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.
California’s shift away from gas-powered vehicles could mean as many as 80 percent of gas stations would be unprofitable by 2035. The state has some 250,000 station owners and employees.
A study by Carnegie Mellon University found that if at least 20 percent of cars are autonomous vehicles, traffic systems may start to see the operational improvements these vehicles are expected to bring.
The Colorado charging station bypasses the requirement for a three-phase power distribution system, which is not easily available in rural electric systems, by using existing infrastructure. Many hope this encourages electric vehicle adoption.
The state aims to have 1 out of every 5 vehicles on its roads electric by 2030, yet less than 1 percent of registered vehicles in the state are EVs and just 10 school buses and eight public transit buses are electric.
A new study from Nature Energy found that electric vehicle drivers should shift to charging their cars during the daytime, either at work or a public charging station, to reduce strain on the electric grid and infrastructure expansion needs.
As heatwaves are becoming more intense and frequent, some states are looking to help cover some of the costs associated with air conditioning or require that landlords provide cooling systems. But not all landlords agree with the changes.
Geothermal energy currently provides less than half of a percent of the nation’s power, but experts believe that it could produce as much as 5 percent of the electricity supply using existing technology.
The state’s ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 aims to significantly reduce its largest source of carbon emissions and air pollution. Looking at the state’s past climate initiatives may help determine if this plan will work.
The toll road is looking to solar energy production to eventually electrify part of the road so electric vehicles can charge as they travel. The roadway would charge drivers for the electricity costs as they drove.
Pilot projects using bidirectional charging equipment are turning electric vehicles into battery storage units, feeding energy back onto the grid when needed. Fleet vehicles are seen as prime opportunity for the tech.
Residents have received warnings in recent days to conserve energy usage to prevent outages as a record-setting heat wave engulfs the state. EV charging only accounts for about 0.4 percent of the overall energy load.
In an effort to make it easier for library users to borrow digital versions of books, lawmakers and librarians are putting pressure on publishers to adjust the terms and costs of e-book licenses.
As historic floods beset several states, a new study finds that warming could make a California “megaflood” more dangerous, and likely, than previously thought.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was supported by several state Congress members, allots $8 billion for the expansion of hydrogen use in at least four regional hubs; some argue West Virginia should host one of them.
Gov. Janet Mills and other clean-car advocates argue that obstacles, like cost and availability, can prevent widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles and the state’s transition must not leave out rural and low-income residents.
Diesel-powered school buses produce more than 5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. EV school buses eliminate harmful pollutants and cost less to maintain than diesel buses. But they aren’t cheap.
Connecticut gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski criticized Gov. Ned Lamont over the lack of transparency and the increasing costs of the offshore wind redevelopment project in New London.
The tech company has partnered with the trucking company Daimler to increase its fleet of autonomous semitractor-trailers to 60 vehicles running on I-45 between Dallas and Houston.
A group of Republican attorneys general have filed a lawsuit in hopes of preventing California from setting its own vehicle emissions standards, claiming the state’s rules could negatively impact other states down the road.
The GO Green Energy Fund provides clean energy investments to low- to moderate-income neighborhoods to combat environmental injustice. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, green banks nationwide will receive $20 billion.
The rideshare company has partnered with Motional, an autonomous vehicle company, to develop autonomous EVs for rideshare purposes. For now, the new vehicle will be accompanied by two safety drivers.
Georgia has committed billions in incentives to electric vehicle and battery manufacturing companies for building factories across the state. The law is expected to stimulate investments that give consumers more choices.
After several years of pushing, the Phoenix Fire Department has officially launched its unmanned aircraft, or drone, systems program, laying the policy and best practices groundwork for other city departments to follow suit.
The federal Inflation Reduction Act includes a provision that would update the tax credit regulations for new electric vehicles to decrease or eliminate foreign-made parts in cars, which could possibly make EVs more expensive.
Voters face three major issues at this year’s midterms: abortion, the economy and state legislative control. Election Day is just three months away.
The Colorado River system, which supplies millions of Americans in the Western U.S. with water, has declined to just 39 percent filled in the last two decades. Many cities are already making adjustments to limit water usage.
Arizona, Colorado and Nevada are projected to grow by 30 percent or more by 2060, raising fears that demands for water will outstrip supply. Possible fixes include restricting water use and building new pipelines.
The state has partnered with Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan to build a 1,000-mile electric vehicle charging circuit along a scenic Lake Michigan tourism route. The network is expected to be completed over the next few years.
The CHIPS and Science Act is awaiting signature from President Biden after it received approval from Congress last week. Many expect the legislation to be a huge boost to Michigan’s auto industry.
The offshore wind industry is expected to grow exponentially in the near future, pushed by federal and state mandates to increase offshore wind capacity. Many states also see the potential economic returns of the growing industry.
