Chris Goodall
@chrisgoodall2.bsky.social
Writer on the energy transition. Angel investor in climatetech.
Press regulator IPSO hasn't published its judgment on my complaint about 15 errors in Andrew Neil's article on wind energy in the D Mail over 55 weeks ago.
But I saw the draft decision (sent to me 60 days ago) and wrote a blog. Now on the Hacked Off web site:
www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/c...
But I saw the draft decision (sent to me 60 days ago) and wrote a blog. Now on the Hacked Off web site:
www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/c...
Climate misinformation and press regulation
Guest blog: Chris Goodall took a complaint to IPSO over fifteen factual errors in a Daily Mail article on wind power. Almost a year later, the regulator ordered a single sentence to be amended.
www.hackedoff.org
September 15, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Press regulator IPSO hasn't published its judgment on my complaint about 15 errors in Andrew Neil's article on wind energy in the D Mail over 55 weeks ago.
But I saw the draft decision (sent to me 60 days ago) and wrote a blog. Now on the Hacked Off web site:
www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/c...
But I saw the draft decision (sent to me 60 days ago) and wrote a blog. Now on the Hacked Off web site:
www.hackedoff.org/blog-posts/c...
'What about China?', a question faced by anyone giving a talk on why UK should act faster on climate. My response from now on? China petrol use -8%, diesel -12% H1 '26. Whereas UK transport fuels +0.8% in Q1 on year earlier. Reasons include: sales of pure battery cars in China 44% of total, UK 30%.
August 26, 2026 at 3:10 PM
'What about China?', a question faced by anyone giving a talk on why UK should act faster on climate. My response from now on? China petrol use -8%, diesel -12% H1 '26. Whereas UK transport fuels +0.8% in Q1 on year earlier. Reasons include: sales of pure battery cars in China 44% of total, UK 30%.
Plug-in solar will be allowed in the UK in ten days. But the kits have to be compliant with regulations. As of today, not a single inverter has gained compliance approval (source Connect Direct, ENA web site). So someone installing plug-in panels will be breaking current regulations.
August 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Plug-in solar will be allowed in the UK in ten days. But the kits have to be compliant with regulations. As of today, not a single inverter has gained compliance approval (source Connect Direct, ENA web site). So someone installing plug-in panels will be breaking current regulations.
Plug-in solar will be legal in the UK in 10 days. But the kit used has to be compliant with regulations. As of today, there isn't a single inverter that has passed compliance tests. (Source:ENA). This means that anybody installing plug-in solar will not be complying with the new rules.
August 17, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Plug-in solar will be legal in the UK in 10 days. But the kit used has to be compliant with regulations. As of today, there isn't a single inverter that has passed compliance tests. (Source:ENA). This means that anybody installing plug-in solar will not be complying with the new rules.
AI has some uses. I asked it to list errors in a D.Mail Aug. '25 energy article. It found 12. But the new IPSO judgment on the piece requires only one correction. Climate misinformation is hard to contradict. My response to the IPSO decision: www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2026/8/...
Climate misinformation and press regulation. | Carbon Commentary
I’ve found a new use for AI. It can list all the inaccuracies in Daily Mail articles quickly and comprehensively. To test it out, I gave Claude a copy of an Andrew Neil article on onshore wind from la...
www.carboncommentary.com
August 11, 2026 at 12:28 PM
AI has some uses. I asked it to list errors in a D.Mail Aug. '25 energy article. It found 12. But the new IPSO judgment on the piece requires only one correction. Climate misinformation is hard to contradict. My response to the IPSO decision: www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2026/8/...
Commentary on Ofgem news on Long Duration Energy Storage didn't notice that the proposed sites would more than triple GB capacity. My note estimates that the projects will have a major impact on curtailment costs but at a price of more than £7bn. www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2026/7/...
The new longer duration storage sites in Great Britain | Carbon Commentary
As of June 2026, Great Britain has about 10 gigawatts of grid battery capacity, capable of delivering about 18 gigawatt hours of power. [1] In addition, four pumped hydro sites offer storage around 2...
www.carboncommentary.com
July 2, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Commentary on Ofgem news on Long Duration Energy Storage didn't notice that the proposed sites would more than triple GB capacity. My note estimates that the projects will have a major impact on curtailment costs but at a price of more than £7bn. www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2026/7/...
Important result from big forestry experiment in Wales. Adding ground up basalt to new woodland strongly enhances tree growth, as well as sequestering CO2 in run-off water. We knew that 'enhanced rock weathering' captures carbon on croplands. Now true for woodlands. www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Microbiome manipulation and enhanced weathering influence tree growth in reforestation - Communications Sustainability
Enhanced rock weathering increased tree growth and aboveground carbon stocks while microbiome enrichment showed variable and transient effects, according to a replicated four-year field experiment in ...
www.nature.com
June 30, 2026 at 10:01 AM
Important result from big forestry experiment in Wales. Adding ground up basalt to new woodland strongly enhances tree growth, as well as sequestering CO2 in run-off water. We knew that 'enhanced rock weathering' captures carbon on croplands. Now true for woodlands. www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Reposted by Chris Goodall
Great detail, thank you.
Sounds tragically similar to Northvolt etc, where a lack of focus from the top doomed the project irrespective of whether it ever could have been viable.
And so, also doomed any opportunity for the rest of the world to learn from where/how viability fell short.
Sounds tragically similar to Northvolt etc, where a lack of focus from the top doomed the project irrespective of whether it ever could have been viable.
And so, also doomed any opportunity for the rest of the world to learn from where/how viability fell short.
June 16, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Great detail, thank you.
Sounds tragically similar to Northvolt etc, where a lack of focus from the top doomed the project irrespective of whether it ever could have been viable.
And so, also doomed any opportunity for the rest of the world to learn from where/how viability fell short.
Sounds tragically similar to Northvolt etc, where a lack of focus from the top doomed the project irrespective of whether it ever could have been viable.
And so, also doomed any opportunity for the rest of the world to learn from where/how viability fell short.
Heidelberg Materials at Brevik in Norway is perhaps the worlds' most important CCS site. Heidelberg promised 400,000t. of capture but only achieved a quarter in the first year. Implications are serious for all the world's (heavily subsidised) CCS projects. www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2026/6/...
The hidden failure of the world's most important carbon capture site | Carbon Commentary
Several European news outlets carried an article last week by a Belgian journalist about the poor performance of the world’s most important carbon capture site at Brevik in Norway, where Heidelberg Ma...
www.carboncommentary.com
June 16, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Heidelberg Materials at Brevik in Norway is perhaps the worlds' most important CCS site. Heidelberg promised 400,000t. of capture but only achieved a quarter in the first year. Implications are serious for all the world's (heavily subsidised) CCS projects. www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2026/6/...
Background on today's news that the average price of EVs advertised on Autotrader is less than petrol cars. (Prices do not reflect the volumes of cars sold at each price point. Since more cheap cars are sold than expensive versions, the underlying mean price of EVs and petrol will be different).
April 17, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Background on today's news that the average price of EVs advertised on Autotrader is less than petrol cars. (Prices do not reflect the volumes of cars sold at each price point. Since more cheap cars are sold than expensive versions, the underlying mean price of EVs and petrol will be different).
Unsurprisingly, Sebastian Müller's offers to the UK government to provide assistance on the development of plug-in solar here have been ignored.
April 15, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Unsurprisingly, Sebastian Müller's offers to the UK government to provide assistance on the development of plug-in solar here have been ignored.
Extremely useful video (in English) from the head of the German plug-in solar institute. The UK can learn an enormous amount from the lessons learnt there with its 4 million or so installations.
April 15, 2026 at 11:45 AM
Extremely useful video (in English) from the head of the German plug-in solar institute. The UK can learn an enormous amount from the lessons learnt there with its 4 million or so installations.
PS Don't tell anybody but my plug in solar is currently delivering a useful 360 watts into our house, covering all baseload needs
March 17, 2026 at 2:11 PM
PS Don't tell anybody but my plug in solar is currently delivering a useful 360 watts into our house, covering all baseload needs
Miliband says the UK will allow plug in solar, aka 'balcony solar', putting the UK in line with all EU countries bar Sweden and Hungary.
Reasons why plug in solar is safe:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na4L...
and why in certain circumstances it might not be:
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Reasons why plug in solar is safe:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na4L...
and why in certain circumstances it might not be:
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Government to go "further and faster" in becoming energy secure | Mark Coles | 24 comments
The UK government’s intentions for plug-in solar PV:
https://lnkd.in/eZ57pK2G
It is a great idea but, having been in the thick of it for quite a few years, I still have many questions from a UK pe...
www.linkedin.com
March 17, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Miliband says the UK will allow plug in solar, aka 'balcony solar', putting the UK in line with all EU countries bar Sweden and Hungary.
Reasons why plug in solar is safe:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na4L...
and why in certain circumstances it might not be:
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Reasons why plug in solar is safe:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na4L...
and why in certain circumstances it might not be:
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/12.... Why have UK electricity bills risen? What about the next 5 years? I use data from electricitybills.uk to show that 1/3 of the rise from 2019 is due to higher wholesale costs and 1/3 due to net zero moves. To 2030/31, the rise is 100% from net zero. Painful.
Electricity Bill Breakdown | 2024-2025 Average, historical data
UK electricity bill split between wholesale generation, network charges, subsidies and policy costs. Includes historical data on BSUoS, DUoS, TNUoS, CfDs, FiTs, Renewables Obligation and more.
electricitybills.uk
December 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/12.... Why have UK electricity bills risen? What about the next 5 years? I use data from electricitybills.uk to show that 1/3 of the rise from 2019 is due to higher wholesale costs and 1/3 due to net zero moves. To 2030/31, the rise is 100% from net zero. Painful.
The unrivalled David Roberts' team has used 4 of the stories in my latest newsletter for posts on Bluesky in the last two hours. Why wait for David's posts when you can subscribe at Substack for free and get the best unpublicised energy stories earlier in the day? carboncommentary.substack.com
Carbon Commentary newsletter | Chris Goodall | Substack
An analysis of ten news stories from the past week on the energy transition. Click to read Carbon Commentary newsletter, by Chris Goodall, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.
carboncommentary.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:30 PM
The unrivalled David Roberts' team has used 4 of the stories in my latest newsletter for posts on Bluesky in the last two hours. Why wait for David's posts when you can subscribe at Substack for free and get the best unpublicised energy stories earlier in the day? carboncommentary.substack.com
High winds and good sun in the four weeks from late August meant that the GB would have needed 8 TWh of storage (c.10 days national power use) with its target 2030 renewables capacity. Current battery capacity would meet just 0.1% of this.
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/10...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/10...
How much electricity storage capacity does the UK need? | Carbon Commentary
The first winter storm of 2025 has just passed over the UK, providing huge amounts of wind-generated electricity. This wasn’t the first time in recent weeks. From late July to late August 2025 we saw ...
www.carboncommentary.com
October 6, 2025 at 10:23 AM
High winds and good sun in the four weeks from late August meant that the GB would have needed 8 TWh of storage (c.10 days national power use) with its target 2030 renewables capacity. Current battery capacity would meet just 0.1% of this.
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/10...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/10...
More renewable electricity supply lowers wholesale prices. I looked at the first 220 days of 2025 and showed that a day in which UK wind and solar supply 50% of total generation typically has a 'day-ahead' price 40% less than a day with 20% wind and solar.
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/8/...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/8/...
Renewables do unambiguously reduce wholesale power prices | Carbon Commentary
We still hear assertions that adding renewables to the grid has increased the UK’s electricity costs. I looked at two sources of data and plotted one against the other to test whether there’s any trut...
www.carboncommentary.com
September 3, 2025 at 12:40 PM
More renewable electricity supply lowers wholesale prices. I looked at the first 220 days of 2025 and showed that a day in which UK wind and solar supply 50% of total generation typically has a 'day-ahead' price 40% less than a day with 20% wind and solar.
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/8/...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/8/...
Andrew Neil wrote a wildly inaccurate article on offshore wind the Daily Mail last week. In the article below, I specified the 15 most obvious errors. Sad to see such an experienced journalist publishing work without carrying out even basic research.
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/9/...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/9/...
Andrew Neil errors on offshore wind developers | Carbon Commentary
The journalist Andrew Neil published an article on 27th August about offshore wind in the Daily Mail, a UK newspaper. The article contains a large number of factual inaccuracies. I have commented on t...
www.carboncommentary.com
September 2, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Andrew Neil wrote a wildly inaccurate article on offshore wind the Daily Mail last week. In the article below, I specified the 15 most obvious errors. Sad to see such an experienced journalist publishing work without carrying out even basic research.
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/9/...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/9/...
Really think that Tim Parrique's book on degrowth (Slow Down or Die) is worth reading, even if you disagree with it. Growth is no longer improving rich societies, he says. Short FT review commends its though-provoking content while expressing strong reservations. www.ft.com/content/e7d6...
‘America First’ and other financial follies — the best new books on economics
A gripping chronicle of the west’s interest in emerging markets; a reminder of the importance of human capital; a degrowth polemic; and a debunking of Trump’s economic agenda
www.ft.com
July 21, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Really think that Tim Parrique's book on degrowth (Slow Down or Die) is worth reading, even if you disagree with it. Growth is no longer improving rich societies, he says. Short FT review commends its though-provoking content while expressing strong reservations. www.ft.com/content/e7d6...
Will UK will meet its 2030 clean power targets? The topic is well covered but I tried a different approach, using 1/2hr generation data from last year to model the impact of more solar+wind in 2030. The exercise showed the targets are very unlikely to be met. www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/5/...
Will the UK meet its 2030 targets for zero carbon electricity? | Carbon Commentary
If the government achieves its targets for renewable electricity capacity for 2030, will it meet its objective for virtually decarbonising the GB grid by that date? Several analysts have given optimis...
www.carboncommentary.com
May 30, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Will UK will meet its 2030 clean power targets? The topic is well covered but I tried a different approach, using 1/2hr generation data from last year to model the impact of more solar+wind in 2030. The exercise showed the targets are very unlikely to be met. www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/5/...
FT article on the large sums now flowing into Enhanced Rock Weathering as possibly a cheap carbon capture route.
www.ft.com/content/ffc2...
Surprisingly, no mention at all of the likely benefits in the form of better agricultural yields and reduced fertiliser use.
www.ncl.ac.uk/business-and...
www.ft.com/content/ffc2...
Surprisingly, no mention at all of the likely benefits in the form of better agricultural yields and reduced fertiliser use.
www.ncl.ac.uk/business-and...
Joint study shows benefits of enhanced rock weathering for agriculture
Working with UNDO, new research shows spreading finely crushed silicate rock on agricultural land enhances yields as well as sequestering carbon dioxide.
www.ncl.ac.uk
May 25, 2025 at 9:05 AM
FT article on the large sums now flowing into Enhanced Rock Weathering as possibly a cheap carbon capture route.
www.ft.com/content/ffc2...
Surprisingly, no mention at all of the likely benefits in the form of better agricultural yields and reduced fertiliser use.
www.ncl.ac.uk/business-and...
www.ft.com/content/ffc2...
Surprisingly, no mention at all of the likely benefits in the form of better agricultural yields and reduced fertiliser use.
www.ncl.ac.uk/business-and...
The implications of last week's announcement from Canada about the first new SMRs to be ordered. Summary: on the basis of this deal not clear that SMRs are going to be any cheaper than full size nuclear reactors.
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/5/...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/5/...
The first test for new Small Modular Reactors (SMR) | Carbon Commentary
Abstract This article takes data surrounding last week’s announcement of the first SMR farm in Ontario, Canada to assess whether this new approach to nuclear shows any signs of reducing costs below ...
www.carboncommentary.com
May 12, 2025 at 8:39 AM
The implications of last week's announcement from Canada about the first new SMRs to be ordered. Summary: on the basis of this deal not clear that SMRs are going to be any cheaper than full size nuclear reactors.
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/5/...
www.carboncommentary.com/blog/2025/5/...
My daughter Ursula is studying in Barcelona. A photograph from her yesterday of a large circle of people around a battery-powered radio listening to news about the power cut.
April 29, 2025 at 6:35 AM
My daughter Ursula is studying in Barcelona. A photograph from her yesterday of a large circle of people around a battery-powered radio listening to news about the power cut.