & Climate Justice. Macro Energy Systems Modeling. CEO - Peoples Energy Analytics. Named a 2024 Science Defender. Nonfiction rep: @laurieabkemeier. Fiction rep: @ajvanbelle
The 78°F thermostat set point recommendation during the summer from the Department of Energy won't work for everyone... theconversation.com/why-78-degre...
Why 78 degrees isn’t the right thermostat setting for everyone during a heat wave
There is no single thermostat setting that is right for every person or every home. And there are other easy, low-cost steps that can help keep everyone comfortable when hot weather sets in.
theconversation.com
When smoke fills the air, people are told to stay indoors. But staying inside is only protective when people can afford to keep the air conditioner running. Meanwhile my electric company just sent me a notice that outages maybe coming due to thunderstorms.
Canada issues air quality warnings over US wildfire smoke. One week smoke drifts from Canada into the U.S. The next, U.S. fires send smoke into Canada. Climate-related risks are increasingly shared, which means emergency response has to be as well. share.google/zPx5MJ83c9Sy...
Canada issues air quality warnings over US wildfire smoke after Trump tariff threat
Officials say smoke from US fires has crossed border days after US president accused Canada of improper fire management
share.google
Enjoyed getting to run my energy poverty simulator at NARUC in a packed room of commissioners and consumer advocates.
Let's do some Canadian pipeline-wildfire math. The Canadian Energy Center says growing oil exports by 1.5M barrels/day **could** boost GDP by ~31B annually. Meanwhile, wildfire smoke health costs alone - just the health costs, nothing else - averaged 23B/year, past tense. And they're growing fast.
Ontario hardest hit as wildfires cost Canada billions | NOW Toronto
A new report estimates wildfire smoke has cost Canada $231 billion since 2014. See how much each province has spent.
nowtoronto.com
⚠️ Heads up: A cold front arriving late this evening brings an Enhanced Risk of severe weather to many wildfire smoke affected regions on the east coast. Many reports saying damaging winds are the main concern. Stay weather aware throughout the day, while you try to enjoy the slice of cleaner air.
US Wildfire and prescribed burn smoke caused $200 billion in health damages in 2017, and is associated with 20,000 premature deaths. With the additional wildfires from Canada I'm wondering how much higher this has grown. share.google/CCiE0FzcjmI9...
Socially vulnerable communities face disproportionate exposure and susceptibility to U.S. wildfire and prescribed burn smoke - Communications Earth & Environment
In the United States, wildfire and prescribed burn smoke caused 200 billion dollars in health damages in 2017, with senior citizens bearing 75 percent of the cost, according to an analysis that uses emission inventory data and an integrated assessment model.
share.google
Me and my daughter on our way to her daycare in this wildfire smoke. She refused to let me pick her up out of her car seat and take her inside until I gave her a mask too...safety isn't silly.
More disappearing data. Over 1,600 energy department webpages on utility bill savings removed as US temperatures soar | US economy | The Guardian share.google/XrlAxSacWatG...
Over 1,600 energy department webpages on utility bill savings removed as US temperatures soar
Guardian analysis found the removals coincided with the Trump administration’s push to weaken efficiency rules
share.google
With existing technology, it is possible to reduce aircon's GHG emissions by 97% by 2050. We just gotta do it.
How to keep people cool without making the planet even hotter
RMI's Ankit Kalanki on why fixing the way we test air conditioners is the secret lever to slashing global cooling emissions.
volts.wtf
Time Elemental@timeelemental.bsky.social · last mo.
The frequency is only gonna get worse it seems. France restricts public drinking as European citizens bake under a ‘heat-dome driven furnace’ for the second time in two months share.google/iqzuQSnReqiD...
France restricts public drinking as Europe swelters under a ‘heat-dome driven furnace’ for the second time in two months
Temperatures have spiked above 104 degrees Fahrenheit across multiple countries, bringing dangerous conditions to a continent where air conditioning is rare.
share.google
A question I think should be in data center discussions: If the future energy system will increase energy generation for the energy demand for data servers & AI, why do some energy planners become so uncomfortable when the increased demand is for low-income households needing cooling?
The national average electricity price rose 10%, but several Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states posted increases well above that level. Need to have more protections for those on fixed incomes and given all the job loss people are still coping with. www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-where...
Mapped: Where Electricity Prices Jumped the Most in America
Electricity prices are surging across parts of America, with Washington D.C. seeing a 23% spike. See which states were hit hardest.
visualcapitalist.com
Leadership quote heard out in the wild, "Lions don't concern themselves with the opinions of sheep."
Anyone out there in need of a pep talk to keep going? This one on my creative writing blog is from Grannis the underworld's favorite grandma. She is here to remind you that the universe needs you in it. ❤️ destinynox.com/blog/the-uni...
The Universe Needed You — Destiny Nox
You deserve to be here and have your place in the universe.
destinynox.com
I look at this and think about how many jobs people were projecting from solar installations...the models over predicted.
Commercial Solar Guy@commercialsolarguy.com · 3mo agoLots of folks said the price of solar can’t go down anymore. They were wrong.
In the energy transition we can't sacrifice affordability for sustainability. We have to do both. #EnergySky
In many rural communities lack of access to electricity means lack of access to water due to the pumps to get water from the wells. If water is a human right so should electricity.
Really need more ppl to include demographic intersectionality (overlapping demographics that produce disadvantages > the sum of their parts) in their work. This "plays a statistically sig role in diverse outcomes ranging from education to court cases to work" www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Identifying disadvantaged communities in the United States: An energy-oriented mapping tool that aggregates environmental and socioeconomic burdens
This paper defines a policy-relevant nationwide composite index to identify communities disproportionately impacted by environmental, energy, and clim…
sciencedirect.com
The view from the blackout of my street. At least the city view in the distance is cool.
70,000 without power due to high winds. Gives a whole new meaning to windy day.
If you don't succeed, it's not failure but feedback.... Keep trying. Keep going.
Amazing how much people underestimate how my energy our heating and air conditioning systems take. Maybe this is why policy hasn't caught up to recognizing this an an essential service...This paper was published in 2010, but I still find this to be true. www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....
Hey #EnergySky! This summer we are organizing a 2-day energy data lab for early career researchers from August 11-12 at Georgia Tech. It will be a mix of tutorials, open lab time, and networking. Applications are due April 3 – for more info, see our blog post: bit.ly/catalyst-dat...
Open Energy Data For All: Summer Data Lab 2026 - Catalyst Cooperative
Catalyst Cooperative has spent the last year or so developing educational materials for early career energy researchers, with generous support from the Sloan Foundation. We’ve created a set of interac...
bit.ly
Last month’s winter storms in Pittsburgh made one thing clear: when roads freeze and 37 / 80 plows fail, home heat becomes the real emergency plan. This is where energy insecurity turns into public risk. PS. If your region is about to get snow keep a shovel in your trunk triblive.com/opinion/dest...
Destenie Nock: When the roads freeze, home heat becomes the emergency plan
Three days after the latest storm dumped almost a foot of snow on us, my side of the city still hadn’t been plowed. But I had to get to work. So I bundled up, strapped my daughter into her car s...
triblive.com
My student Kester Wade and I made a YouTube video walking through our paper on AC rebates and climate adaptation. Using data from 138k homes in Tallahassee, we find rebates reduce bills and help low-income households afford cooling during extreme heat. YouTube video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVVx...
Dr. Destenie Nock and Kester Wade: Combating Rising Electricity Costs in Hot Climates
YouTube video by College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
youtube.com
Only 13% of utility energy efficiency program budgets go towards low-income households..... www.aceee.org/research-rep...
Meeting the Challenge: A Review of Energy Efficiency Program Offerings
Many low- and moderate-income customers are unlikely to reap the benefits of energy efficiency without help from utility low-income energy efficiency programs. This report provides an upda...
aceee.org
Social landlords spent 13% more on repairs last year - but rents went up by only 2.7%. This is leaving a growing gap in the finances of housing associations and councils - and leaving them unable to invest in new homes. www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/insi...
