Essays

What’s Happening to Wholesale Electricity Prices?

The last several years in the US have seen a dramatic increase in electricity prices.

6 hrs ago •

I Was Wrong About Data Center Water Consumption

But there are also some issues with how the Berkeley Lab report is estimating it.

Aug 30 •

Ford and the Birth of the Model T

Ford’s status as a large-volume car producer began with the predecessor to the Model T: the Model N, a four-cylinder, two-seater car initially priced at…

Aug 28 •

How Does the US Use Water?

Water infrastructure often gets less attention and focus than other types of infrastructure.

Aug 21 •

My Book "The Origins of Efficiency" is Now Available for Preorder

I’m happy to announce that my book, The Origins of Efficiency, is now (officially) available for preorder, and will be released on September 23rd. You…

Aug 12 •

Group Technology, the Forgotten Cousin of Lean Manufacturing

Industrial improvement systems — strategies for making a business more profitable, more efficient, or better operated — rise and fall in popularity over…

Aug 7 •

Where are Vacation Homes Located in the US?

As of 2023, the US has around 142.3 million housing units: roughly one home for every 2.4 people in the country.

Jul 24 •

How China Became the World’s Biggest Shipbuilder

Since 2017, China has been the largest shipbuilder in the world.

Jul 18 •

Should the Federal Government Sell Land?

An early version of the US Senate budget bill which passed last week included a provision to sell off between 2 and 3 million acres of federal land in…

Jul 10 •

Why Are Homes in Western States So Expensive?

Earlier this month I came across the following graphic, originally posted on Reddit in 2022, showing the state of housing affordability in the US.

Jun 26 •

How Batteries Are Making the Electrical Grid More Reliable

To operate reliably, the US electrical grid needs to balance supply and demand: to make sure, at any given moment, that the amount of electricity…

Jun 19 •

How Common Is Multiple Invention?

When Alexander Graham Bell filed a patent for the telephone on February 14th, 1876, he beat competing telephone developer Elisha Gray to the patent…

Jun 5 •

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