Michelle Ma
Reporter @bloomberg.com | I cover all things climate tech | Read my stories: bloomberg.com/authors/AWTYlfwjEUk… | mma304@bloomberg.net | She/her | Opinions mine | Based in LA
- "Don't be afraid to break some eggs," former Biden-era Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said to the next Democratic administration at the BloombergNEF Summit in SF: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaMy latest for @bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaIn addition to the UNFCCC and IPCC exits, Treasury just announced it's withdrawing from the global Green Climate Fund, calling it a "radical" organization
- A year after the LA wildfires, the price tag for the costliest blazes in US history is still climbing. Who pays is uncertain. Our story on how risk and damage have spread beyond burned neighborhoods and the fight to limit losses and shift liability: www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNot sure what presents to give your love ones this holiday season? @oliviarudgard.bsky.social and I have you covered with a green gift guide that includes climate-friendly choices. Enjoy, and happy holidays! www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaCajun Navy groups may raise a few million dollars in a good year, collectively. As President Trump weighs major changes to FEMA - like shutting it down - some leaders say they wouldn't be able to replace it. Or simply aren't interested. As one put it: "We don't want to end up sucking like them."
- The Cajun Navy started after Katrina as volunteer boaters conducted rescues on the fly. Despite legal trouble, scandals and infighting, it's still going. And some leaders say they've been advising Trump officials on FEMA + the US disaster system. Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Reposted by Michelle MaWhen Greg Abel takes over the reins of Berkshire Hathaway next year, he will oversee a $1 trillion conglomerate with a whooping $382 billion war chest.
- Reposted by Michelle MaIn a reversal from this morning, FEMA puts whistleblowers back on leave after reinstating them Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaLandmark move: New York City's comptroller @bradlander.bsky.social, with hundreds of billions under his control, recommends dropping investment giant Blackrock because they won't reckon with climate change. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaPG&E, National Grid and other big utilities are using AI models to pick out relatively cheap, targeted fixes that cut the risk of sparking a deadly fire -- think individual poles to replace and trees to trim back. Story w/ @joewertz.bsky.social (gift link) www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Scoop: Tesla co-founder JB Straubel's battery recycling firm Redwood Materials laid off dozens of staff, as the company shifts its focus to energy storage and critical minerals. This comes a month after Redwood raised $350 million for an over $6 billion valuation. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNew: California Governor Gavin Newsom seized the mantle of US climate leadership at COP30 in Brazil in the face of Trump hostility to climate action. Here's the data on how the world's fourth-largest economy is decarbonizing and slashing emissions. Free link. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Two of the world’s biggest data center developers have projects in Nvidia's hometown that may sit empty for years because the local utility isn’t ready to supply electricity. We called the developers and utility in question to find out why: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Battery recycling firm Redwood Materials has begun producing critical minerals at its $3.5 bn South Carolina facility, amid a chill in the US EV market. CEO JB Straubel told me most of its customers today are outside of the EV sector. More on the company's pivot: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaMost people don't have high expectations from COP30. But with the US govt intent on wrecking climate policies at home and abroad, things could get testy. For a preview, tune into a conversation later today with Bloomberg's crack team on the ground at COP30. www.bloomberg.com/sessions/202...
- Arbor Energy was founded as a carbon removal company that uses waste biomass to create electricity and remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Now, the company is pivoting to generating carbon-free electricity with natural gas, supported by a $55M Series A. Our story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNEW: Weather models were performing worse ahead of a devastating storm in Alaska compared to a year ago. As one scientist @ecmwf.int put it, "the fact that all the models mis-captured this event tells us something." From me + @joewertz.bsky.social (gift link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Scoop: Rondo Energy has turned on a 100 MWH battery, helping a local oil and gas producer generate steam for thermal enhanced oil recovery. Paired with solar, the battery heats up clay bricks to produce steam, which is used to force oil out of reservoirs. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Scoop: CarbonCapture Inc. has moved its 2,000-ton direct air capture project from the US to Canada, compelled by shifting political winds and a better policy environment in the north, CEO Adrian Corless told me: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- The story comes a day after my colleague @arinatter.bsky.social broke the news that the US Energy Department plans to cancel $7.6 billion of projects. That includes an award for CarbonCapture's regional direct air capture hub project. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaA double news update after a summer respite from social media: 1) I’ve joined @bloomberg.com to report on China & climate! 2) Just in time for China’s new climate targets, announced by Xi today. I’m thrilled to cover this special beat—and to be diving right in: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Eight months after the LA wildfires, people who have lost everything are grappling with slow permit approvals, high costs and low insurance payouts. Prices for burnt-out lots are coming down as some residents give up on returning. My latest (free to read): www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Are you a federal worker or someone in the climate tech industry who wants to share information with me? I cover climate issues including carbon removal, hydrogen, batteries, the AI boom and the California climate/insurance nexus. You can call or text me on Signal: +1 909 215 4343
- Adding onto this list, I now also write about the western utilities (PG&E, Edison, etc.) and geothermal energy! Reach out if you work in these fields.
- California's last nuclear power plant was supposed to be shut down. But now it's on the verge of a 20-year extension, thanks to the state's mounting power needs. Here's an inside look at Diablo Canyon amid its bid for relicensing (free gift link): www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Reposted by Michelle Ma"workers are not allowed to wear masks on the front line, even if they want to" www.nytimes.com/2025/08/17/u...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNew: My investigation into why a 2020 California law mandating ember-resistant zones around homes in wildfire areas hasn't been implemented. As climate threats accelerate, what aesthetic price are Californians prepared to pay to protect their communities? Free link. www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Reposted by Michelle MaI kind of cannot believe how much is on the agenda for the California legislature related to energy in the next month. An incomplete list to give a sense of the magnitude:
- Reposted by Michelle MaCarbon removal firm Noya shuts shop www.linkedin.com/posts/joshis...
- Companies with a climate proposition are juggling a trade war, rolled back federal support, jittery investors, you name it. Amid all the chaos, one industry has been propping up clean tech: artificial intelligence. My latest with @mchediak.bsky.social: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaScoop: The U.S. billion-dollar disaster database is set to return this fall over at @climatecentral.org. They've hired the former NOAA scientist who ran the project for 10+ years www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNeil Jacobs - the weather scientist who was in charge at NOAA during "Sharpiegate" - is poised to come back. “I’m hopeful that he’s learned how to fight within the political system," one former NOAA chief said, "because he is going to have to fight." / 1 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNEW investigation: DOGE-Pilled The full story on the transformation of 23 year-old Luke Farritor and how he ended up at the Department of Government Efficiency--slashing, dismantling, undoing--wielding a résumé that "didn’t pass muster” NO PAYWALL! www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
- Reposted by Michelle MaTOMORROW: Don't miss our virtual briefing featuring Heatmap's @kbrigham.bsky.social, @latimes.com's @sammyroth.bsky.social, @bloomberg.com's @michellema.bsky.social, and Eric Fischgrund of FischTank PR on the challenges of climate reporting in a rapidly changing political and economic landscape.
- Trump's sweeping immigration crackdowns are causing a brain drain to the climate tech sector, hurting the economy and energy transition, tech billionaire Vinod Khosla told my colleague @akshatrathi.bsky.social today at the Bloomberg Green Festival in Seattle. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- President Donald Trump’s sweeping $3.4 trillion fiscal package is already creating opportunities for segments of the energy and climate industries that had fallen out of favor, struggled to grow or haven’t managed to break through. My latest (gift link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Join me at 10am PT/1pm ET for a live Q&A 👇
- TODAY: What's the future of US solar, wind and EV projects under Trump's tax law? Ahead of #BloombergGreen Seattle, @akshatrathi.bsky.social, @michellema.bsky.social, @arinatter.bsky.social and @mchediak.bsky.social will answer your questions. 🎧 Tune in to our Live Q&A at 1pm EDT: bit.ly/44tYaPx
- The tragedy in Texas ranks among the costliest and deadliest flash floods in US history. From 1980 through last year, flooding killed hundreds of people nationwide and inflicted at least $203.3 billion in losses, according to data from NOAA's NCEI. My story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- My colleagues @mslaurabliss.bsky.social and @rachaeldottle.bsky.social did a deep dive into the toxic landfill problem making communities across the US sick. Free gift link: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
- If passed, the new Senate plan would threaten billions of dollars of clean energy investments and risk causing household energy bills to spike higher. ACP: New tax would raise clean energy costs $4 bn to $7 bn Rhodium: 10% to 20% cost increase Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Nearly six months out from the Los Angeles area wildfires, toxic smoke damage is still making it hard for some victims to move on. Investigations and lawsuits are mounting against insurers. My latest on California's mounting insurance and climate crisis: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Reposted by Michelle MaSCOOP: DHS Sec. Kristi Noem directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to prepare a memo on how to abolish itself and create a re-branded, radically smaller disaster response organization, according to a copy of the document reviewed by Bloomberg News. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaThe National Hurricane Center has at least 4 empty positions for meteorologists, according to its website. But Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick says it’s “fully staffed” + ready for storms. Story w/ @weathersullivan.bsky.social @alicia-diaz.bsky.social (free link) www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaHow to deal with shortage of skilled workers: - Increase immigration - Poach from others - Retrain existing workers - Train new workers Immigration is out of favor. Poaching is limited. Retraining is not easy. Training takes years. No easy way out! 🎁 link www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
- Reposted by Michelle MaAn @eroston.bsky.social classic. Makes me nostalgic for the days when warming was only at 1.4F (F!)
- Reposted by Michelle MaTrump stopped mentioning the hazard mitigation grant program in major disaster declarations, so I started looking into what was happening. Here's what I found by asking each state asking about the status of their recent hazard mitigation requests. Full story here: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaThe fate of the $20 billion residential solar industry rests in the hands of moderate GOP senators. The House bill that strips away incentives for leased and purchased panels would gut the industry, execs and analysts say. My story: 🎁 link www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaAddition of high-speed EV chargers across the US fell by more than 21% in the first quarter compared to last year. The slowdown may just be beginning as Trump steps up attacks on EVs, and Republicans push to end subsidies. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaIf there was any lingering doubt about whether gas-fired generation plants are the hottest targets in the US power system, the recent flurry of deals likely extinguished it. My column here: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
- Each time you ask an AI chatbot a question, it sends a request to a data center and strains an increasingly scarce resource: water. A 🧵on our investigation into how the data centers that power AI are increasingly being built in highly water-stressed places: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
- Bloomberg News found that roughly two thirds of new data centers built or in development since 2022 are in places already gripped by high levels of water stress. And it's only getting worse.
- Altogether, more than 160 new AI data centers have sprung up across the US in the past three years in places with high competition for scarce water resources, according to our analysis. That's a 70% increase from the prior three-year period.
- To read our full story that details why this is happening, how communities are responding and what tech companies are doing to address their water footprint, here's a gift link to the story (lifts paywall for a week): www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
- Reposted by Michelle MaBuffett runs a renewables heavyweight and has written that climate change is “highly likely” a “problem for the planet.” Yet Berkshire is a major investor in oil, gas and coal — a position poised to endure well after the 94-year-old retires. My analysis here: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaAttention documentary filmmakers! We want to see your view of our climate future. Submit your short film to the Bloomberg Green Docs competition by May 23, 2025. Grand prize: $25,000 Official rules: bloom.bg/4jYTZQH Please share!
- Join me at 7:30 am Pacific / 10:30 am Eastern today for a live Q&A on climate tech under Trump 👇
- 🎙️ TODAY: On Earth Day, Bloomberg journalists will answer questions about how the climate tech industry is navigating Trump's policies and tariffs. Join our Live Q&A at 10:30am EDT: bloom.bg/4jetMNW
- Reposted by Michelle Ma🌞 Some folks are opting to buy solar panels used on classified ad sites, like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay One guy decided to make a swamp cooler for Burning Man using a secondhand panel. Edited by @amandakhurley.bsky.social, gift link valid for 7 days: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Cutting carbon emissions is key to reducing the risks of climate change. But emissions likely won't fall fast enough to limit warming to 2C, let alone 1.5C. That's where carbon dioxide removal comes in. But funding to the nascent sector is mismatched. A thread: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Currently, money flowing into direct air capture surpasses investment into all other types of carbon removal. That's not including the US Energy Department's commitment to spend billions on DAC hubs.
- Buyers have also concentrated most of their carbon removal purchases in one pathway: bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, or BECCS. Almost 60% of all purchases tracked by @cdrfyi.bsky.social between 2019 and 2024 are for BECCS, and the proportion has only risen this year.
-
View full threadHere's the full story on the state of the carbon dioxide removal industry (in front of paywall for 7 days): www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Sodium-ion batteries are not a new technology, but they've long been overlooked because they pack less energy into the same amount of space compared to lithium-ion. But tariffs and the rise of AI may be boosting their prospects. My story for BW (🎁 link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle Ma⚛️An exclusive with my colleague Lizette Chapman: Peter Thiel is joining the board of General Matter, a startup led by Founders Fund partner Scott Nolan. The firm plans to produce enriched uranium fuel needed for next-gen nuclear reactors. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Scoop: Mainspring Energy has raised a $258 million Series F to scale its linear generator business, fueled by the tailwinds of the AI data center boom. Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNEW: A massive battery fire is threatening the rapid growth of an industry key to greening the power grid — and keeping the lights on. It’s become a rallying cry for people alarmed to learn of projects planned in their neighborhoods. By @arvelisse.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaThe past few months have given the US climate tech sector an extreme case of whiplash. It's no surprise that the industry is feeling the chilling effect. The surprise is this: US climate tech investment is on the rise. My latest with @michellema.bsky.social 🎁 link www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Climate tech companies are scrapping "net-zero" for "energy abundance," pitching themselves as defense tech and waiting patiently for news on critical federal funding. Still, VC funding in the sector is up. A vibe check from me and @cocojournalist.bsky.social: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Trump's trade war is going to increase costs for grid-scale battery projects, with BloombergNEF warning that those cost increases will likely lead to cancellations and delays. That threatens the industry's growth trajectory. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaWe’re hiring a climate reporter to cover Latin America! Details here:
- Reposted by Michelle MaNEW: Spoke to 25 small publishers about the kind of impact Google's AI changes to search has had on their businesses. Things don't look good—not for the publishers, and not for the quality of information out on the open web, which ironically Google itself relies on. Gift link: bloom.bg/43Jmzk3
- Reposted by Michelle Ma🐺From my colleague Josh Saul: Dallas-based biotech firm Colossal Biosciences announced on Monday it's created three dire wolves, a species popularized by the fantasy series Game of Thrones but not seen on Earth in more than 12,000 years. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaBlackRock's Larry Fink says most CEOs he talks to think the US is in a recession
- Reposted by Michelle MaBREAKING: In a reversal, all NOAA Research sites will now remain online with "no interruption in service," according to the agency. NOAA had previously moved to cancel the research division's cloud services contract. Story for @bloomberg.com (free link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle Ma☀️My colleagues Josh Saul, @jendlouhy.bsky.social and I took a look at the impacts of Trump tariffs on America's solar industry. Stockpile of panels in America may dull the immediate impacts of high tariff rates hitting countries in Southeast Asia, analysts say. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Contact my colleagues @laurenthal.bsky.social for all NOAA tips! She's been tracking all the developments inside the agency, including this latest one (gift link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- My latest on the situation at NOAA w/ @weathersullivan.bsky.social. More to come! Here's how to reach me: Call or text on the free Signal app: lgrosen.03 Email: lrosenthal21[at]bloomberg.net Submit a tip: www.bloomberg.com/tips/ www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNEW: The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency is poised to eliminate most websites tied to its research division under plans for the cancellation of a cloud web services contract, a move that could snarl operations at labs Scoop by @laurenthal.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- My colleague @topealake.bsky.social just joined Bluesky! Give her a follow for all things EV charging and clean power.
- Reposted by Michelle MaThe National Weather Service will stop issuing forecasts + storm warnings in Spanish after a translation software contract lapsed at midnight Tuesday. Unclear when/if service will return. Scoop with @weathersullivan.bsky.social (free link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaA climate startup that boasted a roster of celebrity backers and arranged carbon credits for Meta, Microsoft and other large companies filed bankruptcy
- Reposted by Michelle MaNational Weather Service employees were encouraged to take early retirements at an all-hands meeting Thursday. The union believes as many as 1,000 could leave in the coming months - out of a workforce of just over 4,000. With @weathersullivan.bsky.social (gift): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaFor the past few months, I’ve been working on a story that was set to reveal this week one of the biggest bottlenecks to our clean, electrified future. Then on Thursday night, it blew up. Not my story, but the very thing—transformers—I was reporting on. Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
- California's insurer of last resort, the FAIR Plan, is hurtling toward another hot, dry summer with its coffers already strained. That raises the prospect that homeowners will have to pick up the bill for more funds. My latest on the climate and insurance crisis: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaMy first story from the US 🇺🇸: looking into the plausibility of Trump admin’s plans to revive coal power Despite support from the White House, economic challenges will make it difficult for the fossil fuel to make a comeback, analysts say. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaNew Buying Power: I wrote about Tesla’s uhhh experiment in owning the libs and selling them electric vehicles at the same time. Seems like it’s not gonna work! Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- An unused power line was accused of sparking the Eaton Fire. Now the utility that owns that line says it has 250 miles of power lines like it in areas with high wildfire risk. Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Michelle MaThe greenwashing era is over. Meet greenhushing, or the art of flying under Trump's radar by self-censoring
- Reposted by Michelle MaNew investigation: We have been digging into how US apps like FB, Tinder & Airbnb are used for sex trafficking in Colombia. Headlines have focused largely on how men are killed by their Tinder dates. BTS, the women are often controlled by gangs who exploit the apps to conduct business. Gift link 👇
- Reposted by Michelle MaIn the past year, we have spoken to several girls who said they were victims of sexual exploitation in Colombia, as well as more than two dozen representatives of law enforcement, academia, local businesses and nonprofits seeking to curb child trafficking. www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
