Data Centers in Oregon Strain Electricity Grid and Challenge Clean Energy Goals AUG 12, 2023 Data centers in Oregon are expected to consume significantly more electricity than initially estimated, according to three recent forecasts. This unexpected increase in energy consumption is placing additional strain on the Northwest electrical grid and…
Infrastructure and green energy spending are powering the economy
Infrastructure and green energy spending are powering the economy July 28, 2023 A surge in government funding and related private investment is beginning to make its way to businesses and communities across the country, building electric vehicles, new bridges, airport upgrades and a host of other infrastructure and green energy…
Swiss firm chooses Colorado for solar cell manufacturing plant
Swiss firm chooses Colorado for solar cell manufacturing plant July 24, 2023 Meyer Burger, a Swiss maker of solar cells and modules, will locate a new manufacturing plant in Colorado Springs as it boosts its U.S. presence, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade announced Monday. The new…
Global EV sales set to triple by 2026 led by China, Europe, and the U.S.
Global EV sales set to triple by 2026 led by China, Europe, and the U.S. Energize Weekly, July 12, 2023 Electric vehicle (EV) sales are projected to almost triple between 2022 and 2026, reaching nearly 27 million vehicles as the technology pushes beyond automobiles to trucks and buses, according to…
U.S. EV and battery investments reached $120 billion in 2023 spurred by federal legislation
U.S. EV and battery investments reached $120 billion in 2023 spurred by federal legislation Energize Weekly, March 29, 2023 Electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing investments in the U.S. surged by $120 billion in the last eight years with federal legislation spurring activity, according to a study by the Environmental…
Northern Virginia data centers could strain power grid
Northern Virginia data centers could strain power grid February 27, 2023 Data centers in Northern Virginia starting to draw new environmental concerns. Monday, The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will weigh whether the centers get a waiver on air pollution. Northern Virginia hosts the largest collection of data centers in…
A $100M bridge: Traverse City bypass plan emerges from 30-year debate
A $100M bridge: Traverse City bypass plan emerges from 30-year debate Feb. 19, 2023 To build the bridge, or not build the bridge? That’s been the question in Traverse City for about 30 years. At long last, there’s an answer. Yes. Build the bridge. In Grand Traverse County, officials have…
House bill aims to create lending institution for infrastructure projects
House bill aims to create lending institution for infrastructure projects Feb. 7, 2023 The bank would help finance work such as transportation projects, ports, electric grid security and broadband connectivity, according to the release. The bill also allows for broad discretion by the bank to invest in any infrastructure projects…
First Bitcoin Mining Powered By Nuclear Energy To Open In The U.S. In Q1 This Year
First Bitcoin Mining Powered By Nuclear Energy To Open In The U.S. In Q1 This Year January 23, 2023 Positioning bitcoin mining with carbon-free sources, like nuclear energy, offers enormous benefits to the cryptocurrency industry as digital assets grow in popularity, acceptability, and engagement with the broader economy. World Nuclear…
US Cities Are Falling Out of Love With the Parking Lot
US Cities Are Falling Out of Love With the Parking Lot JAN 7, 2023 They are gray and rectangular, and if you laid all 2 billion of them together they would cover an area roughly the size Connecticut, about 5,500 square miles. Parking lots have a monotonous ubiquity in US…
Phoenix airport launches autonomous service with Waymo
Phoenix airport launches autonomous service with Waymo 29 Dec 2022 Waymo also announced it is more than doubling the Waymo One service area in Downtown Phoenix. The expansion connects the airport service to a large part of the downtown area. In early November, Waymo began offering its trusted tester participants…
Energy efficiency investments jump in 2022 spurred by energy security concerns
Energy efficiency investments jump in 2022 spurred by energy security concerns Energize Weekly, December 28, 2022 Global investment in energy efficiency – from building renovations to public transport to electric vehicle infrastructure – increased 16 percent in 2022, reaching $560 billion as efficiency gains grew fourfold, according to the International…
Philadelphians welcomed PhilTel’s first free public phone as a small way to resist big tech
Philadelphians welcomed PhilTel’s first free public phone as a small way to resist big tech Dec 17, 2022 A group of about 20 tech-savvy engineers and programmers gathered Saturday afternoon at a Philadelphia bookstore to celebrate the installation of an old-fashioned public pay phone. Organizers of the project hope the…
Baltimore utility to deploy Itron smart streetlights
Baltimore utility to deploy Itron smart streetlights 12 Dec 2022 Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) is to deploy 260,000 smart streetlights as it bids to reduce energy consumption and enhance the wellbeing and safety of the community. Critical infrastructure solutions specialist Itron is working together with Maryland’s largest gas and…
Thornton has plenty of water – it’s just in the wrong place. And that’s a very Colorado story.
Thornton has plenty of water – it’s just in the wrong place. And that’s a very Colorado story. Dec 4, 2022 Thornton needs water. Developers are scrapping homebuilding projects out of fears that the city can’t guarantee them a water tap in the next few years. Thornton has water. It’s…
How Shreveport, Louisiana, used blockchain technology to build a low-cost public WiFi network
How Shreveport, Louisiana, used blockchain technology to build a low-cost public WiFi network Nov. 29, 2022 When Shreveport, Louisiana, hired Keith Hanson as its chief technology officer and smart cities director in 2019, the city’s mayor asked him to address the digital divide and create a smarter city. Both efforts…
Highway charging stations for EVs may need as much electricity as a small town
Highway charging stations for EVs may need as much electricity as a small town Energize Weekly, November 30, 2022 A growing number of electric cars and trucks on highways will by 2035 require charging stations demanding the same power as an outdoor sports arena or even a small town, according…
Amtrak prepares for $1.5-billion Susquehanna River Rail Bridge replacement project
Amtrak prepares for $1.5-billion Susquehanna River Rail Bridge replacement project Nov. 22, 2022 Amtrak is advancing the planned replacement of the 116-year-old Susquehanna River Rail Bridge with two new bridges that will increase capacity and improve reliability of both freight and passenger trains. The existing structure is the Northeast Corridor’s…
Commuter Tunnel Under the Hudson Won’t Be Finished Until 2035
Commuter Tunnel Under the Hudson Won’t Be Finished Until 2035 Nov. 15, 2022 The long-delayed, $16 billion project to repair the existing Amtrak tunnels under the Hudson River and build a new two-track tunnel is about to move forward under the control of the Gateway Development Commission, which became the…
The infrastructure lobbying frenzy is just getting started
The infrastructure lobbying frenzy is just getting started 11/06/2022 The $1.2 trillion infrastructure law has kicked off a lobbying scramble by states, municipalities and industries seeking a slice of one of Washington’s biggest cash bonanzas in a generation. Those vying for a slice of the funding include Detroit, which obtained…
C40 and mayors offer US Inflation Reduction Act guidance
C40 and mayors offer US Inflation Reduction Act guidance 31 Oct 2022 Climate Mayors and C40 Cities have issued a guidebook to help local leaders understand the US Inflation Reduction Act and all the resources available to them through the law. The guidebook – supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies – advises…
FAA Clears New York Drone Corridor for Sightless Flights
FAA Clears New York Drone Corridor for Sightless Flights October 24, 2022 Last week the Federal Aviation Administration approved New York’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site (NUAIR) to fly uncrewed drones without supervision across 50 miles of airspace within the state’s drone corridor. In essence, this means that an uncrewed…
$1B Cybersecurity Grant Program Still Coming Into Focus
$1B Cybersecurity Grant Program Still Coming Into Focus OCTOBER 16, 2022 State and local governments are preparing to use $1 billion from the federal infrastructure law to improve cybersecurity. It marks the most significant federal support yet for protecting the computer networks and data of smaller governments. But many crucial…
A colder winter and higher energy prices will boost winter heating costs, EIA says
A colder winter and higher energy prices will boost winter heating costs, EIA says Energize Weekly, October 19, 2022 American households will pay more for natural gas, electricity, heating oil and propane to heat their homes, spurred by increased energy prices and the forecast of a colder winter, according to…
As electric vehicles shrink gas tax revenue, more states may tax mileage
As electric vehicles shrink gas tax revenue, more states may tax mileage OCTOBER 11, 2022 The increasing popularity of hybrid and electric vehicles is shrinking revenue from gas taxes, prompting more states to consider charging fees based on miles driven to help pay for roads and bridges. This year at…
Three Ways to Build Back Smarter After Hurricane Ian
Three Ways to Build Back Smarter After Hurricane Ian Oct. 3, 2022 The damage from Hurricane Ian will very likely run into the tens of billions of dollars and scientists say the United States can expect more severe storms like it as the planet heats up. They also say the…
Modular Construction Technology Comes Far and Fast During the Pandemic
Modular Construction Technology Comes Far and Fast During the Pandemic SEPTEMBER 27, 2022 Six years ago, 461 Dean Street — then and now the nation’s tallest modular apartment building at 32 stories — opened its doors on Flatbush Avenue in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. The 363-unit tower had been plagued with…
Big NY, NJ Infrastructure Projects Advance With Renewed Momentum
Big NY, NJ Infrastructure Projects Advance With Renewed Momentum September 19, 2022 Signature transportation infrastructure projects across the New York and New Jersey region are accelerating, thanks to recent infusions of federal funding and successful efforts to break through political logjams. But as contractors and engineers spin up to meet…
Xcel property in Becker eyed for another big data center project
Xcel property in Becker eyed for another big data center project Sep 9, 2022 Xcel Energy Inc. plans to sell 348 acres of land at its Sherco location in Becker to an unknown company that could build a $1 billion data center project there. The utility said the new center…
Toxic arsenic levels make tap water unsafe for thousands in New York City
Toxic arsenic levels make tap water unsafe for thousands in New York City 6 Sep 2022 Dangerous levels of arsenic were found in a New York City Public Housing Authority (NYCHA) complex, leaving thousands of affected residents without safe tap water. The crisis plays out as people in the predominantly…
Massachusetts getting municipal infrastructure improvements
Massachusetts getting municipal infrastructure improvements August 30, 2022 Newly signed legislation in Massachusetts will provide millions for municipal infrastructure improvements. Earlier this month, Gov. Charlie Baker signed MassTRAC legislation into law to provide funding that is designed to prop up municipal infrastructure needs throughout the state with an $11.4 billion…
New apartment construction to match 50-year high
New apartment construction to match 50-year high Aug 22, 2022 Some 420,000 new apartments are expected to be completed in cities across the U.S. this year, marking a historic 50-year high in multifamily construction, according to data from the listing service RentCafe. Read more
PUC OK’s Eversource’s $2M EV infrastructure plan
PUC OK’s Eversource’s $2M EV infrastructure plan August 19, 2022 Earlier this week, Eversource had its $2.1 million “EV make-ready infrastructure program” approved by the Public Utilities Commission. The investment supports the state’s effort to create a fast charging corridor. Read more
$1.66B in grants for buses and bus facilities announced by Federal Transit Administration
$1.66B in grants for buses and bus facilities announced by Federal Transit Administration Aug. 16, 2022 The Federal Transit Administration today announced $1.66 billion in grants to transit agencies, territories and states for buses and bus facilities across the U.S. The agency said in a press release that the grants…
Urban wood movement looks to capture value, carbon from city trees
Urban wood movement looks to capture value, carbon from city trees 8/8/2022 When architect David Rousseau designed a manufacturing facility for Promega Corp., he specified a unique material for the lobby stairs: Walnut trees from the biotech company’s land. Cut for various reasons over the preceding decades, the trees had…
Climate bill cuts carbon emissions and inflation while boosting economy, studies say
Climate bill cuts carbon emissions and inflation while boosting economy, studies say Energize Weekly, August 10, 2022 The climate, healthcare and budget bill passed by the U.S. Senate Aug. 7 will help curb both greenhouse gas emissions and inflation while providing a modest boost to the economy, according to three…
Federal Highway Administration announces $7.3B in grants for transportation resilience
Federal Highway Administration announces $7.3B in grants for transportation resilience Aug. 2, 2022 The Federal Highway Administration published new guidance last week for the $7.3 billion formula grant program created by the bipartisan infrastructure law to help states and communities prepare transportation infrastructure for extreme weather events and natural disasters.…
DOE signals intent to make building energy codes more efficient with $225M investment
DOE signals intent to make building energy codes more efficient with $225M investment July 25, 2022 Through a Notice of Intent (NOI) covering $225 million for state and local governments, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) last week moved to expand the implementation of the latest building energy codes and…
Waterloo becomes fourth city in the country to adopt carbon-free plan
Waterloo becomes fourth city in the country to adopt carbon-free plan Jul 18, 2022 The city of Waterloo has vowed to run on carbon-free electricity by 2035, making it the fourth city in the U.S. to adopt the pledge. The City Council voted unanimously to adopt a carbon-free electricity goal…
Dominion Energy rolls out various energy efficiency programs
Dominion Energy rolls out various energy efficiency programs July 18, 2022 Dominion Energy is expanding energy efficiency and conservation programs, offering various voluntary programs from weatherization assistance for low-income customers to incentives for builders. Read more
DOE to award over $40M for energy efficiency improvements
DOE to award over $40M for energy efficiency improvements July 12, 2022 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded over $40 million to 21 organizations and five state agencies for energy efficiency improvements. The funding comes from the $3.2 billion Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which was created to help repair,…
White House backed fund promises to accelerate ‘deep tech’ advancements in cybersecurity
White House backed fund promises to accelerate ‘deep tech’ advancements in cybersecurity JUL 11, 2022 An investment fund supported by the White House and partially bankrolled by tech heavyweights Peter Thiel, Eric Schmidt and Craig Newmark is making a big bet that “deep technologies” will give the U.S. the edge…
Virginia receives $219.8 million for broadband expansion
Virginia receives $219.8 million for broadband expansion Jul 5, 2022 The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently announced that Virginia is one of four states poised to expand access to rural high-speed internet service. Under the American Rescue Plan’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, Virginia received $219.8 million, which represents 100%…
U.S. Jump-Starts Effort to Curb Residential CO2 Emissions
U.S. Jump-Starts Effort to Curb Residential CO2 Emissions June 27, 2022 The project will retrofit older homes and apartment buildings to be more energy efficient In 2010, the Dutch government launched a program to sharply cut carbon dioxide emissions from one of the world’s largest and most problematic sources: homes.…
Plenty of federal funding but labor shortages stymie infrastructure work
Plenty of federal funding but labor shortages stymie infrastructure work JUNE 21, 2022 Construction projects across the U.S. are running short on labor just as $1 trillion in federal infrastructure money starts to kick in, leading companies to get creative in their quest to attract and retain workers, according to…
Who are the most active PE investors in infrastructure?
Who are the most active PE investors in infrastructure? June 10, 2022 Private equity investors have been pouring more money into infrastructure funds in recent years, drawn by the steady cash flows and lower risk profile such assets offer. The expectation of increased opportunities in the US created by the…
Evers announces federal funding for 40 infrastructure projects
Evers announces federal funding for 40 infrastructure projects June 7, 2022 Roads across Wisconsin are set to see improvements. Governor Tony Evers announced $35 million worth of funding for 40 infrastructure projects throughout the state Tuesday. The money comes from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Read more
U.S. Midwest in Danger of Rotating Power Blackouts This Summer
U.S. Midwest in Danger of Rotating Power Blackouts This Summer June 3, 2022 The power grid in the Central United States could be forced to impose rotating blackouts on some of the hottest days of the summer due to rising demand and plant retirements, federal energy officials said in an…
State Capitol stalemate could risk federal infrastructure dollars
State Capitol stalemate could risk federal infrastructure dollars MAY 30, 2022 Minnesota leaders have been anticipating an infusion of federal cash to bolster the state’s infrastructure — from bridges and roads to cybersecurity and drinking water pipes — on a scale not seen since the New Deal. But some of…
Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack: Lessons for Technologists
Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack: Lessons for Technologists May 23, 2022 While technologists have always understood the damage that ransomware could do to an organization’s infrastructure and data, the May 2021 attack that targeted Colonial Pipeline IT infrastructure changed the game for good. Read more
