Russell Gold Profile Banner
Russell Gold Profile
Russell Gold

@russellgold

Followers
22,982
Following
2,249
Media
375
Statuses
2,268

PSA: This is twitter, not real journalism. Who am I? Journalist @TexasMonthly , author , flanuer, husband, father.

Austin, Texas
Joined October 2010
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
Pinned Tweet
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
Ya know it.
1
0
23
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
Imagine if a gallon of gas in OK City was $2.90 and $65 in Dallas. This is the situation for electricity right now. Because there is no national grid.
@ericwolff
Eric Wolff
3 years
Compare and contrast.
Tweet media one
Tweet media two
29
69
350
47
912
3K
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Houston push message within last few minutes:
Tweet media one
78
942
2K
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
Journalism in 2024, a story (in a 🧵) about chutzpah. Nine months ago, I wrote a story about what I called the Great Sweetwater Blade Boneyard. It was about a company that promised it would recycle wind turbine blades, but … didn’t.
46
467
2K
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
It's Texas, were 24 hours from a hard freeze and it's Mad Max: H-E-B out here.
40
137
1K
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
Renewables aren't reliable? This is the last 30 days of solar on the @ERCOT_ISO grid. That looks pretty reliable to me. Data from @grid_status
Tweet media one
163
178
850
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
Fascinating insight from @IEA : post-COVID work from home has depressed global oil demand as much as rising electric vehicle usage.
Tweet media one
23
325
817
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
Two things crystal clear this AM on ERCOT grid: 1) Everyone underestimated demand. By a lot. 2) We're flying blind on gas. No way to see if gas delivery is flowing or freezing.
37
153
780
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
More than a hundred abandoned oil & gas wells are sitting in the middle of Trinity Bay, rusting away and visited mostly by the occasional pelican. And they're beginning to fall apart and leak. My story (w/ some great photos) -->
25
318
624
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
I signed up to be a paid propagandist/social influencer for Ken Paxton. And I was paid $100. I thought it would make a fun story, but now I deeply regret what I did.
42
319
609
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
BREAKING: California Gov. Newsom signs executive order ending sales of fossil-fueled cars in the state by 2035.
28
198
603
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
Today is my last day at @WSJ (tho I still have a story to run.) 21 yrs went by in a second. No regrets, except for that one lede. Next stop: @TexasMonthly covering ... Texas Bidness! B/c if you can't find great energy, climate & business stories in Texas, you're not trying.
62
21
606
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
A dead, plugged and abandoned well has come roaring back to life in the Permian Basin. Estimated 25,000 barrels/day, which is about 1/2 of volume of Deepwater Horizon. My article-->
25
218
560
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Holy moly, this quote. Scott Sheffield, of Pioneer Natural Resources, to the Railroad Commission of Texas. "No one wants to give us capital because we have all destroyed capital and created economic waste."
18
211
519
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
@TexasMonthly Have a spine. Use common sense. Do your homework. Have the courage to follow your reporting. Just because our industry is weak doesn't mean we have to be. end 🧵
7
20
455
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
The most interesting thing I've seen in the last 24 hours... Cars have become rolling CPUs ... and it has just begun.
Tweet media one
Tweet media two
41
126
420
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Q: What do you say when the market gives you free oil? A: No tanks. #oott #dadjoke
12
75
413
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
I've covered a lot of energy stories over the years ... how to unscramble the egg of the Texas blackouts is perhaps the most batshit crazy complicated story I've encountered.
16
42
412
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
What's happening on ERCOT power grid this summer is stunning. Going into summer, the record demand was 79.8 gw. Last week, we hit 85.6 gw-- a 7.2% increase! In one year! Most afternoons, grid is being held up by solar & natural gas.
Tweet media one
24
104
399
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Texas is currently the living definition of cascading crises. Several cities around my are now running out of water/water pressure.
30
105
342
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
Earlier this year, a leaking oil/gas platform was discovered in the Gulf of Mexico. It took weeks to shut it down. This is the first time it has been reported.
9
222
331
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
Guess what? The blades were still there. And the facility was quiet as a dormouse. Here’s my follow up story b/c you have to follow up:
2
41
307
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
Last year, the Texas grid came within a couple minutes of collapsing & leaving the state without power for weeks. What I learned about what happened - and if it could happen again. #TexasBlackout
14
144
302
@russellgold
Russell Gold
5 years
Beginning a new beat @wsj , focusing on climate and business. The @microsoft news last week, and this look at evolving climate forecasts. Open to suggestions: Who to follow? What articles to write? Where to turn my investigative lens?
79
49
297
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
@TexasMonthly No, I will not just print your promises after you’ve broken promise after promise to me, the local officials, to state officials and wind developers. It is not our job to write what people tell us like we’re scriveners.
1
24
294
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
I drank deeply from the data and this is what I found: ✴️During the blackout, Texas' grid operator paid some natural gas companies to shut down and stop using electricity — exactly when power plants needed the fuel the most.✴️
16
161
286
@russellgold
Russell Gold
5 years
87 gigawatts. I call bullshit. Come on.
39
26
242
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
@TexasMonthly Nine months ago you promise a beehive of activity come May. Now, the change is coming soon. And you want all of this printed verbatim? Journalists, you’re allowed to use common sense and say no.
1
15
250
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Scariest thing I've heard today in blackout hearing... Comanche Peak Nuke came within three minutes of emergency shut off, taking another 2,600 mw offline. Texas came a hair's breathe from a catastrophe that makes what happens look like a day at the beach.
12
82
239
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Last year, I wrote a book (Superpower) about the absolutely needed, long overdue construction of a national power grid. (Link below.) Yesterday, proved why it is needed. /small thread
8
68
233
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Build a national grid (not a state-by-state patchwork grid.) Build low-cost wind & solar. Build battery storage. This is the path to lowest cost, clean electricity in the U.S. So says another peer-reviewed study:
6
62
233
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
It would sure be nice to have some big east-west transmission HVDC lines about now.
8
27
231
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
Speaking of promises, the head of Global Fiberglass, the company was paid to collect and recycle these blades (which, again, it didn’t) told me: “If you come back nine months from now, you will not see the material.” I went back after nine months.
1
20
233
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
Without solar this week, Texas electricity would be a lot more expensive. And under a lot more stressed.
17
66
223
@russellgold
Russell Gold
5 months
Texas' grid set a record on Sunday afternoon. 🌞🌬️ 73.3% renewables.
Tweet media one
11
54
221
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
Also, the company said in a legal filing it couldn't find a lawyer b/c lawyers didn’t believe they would be paid. Between the broken promises, weeds growing in the parking lot, unpaid taxes (didn’t I mention?) and the lawyer biz … this whole operation seemed inactive.
1
13
222
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
As a long-time energy reporter, this is increasingly clear to me: If we add more wind/solar to the grid, it will be generate electricity that is both cleaner and less expensive. And the buildout will generate jobs. That's it. Full stop. (Well, there's more ⬇️ if you want)
10
92
211
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
When you check your cell phone today, if it is working, spare a second to remember John Goodenough. He co-invented the lithium ion battery, which keeps your phone working. He died yesterday at 100.
Tweet media one
3
36
207
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Exxon first entered the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1928 as Standard Oil of New Jersey. Its 92-year run is over.
@CNBCnow
CNBC Now
4 years
BREAKING: Salesforce, Amgen, Honeywell to join the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Exxon Mobil, Pfizer, Raytheon to be removed from the index.
Tweet media one
Tweet media two
40
450
921
3
103
197
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
For decades, Tom Craddick he has sat on the Texas house committee overseeing the oil industry. His daughter, Christi Craddick, is the state's top oil regulator. Last year, the family made $10 million for their oil holdings. And no one knew. Until today.
10
128
203
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Oil is currently trading at about $1. A barrel. It is, for all intents and purposes, worthless. What happened? Demand went away. Supply kept going and storage filled up. There is nowhere to put the crude. We warned you this was coming:
12
128
194
@russellgold
Russell Gold
7 months
In Texas, the biggest source of campaign dollars is an oilman and lay preacher who believes we're in an epochal battle between Christians and Marxists (who are backed by Satan.) Meet Tim Dunn, superdonor and Christian nationalist.
31
129
199
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
BREAKING: Tesla moving HQ to Austin.
43
56
190
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
On August 14th, California electricity grid had blackouts that lasted for ~75 minutes. In round numbers, the grid was 1 gigawatt short. Thus, the blackouts. But there were lots of gigawatts around and available. Lots. Thread/
8
85
196
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
What happened today in oil markets? The monthly oil contract expired. So normally, folks who trade contracts like so many 1s and 0s on a computer screen would offload their contracts to physical buyers. End of month, someone needs to take physical delivery, right? 1/
11
111
188
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
One Candidate Shows Her Breasts. Another Dies Tragically. A Third Is Accused of Graft. Are you paying attention to the Texas Railroad Commission election? Why not?
13
50
180
@russellgold
Russell Gold
5 years
What if we build a "super grid" to move renewable energy around? The Energy Department looked at this and concluded it would cost $80 billion and deliver 2x benefits. The study hasn't been released. Maybe in 2022.
10
84
179
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
@TexasMonthly Okay … the statement paints the company as working on a “global scale” operation to recycle composite fiberglass. It is full of energy/corporate speak. “Optimized supply chain” and whatnot. And all of this is coming to Sweetwater “in coming months.”
2
12
182
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
At peak, 48.6% of Texas generation was off line -- 52,277 mw out of 107,514 mw. Stunning.
8
54
178
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
I am stunned. I've been watching Exxon ($XOM) for two decades as a journalist and wasn't expecting this. Exxon says it is winding down operations at Sak-1 and no new investments in Russia. It's over.
11
60
175
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 months
My story went up on @texasmonthly . That night, the head of Global Fiberglass emailed a colleague. (Why this colleague, I don’t know. I sent emails and left VM with my contact information.) The head of the company asked that a 230-word statement be “included in your article.”
1
10
178
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
BlackRock announces it closed a $5.1 billion fund to invest in energy infrastructure to deliver uncorrelated returns. It was targeting $3.5 billion. So, my story 👇 held up quite well.
1
67
162
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
I am happy to report your faithful correspondent survived.
Tweet media one
2
4
148
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
Reordering my energy/climate library. Considering a "books that were wrong" section.
Tweet media one
13
3
153
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
Texas leads all states on renewable energy. Its not even close. Wind and solar power lowered our electricity by $11 billion last year, and contributed much-needed revenue to rural schools and counties. Why does the Texas GOP want to throttle it?
12
58
144
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
California goes 95% renewable energy! For four seconds. On a sunny, temperate day. But still... worth reading @Sammy_Roth newsletter...
8
32
148
@russellgold
Russell Gold
5 years
This is the @PGE4Me tower that started the Camp Fire a year ago. To understand why PG&E equipment is causing so many fires, we flew drones and dug through thousands of pages of documents. Our video:
8
77
137
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
The @nytimes declaring, in its 36 hour jaunt through Houston, that is has found "the city’s best taco truck" is like saying you've found the best daffodil in a spring field.
2
18
141
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
Are Electric Cars Really Better for the Environment? (A really cool graphic that I put together.) via @WSJGraphics
19
47
132
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
Tonight is a worry. Wind is low and getting lower. Solar will set. A bunch (~4gw) of coal/gas plants are still offline, and there are calls by Atmos for gas conservation (not a good sign.) ERCOT still has a lot of failsafe levers to pull, but it could be hairy tonight.
4
24
133
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
Couple years ago, I wrote about geothermal startup Fervo Energy and its use of fracking to power clean energy. Well (ha!), they just announced a big step forward toward 24/7 dispatchable, clean energy. (next)
4
27
132
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
In West Texas, an abandoned well is creating the "Dead Sea" — and no one thinks it is their job to fix it.
7
48
131
@russellgold
Russell Gold
5 years
An important story about the federal government muzzling scientific research and renewable energy. A thread.
3
90
129
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Four small electric coops in Tennessee & Alabama are seeking a d-i-v-o-r-c-e from TVA. Why? TVA stuck with its coal, nukes & gas for too long and its electricity prices are too high. Wonky? Yes. But totally interesting.
11
28
129
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
For the record, I considered this as a final tweet: You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas... Monthly.
7
1
129
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Next time someone says renewables need subsidies, you can retort that at least the industry doesn't need to give $60 million in bribes (allegedly) to secure a $1.5 billion state bailout to stay in business. via @WSJ
2
44
123
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
Ercot just released a statement -- 23 hours later! They seem to confirm the transmission problem in south Texas. Everything else they cite (solar ramp down, high demand, etc.) has been true for last 50+ days.
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
If verified, it wasn’t wind or solar, but a transmission line problem. @ERCOT_ISO has an absolute responsibility to tell us. Their silence is a problem.
16
90
336
5
32
126
@russellgold
Russell Gold
6 months
New solar, wind, nukes, EVs & heat pumps have reduced fossil fuel demand by 5% in 2023, per new @IEA report. This is equivalent of Japanese & Korean energy demand. The avoided demand for coal, gas & oil is material.
7
40
125
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
These numbers are jaw dropping: 2020: 33% of Angelenos say their next car will be EV. 2021: 40%. 2020: 39% Angelenos say they avoided going outdoors at some point during year b/c air quality. 2021: 50% h/t @Sammy_Roth
5
32
124
@russellgold
Russell Gold
5 years
NEW: A photo of the hook that failed causing the Camp Fire in November 2018.
Tweet media one
14
57
124
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
Hi folks (and @DanPatrick ), Did you see the Lt. Gov's press release this morning? That's me he's talking about (and my cobyliner @dansolomon )... Screen shot below. 1/
Tweet media one
7
56
121
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
I logged 250 miles in the Permian today -- Monahans-->Kermit-->Odessa-->Midland ... and saw exactly two drilling rigs. At these prices, that's kinda stunning. #MissingPermianRigs
11
13
125
@russellgold
Russell Gold
6 months
In a Waco courtroom today, crytpo miners are suing to prevent us from knowing how much electricity they use. Why do they want us to be in the dark?
12
53
119
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
If you're gonna win an energy/environment story, might as well do it on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! Chuffed!
@NatPress
National Press Foundation
4 years
Three Wall Street Journal reporters have won the Thomas L. Stokes Award for Best Energy and Environment Writing for three articles on “How PG&E Burned California.” Congratulations to winners @KatherineBlunt @RussellGold and Rebecca Smith! Details here:
Tweet media one
1
13
29
15
11
118
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
We need to talk about Exxon in Russia. It has significant assets there - mostly a giant oil/gas field in the far east (Sakhalin Island) and LNG plant under consideration. Plus a small stake in a pipeline. Will it follow BP & Shell and divest...
9
35
119
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
Well that came pretty close to rolling blackouts on ERCOT. The frequency plunged quickly at 7:10 pm. What happened @ERCOT_ISO ? Anyone else see what caused this.
Tweet media one
15
18
118
@russellgold
Russell Gold
1 year
Houston-based Broad Reach Power announces 825 mw of batteries in ERCOT to be online by Q1 2024.
Tweet media one
6
12
112
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
Oh, now you tell us!!
@eeregov
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
3 years
Uniting the major regions of the U.S. power system could enhance the nation’s ability to harness abundant renewable energy resources and balance supply and demand across the country. This @NREL study considers the benefits:
Tweet media one
4
61
185
6
16
111
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
Exxon recorded $1 million in revenue every 67 seconds. (2Q22) That's about the time it takes to fill your gas tank.
9
54
108
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
Big news in the world of vasectomies. Austin urologist Dr. Richard Chopp in retiring at the end of the month. You have only about 20 business days left to have Dr. Dick Chopp perform your vasectomy.
Tweet media one
6
25
110
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
My book, Superpower, is out in paperback tomorrow (11/10)! It's about the quixotic attempt to build new wires and spur the construction of the world's largest wind/solar farm in Oklahoma. And it couldn't be more timely ⤵️⤵️...
3
11
112
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
Using highway rights of way for big interstate transmission? Great idea.
@morgancputnam
Morgan Putnam
3 years
BIG NEWS from @SecretaryPete and the @USDOT . Today the US DOT announced their plans to integrate fiber and electric power infrastructure into our nation's highway rights-of-way via *Clean Energy and Connectivity* projects.
15
109
575
4
21
109
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
A year ago, nearly to the day, a plugged Chevron well came back to life in Crane County, out in the Permian Basin. The landowner dug in and started asking question… What is going on under Antina Ranch? Meet Ashley Watt & her motley team. 1/
6
61
108
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
Today's sign of the energy transition apocalypse: Refiner Phillips 66 spending $150 million on a lithium-ion battery materials company.
6
23
111
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
What if the Texas Railroad Commission merged with the Public Utility Commission, bringing together the oil, gas & electricity regulator... and they call it the Texas Energy Commission? Tell me why this isn't a good idea.
23
16
109
@russellgold
Russell Gold
3 years
This really weird thing happened to me today. We pubbed an interactive graphic about EVs and gas-powered cars... and I got a slew of emails. And the ratio of insightful critiques to ad hominem attacks was like 5:1. Weird, but hopeful.
8
20
102
@russellgold
Russell Gold
4 years
You can buy a 🛢️of crude oil in western Canada for 86 cents. (Western Canadian Select.) A barrel. I can't even.
14
33
106
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
Folks: Tonight, @frontlinepbs starts a three-part series on oil and climate. I've consulted on it for the past many months (and appear in later parts.) It's an incredible effort & huge scope -- covering decades. Please tune in! The Power of Big Oil
9
41
96
@russellgold
Russell Gold
2 years
He called my reporting a "smear job"...
Tweet media one
6
3
102