Mike Barnard

Vancouver

Co-Host at CleanTech Talk — Tesla, Solar, Battery, Climate, AI, EV, & Other Tech News & Analysis

Contributor at CleanTechnica

Chief strategist, TFIE; founder distnc; strategist Agora

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Articles

No, Agriculture & Meat Aren't A Bigger Driver Of Climate Change Than Fossil Fuels

3 days ago | cleantechnica.com | Mike Barnard

Sign up for CleanTechnica's Weekly Substack for Zach and Scott's in-depth analyses and high level summaries, sign up for our daily newsletter, and/or follow us on Google News! Last Updated on: 11th May 2025, 05:25 pm Fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global climate change. Decades of rigorous scientific research, repeated validation, and global scientific consensus confirm this unequivocally.
The Geothermal Resurgence: Hype, Hope, or History Repeating?

3 days ago | medium.com | Mike Barnard

As investment pours into enhanced geothermal, it’s time to separate technological promise from practical limitations and historical patterns. For several years now, people have been asking me about enhanced or deep geothermal energy. I’ve fielded questions from readers, investors, policymakers, and fellow analysts, and it’s clear there’s renewed enthusiasm for geothermal’s potential role in our energy future.
Why Spinning Steel Still Matters in a Digital Grid

3 days ago | medium.com | Mike Barnard

ABB’s win in the UK’s inaugural inertia auction reminds us that sometimes, simple physics beats cutting-edge silicon. The UK now has an active market for grid inertia, marking a significant step toward ensuring stability in an electricity grid increasingly reliant on intermittent renewable energy sources.
When Hydrogen Buses Meet System 1 Thinking

4 days ago | medium.com | Mike Barnard

The psychology of bad transit decisions in an era of clear battery-electric dominanceIn recent months I’ve assembled a long, long list of hydrogen bus trials that ended up with the transit agencies realizing what should have been obvious before they started: hydrogen buses are a lot more expensive and battery electric buses are much cheaper and more reliable.
Rabbits, Rotors, and the Reinvention of the Grid

4 days ago | medium.com | Mike Barnard

A wide-ranging conversation with Mark O’Malley on the global transformation of power systems and the challenges of inverter-based everythingRecently I had the opportunity to sit down with Mark O’Malley, Leverhulme Professor of Power Systems at the Imperial College of London and founder of the Global Power System Transformation organization, which was based on the principle of grids moving toward 100% renewables.
Contract Chaos: Texas' Retroactive Energy Bill Shakes Market Trust

5 days ago | cleantechnica.com | Mike Barnard

Sign up for CleanTechnica's Weekly Substack for Zach and Scott's in-depth analyses and high level summaries, sign up for our daily newsletter, and/or follow us on Google News! Texas has just introduced a striking new piece of legislation, Senate Bill 715, which has shaken investor confidence across the energy sector, not just within renewables. It should be shaking investor confidence in every sector and multiple jurisdictions where modern conservative movements have taken hold.
The Long, Expensive Goodbye to Hydrogen Buses

5 days ago | medium.com | Mike Barnard

Essen’s 89-km refueling detour is just the latest warning sign of a doomed transit experimentThe latest hydrogen bus setback in Germany is no surprise. Essen and Mülheim are now stuck with 19 hydrogen buses that need to travel up to 89 km round trip just to refuel after the state of North Rhine–Westphalia withdrew its subsidy for further fleet conversion.
When the Audience Changes, So Does the Science

5 days ago | medium.com | Mike Barnard

How Chris Wright rewrites energy reality to suit the roomChris Wright, the newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Energy, has wasted no time in making his stance on energy policy clear. In his first major international speech at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Conference in London, he framed net-zero as an economic disaster and defended fossil fuel expansion.
Carney’s Carbon Pricing Pivot

1 week ago | medium.com | Mike Barnard

Canada’s new Liberal leader embraces industrial pricing and regulatory muscle over a politically untenable consumer carbon chargeWith Mark Carney stepping in as the new leader of the federal Liberal Party, Canada’s carbon pricing system faces a critical juncture. Long a proponent of market-driven climate policy, Carney inherits a system designed to reduce emissions while maintaining economic competitiveness.
Mineral Dependency in an Age of Trade War

1 week ago | medium.com | Mike Barnard

The U.S. imports nearly all of its critical minerals — now it’s taxing them too. The Trump administration’s latest round of tariffs is drawing scrutiny, but the real concern isn’t just the cost of Chinese EVs — it’s the impact on the materials those tariffs affect. Nickel, cobalt, and platinum-group elements (PGEs) are indispensable to the U.S. economy, yet the country is overwhelmingly reliant on imports, often from nations it is now targeting with trade restrictions.