Simon Mahan

@simonmahan.bsky.social

I'm here for the energy memes.

Nudibranchs are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs that shed their shells after their larval stage. They're noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms. About 3,000 species of nudibranchs are known.

"Irrigation systems like this one can cost Arkansas rice farmers $212 per acre in diesel fuel alone in 2026, prompting some Delta operations to shift rice production exclusively to fields with electric wells that can cut costs by up to $100 per acre." www.farmprogress.com/corn/arkansa...

As fuel prices rise, Arkansas farmers turn to corn over rice

Irrigating farmland for rice production has become too expensive, so Clay Smith is planting corn on Crowley’s Ridge land it has never grown on before.

farmprogress.com

Renewable energy prices don't ~f L u C t U a T e~. Total cost is known at construction and recouped over 15-30 years. For folks worried about power bills spiking and rapid increases...it isn't because of renewables - those prices are set. Natural gas prices are wildly variable.

“The decision-makers may say a 30-decibel sound limit sounds like a great thing, but that’s quieter than the wind itself, so you’re effectively placing a ban on this form of energy without having to set a ban,” said [me] www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

Wind, solar power face a common foe — creative local governments

We calculated restrictions on wind and solar energy projects by looking at the restrictions states and counties imposed on their development.

usatoday.com

A family that turned down $15 million to sell their 200 acre farm to a data center. Good for them, it's their land to do with as they please. Assuredly a story for generations. It's generating so much social media buzz, the company now reportedly needs to build two data centers.

ERAS lets utilities cut the interconnection line—fast-tracking billions in gas projects after years of poor planning. “Temporary” fixes have a way of becoming permanent (and expensive) precedents. Why regulators should slow down and protect ratepayers: www.rtoinsider.com/124815-eras-...

ERAS Tour: Hi, It’s Me, I’m the Planning Problem

The new ERAS processes in MISO and SPP allow certain power plants to effectively jump the interconnection line, writes Simon Mahan.

rtoinsider.com

SPP: Exported up to 3,500 MW during winter storm Fern. Exported some amount almost entire time. Wind turbine icing didn't happen as extensively as forecasted, so wind power over performed accreditation and forecast amount. 15GW generator outages.

Don’t panic over NERC’s reliability maps — they’re a static snapshot built on outdated assumptions and data that can mislead. Read the fine print: planning, forecasts, storage, and grid solutions matter more than doom-and-gloom colors. southernrenewable.org/news-updates...

Don’t Panic! Why the Latest NERC Reliability Maps Deserve a Skeptical Read

Every winter, the energy world gets its version of groundhog season. A major national report drops. Headlines follow. Social media lights up. And...

southernrenewable.org