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.
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.
A story about Texas using $5 billion in taxpayer for new natural gas plants ... and it's not pretty. Big old hat tip to @douglewinenergy for reading the regulatory filings. 🧵
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) -->
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.
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.
