Costa Samaras
@costasamaras.com
Climate, energy, emerging tech, resilience, & policy professor. Carnegie Mellon Univ. Institute for Energy Innovation Director. Former Biden-Harris White House OSTP Chief Advisor for the Clean Energy Transition. Personal account. He/Him. costasamaras.com
Pinned
Costa Samaras
@costasamaras.com
· Jan 21
If you’re new to Bluesky, welcome. A starter pack is an easy way to find folks to follow. Want to know what all these new energy regulations mean for your wallet, your lungs, and the climate? Here are my computer friends who work on climate: go.bsky.app/Aa1sErQ
Reposted by Costa Samaras
shoutout to most of you who are cool and weird and not jerks
October 14, 2026 at 3:21 AM
shoutout to most of you who are cool and weird and not jerks
Reposted by Costa Samaras
🧵 I want to make one point about the federal permitting bill. Before I do, I'd just encourage everyone who's interested in the details to listen to this podcast, which covers them ... extensively. There's a lot of complicated stuff in there & the cartoonish portrayals you see online are misleading.
What’s up with the new federal permitting reform bill?
A conversation with Daniel Palken of Arnold Ventures.
www.volts.wtf
October 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM
🧵 I want to make one point about the federal permitting bill. Before I do, I'd just encourage everyone who's interested in the details to listen to this podcast, which covers them ... extensively. There's a lot of complicated stuff in there & the cartoonish portrayals you see online are misleading.
I don’t like this, but it has the benefit of being true.
Say the Dems put forward a permitting bill without any of the tradeoffs in the current bill -- a bill that was entirely designed to benefit clean energy. Would 8 or 9 Republican senators vote for that bill?
No. There is a 0.00% chance of that happening. And if they did, Trump would veto it!
No. There is a 0.00% chance of that happening. And if they did, Trump would veto it!
October 14, 2026 at 3:14 AM
I don’t like this, but it has the benefit of being true.
This is the correct math
Permitting reform is inherently a regulatory affair, which means it can't pass through the reconciliation process, which means it needs 60 votes in the Senate. That is, honestly, almost all you need to know. Everything else follows.
Currently, there's a *slim* chance of getting to 60.
Currently, there's a *slim* chance of getting to 60.
October 14, 2026 at 3:12 AM
This is the correct math
The NSF Social, Behavioral, & Economic Sciences Division funded my doctoral degree. I only applied to 1 program, & only got in off the wait list when SBE funded a climate project. Another grad student & I published one of the 1st life cycle assessments of electric cars: pubs.acs.org/esthag/artic...
October 13, 2026 at 1:29 AM
The NSF Social, Behavioral, & Economic Sciences Division funded my doctoral degree. I only applied to 1 program, & only got in off the wait list when SBE funded a climate project. Another grad student & I published one of the 1st life cycle assessments of electric cars: pubs.acs.org/esthag/artic...
Reposted by Costa Samaras
Science is doing essential reporting on the decimation of NSF social science funding. We need public accounting. If you’ve benefited from an NSF grant from SBE, add to this 🧵.
Tell the world what was funded that will not be funded from NSF anymore. I’ll start…
www.science.org/content/arti...
Tell the world what was funded that will not be funded from NSF anymore. I’ll start…
www.science.org/content/arti...
October 11, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Science is doing essential reporting on the decimation of NSF social science funding. We need public accounting. If you’ve benefited from an NSF grant from SBE, add to this 🧵.
Tell the world what was funded that will not be funded from NSF anymore. I’ll start…
www.science.org/content/arti...
Tell the world what was funded that will not be funded from NSF anymore. I’ll start…
www.science.org/content/arti...
Loser stuff
AIP FYI reports that the executive order renaming artificial intelligence will be applied at the grant level as well, though not retrospectively.
October 12, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Loser stuff
Direct line from the administration’s decision to go to war, to this outcome.
“.. In Maine, the cost to fill a standard heating-oil tank as of Wednesday was $1,650, up roughly 80 percent from a year earlier ..”
@nytimes.com #MEsen
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/08/u...
@nytimes.com #MEsen
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/08/u...
October 12, 2026 at 2:09 AM
Direct line from the administration’s decision to go to war, to this outcome.
Reposted by Costa Samaras
FACULTY JOB ALERT:
@bloustein.rutgers.edu assistant professor position in climate change + planning law
jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/282...
@bloustein.rutgers.edu assistant professor position in climate change + planning law
jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/282...
October 11, 2026 at 8:43 PM
FACULTY JOB ALERT:
@bloustein.rutgers.edu assistant professor position in climate change + planning law
jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/282...
@bloustein.rutgers.edu assistant professor position in climate change + planning law
jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/282...
Reposted by Costa Samaras
"The age of accountability for the fossil fuel industry has just begun and has a bright future," Jeff Goodell writes. "The reason for that is the emergence of a powerful field of climate science known as attribution science." nyti.ms/4jcT2XS
October 11, 2026 at 5:47 PM
"The age of accountability for the fossil fuel industry has just begun and has a bright future," Jeff Goodell writes. "The reason for that is the emergence of a powerful field of climate science known as attribution science." nyti.ms/4jcT2XS
In @rollingstone.com, I talked with @thorbenson.bsky.social about the new climate assessment priorities work led by Melissa Kenney, @bobkopp.net, and me. I said, “Just because a threat is not articulated by the federal govt doesn’t mean the threat’s going away”. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Fired Government Scientists Are Finding New Ways to Spread the Word on Climate Change
Donald Trump's administration fired scientists working on the next National Climate Assessment. They're finding new ways to publish their research.
www.rollingstone.com
October 12, 2026 at 1:16 AM
In @rollingstone.com, I talked with @thorbenson.bsky.social about the new climate assessment priorities work led by Melissa Kenney, @bobkopp.net, and me. I said, “Just because a threat is not articulated by the federal govt doesn’t mean the threat’s going away”. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Costa Samaras
It was such an honor to visit @cmu.edu. Thanks to the leadership of their faculty, including the great @costasamaras.com, they are one of the top places in the world to study & research how we mitigate & adapt to climate change. It was great to meet these high-impact students, post-docs & faculty.
October 11, 2026 at 3:59 PM
It was such an honor to visit @cmu.edu. Thanks to the leadership of their faculty, including the great @costasamaras.com, they are one of the top places in the world to study & research how we mitigate & adapt to climate change. It was great to meet these high-impact students, post-docs & faculty.
The movie Digger better be about the magic of geothermal energy.
October 10, 2026 at 4:44 PM
The movie Digger better be about the magic of geothermal energy.
Reposted by Costa Samaras
Today on Volts: the new federal permitting bill is 417 pages long. Some people love it, some hate it, some are just confused. With Daniel Palken, I methodically walk through why it's happening, what exactly is in it, & the political rationale for doing it now. This one is epic & fairly technical.
What’s up with the new federal permitting reform bill?
A conversation with Daniel Palken of Arnold Ventures.
www.volts.wtf
October 9, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Today on Volts: the new federal permitting bill is 417 pages long. Some people love it, some hate it, some are just confused. With Daniel Palken, I methodically walk through why it's happening, what exactly is in it, & the political rationale for doing it now. This one is epic & fairly technical.
Reposted by Costa Samaras
New open-access paper: Direct File showed that govt could build its own user-centered platform without relying on contractors. But the product was killed after a DOGE lead spoke with the private tax preparation industry lobbying against a private option.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
October 10, 2026 at 2:40 PM
New open-access paper: Direct File showed that govt could build its own user-centered platform without relying on contractors. But the product was killed after a DOGE lead spoke with the private tax preparation industry lobbying against a private option.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Making it easier & cheaper for folks to heat their homes with electricity requires a bigger, cleaner grid. More efficiency, more utilization, but also like more electricity. Need lots of transmission and lots of clean power plants and energy storage. These are some dynamics of the permitting issue.
Many homes in the northeast & in Alaska are heated with heating oil- basically diesel fuel. Now because of the administration’s war & energy policies, families are going to pay a lot more to heat their homes this winter. Our paper shows how folks heat their homes:
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
October 10, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Making it easier & cheaper for folks to heat their homes with electricity requires a bigger, cleaner grid. More efficiency, more utilization, but also like more electricity. Need lots of transmission and lots of clean power plants and energy storage. These are some dynamics of the permitting issue.
i never had an i pod but I don’t remember listening to pod casts on them?
New: I sat down with the @mitclimateproject.bsky.social Ask MIT Climate podcast to talk about data centers, AI, and climate, and why what we do now matters for power grids, people, and tackling climate change. Here's part 1:
climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e10...
climate.mit.edu/podcasts/e10...
climate.mit.edu
October 10, 2026 at 3:10 AM
i never had an i pod but I don’t remember listening to pod casts on them?
Reposted by Costa Samaras
I've been appointed to NACIQI, the federal advisory committee that recommends which accrediting agencies the U.S. Department of Education should recognize. Looking forward to using my expertise to help guide the future of U.S. higher education.
www.cehd.udel.edu/a-national-v...
www.cehd.udel.edu/a-national-v...
A National Voice on Institutional Quality and Integrity - College of Education & Human Development
Associate Professor Dominique J. Baker has been named to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity.
www.cehd.udel.edu
October 9, 2026 at 4:10 PM
I've been appointed to NACIQI, the federal advisory committee that recommends which accrediting agencies the U.S. Department of Education should recognize. Looking forward to using my expertise to help guide the future of U.S. higher education.
www.cehd.udel.edu/a-national-v...
www.cehd.udel.edu/a-national-v...
Energy Weak
While a lot is being said about a potential deal for Russia to supply more diesel, it may be difficult to achieve. The psychological impact may reduce prices temporarily but it’ll take more time to determine if Russia has such ability. Some impact short term, perhaps 10-20c/gal.
October 10, 2026 at 2:46 AM
Energy Weak
please, my agents, they’re very rogue
October 10, 2026 at 2:16 AM
please, my agents, they’re very rogue
Reposted by Costa Samaras
ok it was more than a couple of days but here it is: xo, for people with ADHD who would like to use AI agents to help them with that.
the idea is that this gets you moving from a standing start: you set up your agent and then your agent helps you set up your agentic environment.
hope it helps.
the idea is that this gets you moving from a standing start: you set up your agent and then your agent helps you set up your agentic environment.
hope it helps.
October 8, 2026 at 10:47 PM
ok it was more than a couple of days but here it is: xo, for people with ADHD who would like to use AI agents to help them with that.
the idea is that this gets you moving from a standing start: you set up your agent and then your agent helps you set up your agentic environment.
hope it helps.
the idea is that this gets you moving from a standing start: you set up your agent and then your agent helps you set up your agentic environment.
hope it helps.
Reposted by Costa Samaras
My parents in NH usually lock in a low rate with a contract negotiated in the summer when prices are low. Not so this year; prices were too volatile and now they’re baslcally floating on the short-term market. Should end up 30-50% more than last year. Not sure how they’ll work it.
Many homes in the northeast & in Alaska are heated with heating oil- basically diesel fuel. Now because of the administration’s war & energy policies, families are going to pay a lot more to heat their homes this winter. Our paper shows how folks heat their homes:
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
October 10, 2026 at 1:42 AM
My parents in NH usually lock in a low rate with a contract negotiated in the summer when prices are low. Not so this year; prices were too volatile and now they’re baslcally floating on the short-term market. Should end up 30-50% more than last year. Not sure how they’ll work it.
We don’t have to say super intelligence, like have some self respect folks
October 10, 2026 at 1:32 AM
We don’t have to say super intelligence, like have some self respect folks
Many homes in the northeast & in Alaska are heated with heating oil- basically diesel fuel. Now because of the administration’s war & energy policies, families are going to pay a lot more to heat their homes this winter. Our paper shows how folks heat their homes:
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
October 10, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Many homes in the northeast & in Alaska are heated with heating oil- basically diesel fuel. Now because of the administration’s war & energy policies, families are going to pay a lot more to heat their homes this winter. Our paper shows how folks heat their homes:
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
Reposted by Costa Samaras
