Concentrated solar power could bring a new boom to the renewable energy movement
Renewable energy is playing an increasingly important role in the power grid. Nearly non-existent just 15 years ago, wind and solar energy provided over 8% of global electricity in 2019. Better yet, there is no signs that renewable energy will be slowing down anytime soon.
Using a Random Forest model to predict which rookies are going to make the All-Star team one day
During the 2010/11 NBA season, two players put up similarly solid but unspectacular rookie seasons. Evan Turner, the 2nd overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, scored 7.2 points in 23 minutes per game. Meanwhile, Paul George, the 10th overall pick in the same draft, scored 7.8 points in 21 minutes per game. Yet, from that point their careers took dramatically different paths. Paul George went on to appear in 7 (and counting) All Star games while becoming one of the most dangerous two-way players in the NBA. …
Using a Generalized Additive Model to forecast when the US vaccination effort will no longer be constrained by supply
The race to vaccinate is on. While most developed countries have vaccinated just a few percent of their population — and developing countries are barely getting started — the US is among the countries in the lead with 21% of their population having received at least one dose. So when will the US reach a point where all those that want a vaccine have one?
To answer that question, I decided to do a quick forecast of the US vaccination effort. While this is by no means exhaustive, hopefully it yields a reasonable guess.
Data
Data is taken from Our World…
Explaining the two worlds of the dating app
Co-authored with Kristian Elset Bø
Over the last decade, Tinder has redefined the online dating industry. The app has proven especially popular among young people, with three-quarters of those ages 18 to 24 reporting using the app at one point. Bumble is a distant second, with 31% of people using it.
Tinder differentiated itself through a simple swiping format since copied by numerous competitors. This format stood in stark contrast to early dating sites like eHarmony, which required long, time-consuming questionnaires that matched users based on personality compatibility. …
With the rise of electric vehicles, the gas station model will be left behind for more convenient options
Electric vehicles are on the rise. In some countries (especially in Europe), they’re already becoming a common sight on roads.
Yet, how consumers will charge their vehicle remains one of the largest barriers to adoption. In a recent Consumer Reports survey, a lack of public charging stations was the most common concern among the public (over 48% of respondents).
In light of this, many jurisdictions are using policy to increase charging options for consumers. A growing group of people advocate for charging stations to be paired with gas stations — and this approach seems to be picking up traction.
Volvo joins a growing group of automakers that are planning to eliminate traditional cars from their line-up in the coming years
Leading automakers are increasingly taking note of the disruptive potential of electric vehicles. Lately, some automakers have started to admit they don’t see a future for their traditional gas-powered cars. Volvo recently announced their intentions to turn their entire line-up electric by 2030, a sign of optimism about the future of electric vehicles. While this remains a bold move, Volvo isn’t the first to make an announcement of this type.
Jaguar was actually more aggressive, announcing their intention to go all-electric by 2025. But the highest profile announcement came from General Motors, one of the largest automakers in the world…
While just a few percent of vehicles sold globally are electric, 80% of those in Norway are
Electric vehicles are on the rise. Electric cars were less than 1% but total sales in 2016, but have risen to over 4% in 2020. Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that by 2040, electric vehicles (EVs) will represent the majority of new vehicles sold. Yet, in one unlikely Scandinavian country electric vehicles already dominate the market.
Norway has become the canary in the coal mine for electric vehicle adoption. In January, 80% of vehicles sold plugged in and over half were all-electric. Yet, Norway seems like an unlikely candidate to lead in this sector. …
- Article: The US Economic Recovery is Stronger Than it Looks
- US consumer spending rose an impressive 2.4% in January, which should help to grow quarterly GDP by 5%
- Home prices have continued to rise even faster since the onset of the pandemic, increasing more than 10% during 2020
COVID-19 caused a sharp drop in economic activity, but emerging signs are pointing to a smooth recovery
The sudden emergence of COVID-19 caused arguably the most sudden economic shock seen in over one hundred years. Unemployment rose to levels not seen since the Great Depression. The Federal Reserve kicked into action, re-starting Quantitative Easing programs that had been on the shelf since the aftermath of the 2008 recession as well as a number of new programs.
While there are innumerable ways to measure the impacts of the recession, I believe the unemployment rate conveys the suddenness of everything the best. Compared to the gradual build-up of the 2008 recession, the COVID spike is vertical.
Tesla has changed the image of electric vehicles for the better — and potentially saved the entire industry in the process
In 2020, the electric vehicle (EV) market broke through barriers. For the first time ever, the share of cars sold that were electric crossed 4% globally. Despite some growing competition from both established automakers (like VW) and new start-ups (like Nio), Tesla still leads the electric market by a fairly wide margin and more recently, they’ve become the largest automaker in the world by market capitalization.
Yet, somehow this doesn’t adequately convey the impact Tesla has had on the electric vehicle industry — or the automobile industry as a whole.
Flashback to 2010
In late 2010 and early 2011, the first mass-produced electric…
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