Trends
Massachusetts is showing the way by going to the end users of the products and services governments buy. It’s good for suppliers as well, and produces better results for everyone.
As gas prices increase, supply chains are delayed and the auto industry moves toward all-electric options, it’s not always clear when or if the long-term savings will outweigh the upfront costs of an EV or hybrid vehicle.
While not intended to be a permanent ban on Amazon’s autonomous personal delivery devices or the dispenser that houses them, it will allow the Washington city to address the safety and zoning issues surrounding the tech first.
There are 150 zero-energy, nonresidential buildings in the U.S., an increase of more than 350 percent since 2011. Officials expect that these high-efficiency, low carbon-emission buildings will be the norm by 2050.
As interest in cryptocurrency mining continues to grow, Texas power utilities are left to figure out how to manage the surge in electricity demand largely on their own, making many things, like monthly costs, uncertain.
The state has updated a law that will likely add more decentralized autonomous organizations to the state, which officials hope will further Wyoming’s status as a national trendsetter for virtual currency.
Climate change is causing once-predictable winter weather patterns to now become uncertain, which could lead to greater water pollution and deterioration of road infrastructure across the state.
Gov. Jay Inslee proposed spending $100 million to subsidize the purchase of electric vehicles, but only $25 million was earmarked for EV incentives in the budget that was passed on Thursday.
A California-based startup company will invest $254 million in the state, partly to establish a manufacturing plant for its hydrogen-powered passenger capsules in Albuquerque that is expected to open in 2024.
California got the ball rolling, working to keep organic materials out of landfills by issuing regulations and using technologies that can turn them into an energy source and carbon sink. Now, other states are joining in.
Sensors embedded into road pavement can help detect when a truck’s tires have become unsafe, which could cause blowouts at high speeds and result in serious injury or death. More than 5,000 people died in large-truck crashes in 2019.
The state House passed legislation that would allow digital license plates for consumer and fleet vehicles. The technology is already available in California, Arizona and Michigan.
The California county will do an environmental review of a local oil producer’s plan to capture carbon. The project could bury more than 1 million metric tons of CO2 annually, the equivalent of taking 200,000 passenger vehicles off the road.
Reducing congestion and its problems of pollution and carbon emissions won’t be easy or cheap. But transportation experts continue to search for answers.
Researchers from the Colorado School of Mines, Missouri University of Science and Technology and Auburn University will develop construction technology and electronics for long-term colonies on the moon.
As technologists continue to introduce bleeding-edge ideas like the metaverse that could change how we work, live and play online, is government prepared to regulate those new spaces?
One of the state’s three nuclear plants will shut down this spring but climate activists worry that removing a major supplier from the power grid will impede the state’s ability to reach its 2050 carbon neutrality goals.
The state’s electricity generators released 85.3 million tons of carbon dioxide last year, the highest levels since 2016. While the nation saw an increase in power sector carbon emissions, Pennsylvania was worse than average.
The Voting Systems Commission will recommend how the state should conduct future elections. Many conservatives want to reinstate hand-marked ballots, but critics highlight the inaccessibility to some disabled voters.
As states develop electric vehicle public charging plans for federal approval, expect to see more collaborations among data analysts, utilities, transportation equity groups and neighboring states.
Studies show that communities of color inhale disproportionate amounts of vehicle pollution compared to white communities. Equitable development of electric vehicle charging stations could change that.
There are approximately 58,000 electric vehicles in Florida but there are only 954 public-access charging stations. As the network grows, utilities and gas stations are competing for charging station rights.
America loves its cars and planes, but they are huge contributors of carbon to the atmosphere. What is the cleanest form of transit available?
There are an estimated 7 million Texans across the state without high-speed Internet access, though the number could be much higher. But some hope that the implementation of 5G will help increase connectivity.
The Biden administration wants enough offshore wind capacity to power 10 million homes by 2030, but some states have set even more ambitious goals, hoping that offshore wind can help spur economic development.
The rules for conducting elections aren’t the only thing being debated in state legislatures. Some want more control over the entire process. The bills reflect a growing loss of trust in democratic systems.
The natural gas-fired power plant would provide reliable and cheap power to five rural electrical co-ops through 2045, but critics say the plant’s reliance on fossil fuels is contradictory to the state’s climate goals.
Wind turbines often can produce more power than is needed for electricity onshore. That extra energy could be put to work capturing and storing carbon.
Burying utility lines can be prohibitively expensive, and it is far from foolproof. There are other ways to accomplish the same goal, including the use of drones and smart grids.
West Virginia lawmakers approved the lifting of the nuclear power ban. But debate continues over the human health criteria for wastewater discharges, continuing discussions from last year’s session.
Not only would offshore wind farms bring economic opportunities to southern Louisiana, they would also propel the state towards its 2050 climate goals. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management plans to begin leasing Gulf waters by 2025.
