Utilities: Page 5
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Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Biden administration releases $849M to fix aging water infrastructure in the West
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding will help boost drought resilience via 77 projects in 11 states.
By Julie Strupp • Dec. 10, 2024 -
Courtesy of Rivian
Rivian to open its charging network to all EV drivers
The move follows Tesla’s decision to open its Superchargers to other automakers to improve public access and promote EV adoption.
By Eric Walz • Dec. 9, 2024 -
Courtesy of MIT Office of Sustainability
11 Boston-area institutions partner on renewable energy virtual power purchase agreements
Cambridge, Massachusetts, is among the participants in the Consortium for Climate Solutions, which will help develop renewable energy projects in Texas and North Dakota.
By Brian Martucci • Dec. 2, 2024 -
Ysabelle Kempe/Smart Cities Dive
AI could help cities tackle climate change, but only if it solves ‘real problems’: NYC climate chief
“We don’t need AI or big data to tell us with much greater detail how screwed we are as a city or as a planet,” Rohit Aggarwala said at Cornell Tech’s Urban Tech Summit last week.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 26, 2024 -
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New York City faces potential electricity resource shortfalls in 2033, 2034, system operator says
Transportation and building electrification, along with commercial projects like data centers and chip fabrication, are driving peak demand higher, according to the New York Independent System Operator.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 26, 2024 -
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Reminder: Nominations are open for 2024 Crown Communities and Exemplary Public Servant awards
Nominations for the 2024 American City & County Crown Communities and Exemplary Public Servants awards are being accepted until Dec. 11, 2024.
By Michelle Havich • Nov. 25, 2024 -
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IRS finalizes direct pay rules, increasing access to IRA’s clean energy tax credits
Direct-pay-eligible entities like local governments, public school districts, churches and hospitals will more easily be able to jointly invest in clean energy projects under rules released Tuesday.
By Diana DiGangi • Nov. 21, 2024 -
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In 2025 more cities will team up for climate and sustainability solutions on a regional basis
Local government officials will encounter several sustainability trends as we head into 2025. In the next year, we will see local governments take a closer look at embodied carbon and full lifecycle footprints of materials.
By Michael Keating • Nov. 19, 2024 -
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Thermal energy networks can decarbonize neighborhoods. Meet the US cities giving them a shot.
With federal dollars, cities want to leverage heat from waste sources and the ground to move buildings away from burning fossil fuels on-site.
By Brian Martucci • Nov. 18, 2024 -
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Column
Small budget, strong security: Why Zero Trust is key to protecting critical infrastructure
Traditional security measures, reliant on perimeter defense, are no longer sufficient. Agencies must stop solely focusing on perimeter defenses and flip the paradigm with an inside-out strategy. This strategy mirrors how threats operate, enabling faster detection and neutralization before escalation, and ultimately building the resilience needed for modern defenses. This approach is at the heart of Zero Trust.
By Gary Barlet • Nov. 15, 2024 -
Magnus Manske. (2006). "Como Park Zoo and Conservatory-2006" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
Automation, efficiency upgrades at Minnesota zoo could save city up to $1.8M over 3 years
Groundwater-based geothermal heat pumps and building automation systems are among the changes at St. Paul's Como Park Zoo, which a city official said accounts for about 25% of total energy use among city properties.
By Brian Martucci • Nov. 15, 2024 -
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Local decarbonization, energy efficiency projects get over $17M from DOE
The “highly flexible” grant program allows communities to pursue a broad range of projects, from home energy efficiency rebate programs to workforce training initiatives, according to the Department of Energy.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 15, 2024 -
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Column
OpenAI shares its five-pillar blueprint for building AI infrastructure in the U.S.
The creator of ChatGPT and one of the leading purveyors of AI has shared what it described as its blueprint for building AI infrastructure in the U.S.—and federal, state and local community buy-in for the plan is key.
Nov. 14, 2024 -
Sarah Rice via Getty Images
State infrastructure ballot initiatives see mixed results
Approved bond funding and climate resiliency-focused state ballot measures could provide new ways for municipalities to fund improvements.
By Joe Burns • Nov. 13, 2024 -
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Column
How to increase climate resilience in urban areas
In the face of climate change, cities around the world are experiencing unprecedented weather patterns that have profound impacts on urban life. City planners and policymakers must leverage weather data to design resilient urban environments capable of withstanding these changes.
By Andrew Wigmore • Nov. 12, 2024 -
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Trump taps former Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead EPA
The Trump administration will likely roll back EPA regulations affecting fossil-fuel power plants, said the president and CEO of a trade group for owners of coal-fired plants.
By Ethan Howland • Nov. 12, 2024 -
Go Nakamura via Getty Images
Heat pumps could save these Texas households money, reduce grid strain: ACEEE
The state should focus on deploying heat pumps in homes that currently use inefficient electric resistance heaters, say the authors of a paper from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Nov. 11, 2024 -
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via Getty Images
Trump win is ‘setback’ for climate protection, but clean energy advocates say progress will continue
“Most U.S. state, local, and private sector leaders are committed to charging ahead,” said Dan Lashof, U.S. director of the World Resources Institute.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 6, 2024 -
Photo illustration: Industry Dive; Joe Readle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images
How EV policy could be impacted by the election results
Electric vehicle infrastructure projects, like charging stations, are likely to maintain support, even under another Trump presidency, one expert says. EV tax credits, however, could be on the chopping block.
By Robert Walton • Nov. 4, 2024 -
Retrieved from Corix on October 30, 2024
Low-carbon district energy system launches in a Washington city’s waterfront neighborhood
The system, which captures waste heat for districtwide heating and cooling, is expected to help the buildings served meet Washington state energy code requirements, the Port of Bellingham says.
By Nish Amarnath • Oct. 31, 2024 -
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Opinion
Traverse City’s broadband project is a cautionary tale for other communities
As a former telecommunications executive who created business plans for fiber networks, I’ve watched Traverse City, Mich.’s efforts to build a fiber municipal broadband network with both interest and concern.
By Gerald DeGrazia • Oct. 29, 2024 -
Brandon Bell via Getty Images
NYC comptroller proposes stopping pensions’ private market investments in fossil fuels
The funds would be the first U.S. public pension plans to have exclusions on investing in fossil fuel infrastructure like pipelines and liquefied natural gas terminals.
By Lamar Johnson • Oct. 25, 2024 -
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Column
Building smarter, stronger communities with an AI-enhanced government workforce
There are an estimated 20.3 million public sector employees in the United States, representing a significant 13% of the country’s active workforce. The implications for turnover are staggering, as several thousand of these employees retire each year on average as others constantly join.
By Jeff Green • Oct. 24, 2024 -
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California’s first carbon capture and storage facility gets local approval
The decision follows heated debate among community members about the project’s economic and health impacts.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Oct. 24, 2024 -
City of Victorville
2023 Crown Communities Award winner: Two massive projects help relieve traffic problems
Traffic congestion is an issue facing cities of all sizes, affecting commutes, the economy, the environment and the mental health of everyone stuck in it.
By Michelle Havich • Oct. 22, 2024
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