Energy + Environment

A British company, Conflow Power Group, proposes to cut the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence by turning streetlights into off-grid, solar-powered mini data centers using Nvidia hardware. It frames this as a response to the rapidly growing electricity, carbon, and water demands of conventional AI data centers, worldwide. Rising AI energy and water use Globally, [...]

  Reflect Orbital, a California startup, plans to launch a demonstration satellite in 2026 that will unfold a large mirror (about 60 by 60 feet) to direct sunlight to specific ground targets, initiating a broader goal of a constellation of roughly 4,000 solar reflectors to provide “light on demand” and extend daylight hours. The venture [...]

  Following intense backlash from business leaders, bipartisan members of Congress, and industry groups, the EPA is reconsidering the ENERGY STAR program after initially announcing plans to eliminate it in May 2025. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has stepped back from terminating the program and is now exploring options to preserve or restructure it, though no [...]

The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) released the DLC Technical Requirements for LED Lighting: SSL V6.0 and LUNA V2.0. Solid-State Lighting is DLC’s LED program, while LUNA (Light Usage for Night Applications) is DLC’s dark sky program. These updated requirements apply to both indoor and outdoor non-residential applications. The DLC Technical Requirements for LED Lighting: SSL V6.0 [...]

  Surging electricity prices have shifted voter sentiment in Virginia, New Jersey, and Maine, introducing energy policy as a defining issue in U.S. politics. Electricity rates—up 21 percent in New Jersey and expected to climb substantially in Virginia—are amplifying frustrations among households and small businesses, fueling electoral volatility heading into the gubernatorial elections and shaping [...]

  New research from KPMG reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) systems have the potential to reduce energy waste in buildings by up to 30%, significantly improving energy efficiency and supporting sustainability goals. This is particularly important as buildings contribute roughly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and with urban populations expected to reach 70% by [...]

  The 360 Solar Area Light collection by Landscape Forms, developed in partnership with FlexSol Lighting Solutions, represents the integration of aestetic design and off-grid solar lighting. The solar luminaires are visually distinctive, highly efficient, and resilient across varied environments and climates. Design and Technology 360 Solar features a unique, slim cylindrical profile created by [...]

  The rapidly growing market for energy service companies (ESCOs) and their performance contracts are projected to expand from $15.9 billion to nearly $27 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%. This growth is driven primarily by increasing government and commercial focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and infrastructure resilience. ESCO [...]

  Wireless Electricity: Nikola Tesla’s Century-old Dream Coming to Life  The concept of wireless electricity—a vision championed by Nikola Tesla in 1901—is on the brink of transforming modern energy distribution. Tesla’s early ideas involved transmitting electricity through the Earth’s ionosphere. Although those ambitions never materialized, they inspired generations of researchers. The field saw pivotal breakthroughs [...]