Mark L. Mills

Mark L. Mills is a Canadian-born physicist, policy analyst, and author known for his work on energy policy, technology forecasting, and material science. He is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and a faculty fellow at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. Mills frequently writes and testifies on the intersection of energy markets, innovation, and public policy, often advocating for the continued role of hydrocarbons in the modern economy.

Early life and education

Mills completed his undergraduate studies in physics at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, earning a Bachelor of Science degree. He subsequently pursued graduate work at the University of Toronto, where he received a Master of Arts in physics. His academic foundation in the physical sciences provided the technical basis for his later career analyzing energy systems and industrial technology.

Career

Mills began his career in the private sector, co-founding and serving as a partner in several venture capital firms focused on technology development, including Digital Power Capital in Washington, D.C.. He later served as a technology advisor for Bank of America Merrill Lynch and held a position as a staff consultant to the White House Science Council under President Ronald Reagan. His corporate and advisory roles centered on assessing the economic impact of emerging technologies in sectors like semiconductors, nanotechnology, and energy infrastructure. He is a founding partner of the Montrose Lane investment fund.

Policy work and advocacy

Mills is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, a conservative think tank based in New York City. In this capacity, he authors reports, delivers congressional testimony, and contributes to media outlets on topics including the shale revolution, the mineral intensity of renewable energy, and the reliability of the electric grid. He has testified before committees of the United States Congress such as the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Mills is also a faculty fellow at Northwestern University and has served on the National Laboratory Department of Energy advisory board for Argonne National Laboratory.

Publications

Mills is the author of numerous policy papers, op-eds, and books. His reports for the Manhattan Institute, such as "The 'New Energy Economy': An Exercise in Magical Thinking," have been widely circulated in policy debates. He co-authored the book *The Bottomless Well: The Twilight of Fuel, the Virtue of Waste, and Why We Will Never Run Out of Energy* with Peter W. Huber. His writings have appeared in publications like *Forbes*, *The Wall Street Journal*, and *National Review*. Mills also authored the book *Work in the Age of Robots*, examining the impact of automation and artificial intelligence on employment.

Views and reception

Mills is a prominent skeptic of the feasibility and economic impact of a rapid, complete transition to renewable energy sources like wind power and solar power. He argues that fossil fuels and nuclear power remain essential for grid stability and that technologies like electric vehicles and battery storage are more mineral-intensive and reliant on global supply chains than commonly acknowledged. His views are frequently cited by proponents of energy realism and have been endorsed by figures like former Texas Governor Rick Perry. Critics, including some scientists and advocates from the Environmental Defense Fund and the Union of Concerned Scientists, contend his analyses underestimate the potential of clean energy innovation and the urgency of addressing climate change.

Category:American physicists Category:American policy analysts Category:Manhattan Institute people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)