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☆ Rapid renewable energy growth leads FBI to warn hackers will hit new, vulnerable power supply
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Michelle Castillo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Government incentives, including the Inflation Reduction Act, have encouraged individuals and private ownership groups to invest in clean energy systems. The renewable energy industry's rapid expansion in the U.S. in some cases is occurring without traditional utility protocols and regulations. The boom in renewable energy has also led manufacturers of products and services to ramp up their offerings. Inverters connected to the internet, in particular, could be controlled by hackers to reduce output or overheat home energy systems. Other major players in the U.S. utilities and renewable energy sector, including Next Era Energy, Constellation, Enphase Energy, First Solar and Sunrun, did not respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Jim Hempstead, SEIA, Bheshaj Krishnappa, Freddie Mac, Moody's, Jim Guinn Organizations: FBI, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Metropolitan Washington Council, Governments, Department of Defense, U.S ., Solar Energy Industries Association, Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, Constellation Energy, Corporation, cybersecurity, Cybersecurity, GE Vernova, Constellation, Enphase Energy Locations: U.S, California , Utah, Wyoming, United States, China, Russia, Iran, cyberattacks

☆ The Olympic Games face a unique set of potential security threats in Paris. Organizers say everyone will be safe
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Opening Ceremony like no-otherThe Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics is set to take place on July 26 and will be the first ever held on a river. For years, French officials had boasted that some 600,000 people would attend the Opening Ceremony, but that number has been slashed due to safety concerns. He said a “strictly controlled” zone alongside the banks of the river will be closed off before the Opening Ceremony and anyone entering into it would be checked. The Opening Ceremony will be held alongside the banks of the River Seine. The Stade de France is where track and field events and Rugby Sevens matches will take place at the Paris Olympics.

Persons: Gérald Darmanin, Darmanin, Nicolas Nordman, ”, Gonzalo Fuentes, Nordman, Denis, Dale Buckner, ” Buckner, ” Darmanin, “, Eric Chasboeuf, Thomas Padilla, “ I’ve, ” Chasboeuf, Buckner Organizations: CNN, Summer, Games, Palestinian, Atlanta Games, Reuters, Paris, Paris Mayor, Olympic, Stade de France, Rugby Sevens, Global Locations: Paris, France, Saint

☆ What Happened to ‘Digital Resilience’?
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( David E. Sanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the worst-case scenarios that the Biden administration has quietly simulated over the past year or so, Russian hackers working on behalf of Vladimir V. Putin bring down hospital systems across the United States. In others, China’s military hackers trigger chaos, shutting down water systems and electric grids to distract Americans from an invasion of Taiwan. As it turned out, none of those grim situations caused Friday’s national digital meltdown. Among Washington’s cyberwarriors, the first reaction on Friday morning was relief that this wasn’t a nation-state attack. It is hard to find, even harder to evict from vital computer networks and designed to sow far greater fear and chaos than the country saw on Friday.

Persons: Biden, Vladimir V, Putin, ”, cyberattacks — Organizations: Pentagon, Massachusetts General Hospital, America Locations: United States, Taiwan, China, Massachusetts

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNew multi-billion dollar deal adds to rising trend of bitcoin miners moving to AI: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, Ryan Condron, CEO of Lumerin, discusses the role bitcoin mining plays in stabilizing power grids strained by AI data centers.

Persons: explainers, Ryan Condron Organizations: CNBC Crypto, CNBC

☆ America's 10 best states for infrastructure, where you can rely on roads, bridges, airports, power, and internet
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

To rate each state's infrastructure, we look at roads, bridges, ports and airports. New in 2024, we evaluate so-called site readiness programs set up in many states to link companies with shovel-ready sites. The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama offers one of the more robust site readiness programs in the nation. Roads, bridges, and broadband are also in excellent shape in Tennessee. A respectable 24% of the state's power comes from renewable energy, putting it in the top half of states.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Buttigieg, Gary Hershorn, Brad Lander, Kathy Hochul, Luke Sharrett, Liam Kennedy, Chicago —, Carl Sandburg, Minnesotans, Tim Walz, Nathan Howard, — Virginia, Caitlin O'Hara, Elijah Nouvelage Organizations: Infrastructure Law, CNBC, Law, Business, Empire, Hudson, Corbis, Census, Gov, Indiana, CSX Corp, Bloomberg, Getty, Crossroads of America, U.S . Surface Transportation, Hoosier State, of Energy, Street Foundation, Economic Development, Alabama, Tennessee Downtown, Istock, Volunteer State, Energy Department, Illinois Metra, Chicago, Railroads, Census Bureau, Surface Transportation, Traffic, Midway, Chicago Department of Aviation, Lincoln, Minnesota, Jimkruger, Minnesota's Department of Economic, The Utah Department of Transportation, Beehive State, Planners, Virginia, Amazon.com Inc, —, Washington Post, Georgia Passengers, Hartsfield, Jackson Atlanta International Airport Locations: States, York, Manhattan, New York City, New York, Ohio, Clarksville , Indiana, U.S, Indiana, Alabama, Trinity , Alabama, Yellowhammer State, Tennessee Downtown Nashville , Tennessee, Tennessee, Illinois, Chicago, Rudybalasko, Texas, Minneapolis , Minnesota, Mississippi, Minneapolis, Utah, Salt Lake City, Beehive, Farmington, Ashburn , Virginia, Northern Virginia, Arizona, Phoenix , Arizona, Atlanta , Georgia

☆ Amazon Says It Reached a Climate Goal Seven Years Early
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Ivan Penn | Eli Tan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Amazon announced on Wednesday that effectively all of the electricity its operations used last year came from sources that did not produce greenhouse gas emissions. In its announcement, Amazon said it had reached its goal of 100 percent clean energy seven years ahead of schedule. The company said it invested billions of dollars in more than 500 solar and wind projects to achieve its target. The clean energy projects Amazon has invested in can produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 7.6 million U.S. homes, the company said. Amazon aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions from all of its operations, including its delivery vans, planes and other means of transportation, by 2040.

Organizations: Amazon

☆ There's a major bottleneck in AI data center expansion, analysts say. Here's how to play it
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

One area is causing a major bottleneck in data center expansion and the energy transition, according to several analysts: the power grid. Morningstar said in its third-quarter equity market outlook last week that: "The grid is the biggest bottleneck of the energy transition. Over in China, there are also targets to accelerate the "intelligent transformation" of grid infrastructure and the construction of smart micro-grids, the bank said. Over in China, HSBC likes one Chinese stock to play the power grid infrastructure bottleneck. There's also one exchange-traded fund that tracks the sector: the First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure UCITS ETF , which tracks the performance of stocks in the grid and electric energy infrastructure sector.

Persons: Morningstar, Louis Navellier, There's Organizations: Citi, Veolia, HSBC, Navellier, Associates, Emcor, Infrastructure Locations: United States, New York , California, Europe, China, RWE

☆ Heat waves: Here’s why your AC can’t save you anymore
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Then came the heat wave. But it is also a lifeline against increasingly brutal heat, the deadliest type of extreme weather. It allows people to live in places where temperatures push close to the limits of survivability and where extreme heat persists even at night. And many electrical grids are being pushed to a breaking point due to increasingly frequent extreme weather and soaring demand for cooling. Heat can affect vital organs and cause heat exhaustion, heat stroke and even death.

Persons: Ida, ”, Jen Brady, Michael Webber, Webber, Brian Stone Jr, Hurricane Ida, Leah Millis, ” Webber, ” Stone, Stone, Kate Gallego, ” Gallego, it’s, Mario Tama, Central’s Brady, —, Ian, “ Organizations: CNN, Climate Central, Climate, University of Texas, Georgia Institute of Technology, “, Service, Authorities, Arizona Public Service, Babcock Locations: Louisiana, New Orleans, Austin, California, Pacific Northwest, Europe, Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, New Orleans , Louisiana, Hurricane, Atlanta, Detroit, Phoenix, Phoenix , Arizona, Florida

☆ Want to cash in on the AI boom? Buy these 2 lesser-known stocks, portfolio manager says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | In Amala-Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Carey, a portfolio manager at the U.S.-headquartered investment advisory firm which manages around $4 billion, estimates that returns from AI will be across "multi-years [and] decades." AI companies have a very, very large moat, not only on the hardware side, but also, on the software side. Among the names Carey is bullish on is power management company Eaton . Shares of the U.S. power management company have had a bumpy ride over recent days, but remain up nearly 30% year-to-date and 54.4% in the last 12 months. He noted the "strong demand" for the small-cap's packaged solutions and products.

Persons: Carnegie Investment Counsel's Christopher Carey, Carey, Eaton, Powell Organizations: Carnegie Investment, Nvidia, Amazon, Microsoft, Broadcom, Powell Industries Locations: U.S

☆ The world’s future energy wars will be fought under the sea
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Angela Dewan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The technology to store renewable energy for long periods hasn’t quite been mastered, either. The interconnector would send renewable energy both east and west, taking advantage of the sun’s diurnal journey across the sky. The transatlantic interconnector is still a proposal, but networks of green energy cables are starting to sprawl across the world’s sea beds. They are fast becoming part of a global climate solution, transmitting large amounts of renewable energy to countries struggling to make the green transition alone. Not all of them carry renewable power exclusively — that’s sometimes determined by what makes up each country’s energy grid — but new ones are typically being built for a green energy future.

Persons: there’s, ”, Simon Ludlam, “ We’ve, we’ve, Fadel Senna, Paul Ellis, Biden, Laurent Segalen, Energy’s Ludlam, “, you’ve, you’re, Trump, Dmitry Peskov, George Dyson, Dyson, Morten Kruger, Frank Schneider, Alberto Rizzi, ” Rizzi Organizations: London CNN, Etchea Energy, Getty, Burbo, Sun Cable, Initiative, NATO, European Council, Foreign Relations, United, European Union Locations: New York, California, Britain, Europe, North America, Canada, France, East Coast, United States, Paris, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, Morocco, Moroccan, Ouarzazate, AFP, English, New Brighton, Australia, Singapore, India, Saudi Arabia, Asia, East, Beijing, London, Russia, China, Germany, Ukraine, Finland, Sweden, Baltic, Western Europe, North, Russian, Aqaba, Jordan, Taba, Egypt, Red, America, EU

☆ The fastest-growing career in the US is in wind power. Here's what employees make, what it's like, and how to land a job.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Federal data indicates wind-turbine technician is the fastest-growing job in the US. He started as an intern in 2017 before becoming a wind technician and then advancing over the past seven years. Federal data indicates wind-turbine technician is the fastest-growing job in the US, alongside nurse practitioner. Offshore wind technicians can expect to earn an extra 30% to 40% compared to onshore workers. Wind technicians in the early stages of their careers might do scheduled maintenance and cleaning.

Persons: —, Dakota Carter, I've, Carter, Jerry Jones, Harry Willats, Willats, It's Organizations: Service, EDP Renewables, Renewables, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Industry, International Energy Agency, Darwin Recruitment, Siemens Gamesa, GE, Robert Morris University in, EDP, Technicians Locations: Delavan , Illinois, America, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Illinois, Texas, New Mexico , Kansas, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, Robert Morris University in Illinois

☆ This technology could transform one of the world’s dirtiest industries. Experts say it’s way off pace
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-23 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

This complex will be world’s first large-scale “green steel” project, according to H2 Green Steel, the Swedish company behind the multi-billion-dollar mill. Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesWhile projects like H2 Green Steel show momentum is growing, experts say the pace is far too slow. Northern Sweden is also home to the HYBRIT green steel pilot plant — which is one step ahead. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a visit to Hybrit Steel Plant in Lulea, Sweden, on May 30, 2023. But there’s also the challenge of producing large amounts of green hydrogen, which will require huge amounts of renewable energy.

Persons: Peter Boer, Dhiraj Singh, ”, Mohamed Atouife, Daniel Acker, ” Atouife, HYBRIT, Biden, Antony Blinken, Jonas Ekstromer, Martin Pei, SSAB, ” Pei, Chathurika, Caitlin Swalec, Jonathan Nackstrand, Pei, there’s, –, Philipp Verpoort, “ It’s, Princeton’s, Swalec, Chris Greig, ” Greig, RMI’s Gamage Organizations: CNN, Green Steel, Tata Steel, Bloomberg, Getty, Rourkela Steel, Princeton University, Volvo, Hybrit Steel, TT, Agency, AFP, “, Mountain Institute, Global Energy Monitor, Potsdam Institute, Climate Impact, Potsdam, Princeton University’s Andlinger Center for Energy, Workers, Jiangsu Shagang, Co, European Union Locations: Sweden, Boden, Swedish, Wijk aan, Netherlands, Odisha, India, Indiana, Portage , Indiana, Northern Sweden, Cleveland, Ohio, Middletown, Mississippi, Lulea, Luleå, AFP, China, Europe, Japan, Jiangsu, Huai'an, Jiangsu Province, European

☆ Heat Wave Updates: News and Forecast as Scorching Temperatures Continue
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-22 | by ( Kate Selig | Judson Jones | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The city could see temperatures in the high 90s or above on Saturday. Credit... Hannah Beier for The New York TimesOn the first weekend of summer, a brutal heat wave now entering its sixth day will scorch large swaths of the country. The heat index in New York City is forecast to reach 96 degrees on Saturday and then 99 degrees on Sunday. Already, the city has recorded temperatures it hasn’t seen in almost two years, with Central Park hitting 94 degrees on Friday. Though the heat wave will not fade over the weekend, conditions are expected to cool slightly on Monday.

Persons: Hannah Beier, Graham Dickie Organizations: Philadelphia Zoo, ., The New York Times, Washington , D.C, New York Times, Central Park, National Weather Service, Centers for Disease Control Locations: Midwest, Ohio Valley, Southern Plains, Utah , Nevada, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington ,, Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, Manhattan, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Fresno, Calif, Wichita, Kan, Tampa, Fla

☆ Energy prices in France turn negative as surging renewable output takes nuclear plants offline
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-14 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

French energy prices fell into negative territory on an overflow of renewable power, Bloomberg reported. AdvertisementDay-ahead energy prices in France fell into negative territory amid surging renewable power production, Bloomberg reported. The situation in France is different in that the rollout of renewable power has been slower than in other countries in the region, Reuters said. Paris has installed around 45 gigawatts of wind and solar capacity, and is behind European Commission targets. AdvertisementIf the National Rally party wins, it has pledged to slash renewable subsidies and end the wind power industry's expansion.

Persons: —, It's, SEB Research Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Electricite, Reuters, National Rally Locations: France, Spain, Germany, Paris

☆ 80 years after D-Day, a dedicated team works to bring missing airmen home
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( Jaide Timm-Garcia | Isabel Rosales | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

A crash site rediscoveredIn 2016, the agency received a tip the crash site had been rediscovered on farmland in Normandy. D-Day was 80 years ago and the remains of missing service members continue to be uncovered. The results are then compared to a DNA sample from the missing service member’s medical file. In 2009, Stouffer heard about other missing service members being accounted for and reached out to the agency to offer his DNA samples for analysis. Defense Visual Information Distribution ServicePhotos of the three missing airmen were stationed at the dig site, providing what the team calls intrinsic motivation along their search.

Persons: Jake Tapper, “, William Donohue, David Madson, Albert Brooks, SSgt David Madson, Eric Klinek, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Klinek, ”, Donohue, Madson, Brooks, Major McKinley McCanless, Samuel Williams Jr, ” Capt, Brian Foxworth, ” Foxworth, ” Crews, Foxworth, Sergeant Raul Castillo, Castillo, Carrie Brown, you’re, ” Brown, Brown, “ You’ve, Paul Stouffer, William McGowan, McGowan, Stouffer, ” Stouffer Organizations: CNN, Chief Washington, Democracy, Airborne, Defense POW, Agency, Department of Defense, 304th Troop Carrier Squadron, 442nd Troop Carrier Group, 50th Troop Carrier, Waco Army Airfield, Army Air Forces, Allied Forces, 101st, Information Distribution Service Paratroopers, DC, Utah, United Kingdom . Defense, Information, Offutt Air Force Base, Armed Forces Medical, Dover Air Force Base, Registration, United States Military, Air Force Locations: Normandy, France, Europe, German, Nazi Germany, England, United Kingdom, Nebraska, Delaware, U.S

☆ DOJ charges Chinese national with operating 'world's largest botnet' that stole $5.9 billion in Covid relief funds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray said it is "likely the world's largest botnet ever." The botnet hacked into over 19 million IP addresses in nearly 200 countries, the DOJ announcement said. In particular, the botnet targeted Covid relief programs and filed an estimated 560,000 false unemployment insurance claims, stealing $5.9 billion. The DOJ partnered with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies internationally to dismantle the botnet and arrest Wang. The charges come as U.S. law enforcement agencies try to update protocols to keep up with more sophisticated cybersecurity threats.

Persons: Wang, Christopher Wray, S, Axelrod, they're, Wray Organizations: US Department of Justice, Department of Justice, DOJ, Federal Bureau of, FBI, Export Enforcement, U.S . Department of Commerce's, of Industry, Security, Treasury Department, Treasury, Code, Tulip Biz, Company, Lily Suites Company Locations: Washington , DC, U.S, China

☆ Tesla is building a huge battery factory in Shanghai even as US-China trade tensions rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The factory, which was announced in April last year, aims to begin production in the first quarter of 2025. The battery facility will be close to Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory, which is the company’s largest plant outside the United States, producing almost one million cars a year. Rising tensionsWhile most Western companies are face rising barriers to doing business in China, things have been smoother for Tesla. “Tesla competes quite well in the market in China with no tariffs and no deferential support. I’m in favor of no tariffs,” Musk said.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Tesla, Elon Musk, Tom Zhu, Tesla, Wu Xiaohua, ” Musk, Li Qiang, Li, Joe Biden, Musk, “ Tesla Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Lingang Group, Tesla, Reuters, “ Locations: Hong Kong, Shanghai, China, United States, Beijing, Washington, Tesla’s Gigafactory, Europe, Paris

☆ Sweeping changes to America's aging power grid are on their way to help bypass NIMBY roadblocks and state infighting
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

America's power grid is old and stressed. The main problem: It takes way too long to build towering high-voltage power lines that carry electricity across state lines and to hook up new power to the grid. AdvertisementBut upgrading the power grid gets bogged down by several issues. A new rule issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission this month is aimed at tackling some of the problems. If the US doesn't invest in regional transmission lines, customers will pay the price in the form of congestion and more life-threatening outages.

Persons: Brett White, Larry Gasteiger, Allison Clements, West Virginia —, Jeffrey Shields, PJM, Shields, Manu Asthana's, Asthana, Mark Christie, Neil Chatterjee, Chatterjee, Christine Powell, Chuck Schumer, Gasteiger Organizations: Service, Business, Energy, Princeton University, Federal Energy Regulatory, Democrat, Sierra Club, Republican, Department of Energy, DOE, FERC, Earthjustice's Clean Energy, University of Chicago, wouldn't Locations: Pine, States, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, California

☆ Miner Anglo American rejects third takeover offer from rival BHP Group as talks deadline extended
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

(Photo by William WEST / AFP) (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)LONDON — Anglo American rejected a third takeover proposal from rival BHP Group on Wednesday, as the companies agreed to extend talks deadline by one week. The British miner confirmed the third proposal from BHP offered about £29.34 per Anglo American share, based on undisturbed share prices as of market close on April 23. Shares of Anglo American were up 0.35% shortly after the announcement, while BHP shares fell over 3.4%. The combined companies would form a behemoth in copper mining and the world's largest player in the space, supplying 10% of global output, according to a Reuters analysis. Anglo rejected both previous offers, however, saying that they "significantly undervalue the company and its future prospects."

Persons: Stuart Chambers, Chambers, Duncan Wanblad Organizations: BHP, William WEST, WILLIAM WEST, Getty, BHP Group, London Stock Exchange, Limited, Iron Ore Limited, Rio Tinto Locations: Melbourne, Australian, AFP, American, London, Australia

☆ AI demand will push the power grid to the brink. Morgan Stanley says these stocks could benefit
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Companies that manufacture small, quickly deployable natural gas turbines and generators are poised to benefit as surging electricity demand from data centers creates major delays in adding new capacity to the power grid, according to Morgan Stanley. "We believe this greater appreciation for the current grid connectivity challenges will heighten investor interest in/focus on emerging 'time to power' solutions," the analysts told clients. Power projects waiting for connection to the Lone Star state's grid have surged from 17 gigawatts to about 40 gigawatts in less than two years, according to the analysts. There is also an extensive wait time for diesel-powered, backup generators for new data center projects, according to Morgan Stanley. Companies such as Cummins and Caterpillar are also poised to benefit because they manufacture natural gas-powered generators that provide backup power onsite, according to Morgan Stanley.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Cummins Organizations: Lone Star, GE Vernova, Siemens Energy, Cummins, Caterpillar, GE Locations: U.S, Texas

☆ Biden's tariffs don't loosen China's grip on one key mineral in the EV economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The White House decided to delay by two years tariffs on graphite, a key metal in EV lithium-ion batteries that helps them store energy. But a senior Biden administration official said during a call with reporters that some tariffs would kick in in 2026 to allow battery supply chains to transition. However, those batteries can still source graphite from China until at least 2027 under the Biden administration's policy. Beyond graphite, other tariffs that Biden slapped on China's green tech are mostly symbolic. But steeper taxes on batteries this year could affect US automakers such as Ford and Tesla, which import from China.

Persons: Joe Biden, Gene Berdichevsky, Berdichevsky, Sila, EVs, Biden Organizations: Service, White, Business, US Department of Energy, Mercedes, Benz, Manufacturing, Biden, Environmental Defense Fund Locations: China, Washington ,, Moses Lake , Washington, Southeast Asia

☆ Copper futures hit record high as data center build-up, EV growth fuels demand
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Copper futures hit a record high on Wednesday as demand for the base metal stays strong amid a rush to build data centers and the continued electrification of the global economy. It is integral to manufacturing electric vehicles, power grids and wind turbines, especially as the global economy electrifies. The International Energy Agency is expecting power demand from data centers to more than double to over 1000 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2026 from 460 TWh in 2022. Copper production growth forecast for 2024 has been cut to 0.5% compared with a 3.7% growth estimated by ICSG last October 2023. Anglo American, a major producer, said it would cut copper output in 2024 and 2025 as it seeks to cut costs.

Persons: ICSG Organizations: Aurubis, Bank of America, International Energy Agency, Study, Quantum Minerals, Citi, London Metals Exchange Locations: Hamburg, Germany

☆ A half-million school buses across US could become an EV battery powerhouse feeding the grid
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Eric Rosenbaum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The company's goal is to add 10,000 bidirectional EV school buses across the U.S. with 300 gigawatt hours of energy available to power grids each year. In effect, instead of the one-way charge into the vehicle, the school buses will be able to send their battery power back to the grid through Zum charging infrastructure. The roughly 500,000 school buses are mostly diesel, contributing to emissions. Ram Ambatipudi, senior vice president of business development at EV Connect, which provides EV charging solutions, said the school bus model is one of the most promising in the area of using EV battery storage in a bidirectional nature. "The low-hanging fruit from what I've seen is the school bus model," Ambatipudi said.

Persons: Ritu Narayan, Ram Ambatipudi, Ambatipudi, It's Organizations: San, San Francisco Unified, Los Angeles Unified, Oakland Unified, EV Connect, Ford Locations: California, San Francisco, Oakland, California , Colorado , Connecticut , Illinois, Maryland , Massachusetts , Missouri , Nebraska , Pennsylvania, Tennessee , Texas, Washington , Utah, Virginia, U.S

☆ Sun releases the strongest flare in current cycle from the same region that triggered auroras this weekend
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Kaila Nichols | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —After causing the dazzling waves of aurora borealis this weekend, our Sun isn’t done yet: The strongest solar flare of the current solar cycle occurred Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center. That storm was the most extreme geomagnetic storm since 2003, the center said. Solar flares usually take place in active regions of the Sun that include the presence of strong magnetic fields. “The Sun’s activity waxes and wanes over an 11-year period known as the solar cycle,” the Solar Dynamics Observatory said on X. Researchers have been seeing more intense solar flares as we inch closer to the cycle’s end.

Organizations: CNN, National Oceanic, Prediction, NASA’s Solar Dynamics, NASA, Space, Solar Dynamics

☆ U.S. energy panel approves rule to expand transmission of renewable power
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Republican Mark Christie opposed the rule, dismissing it as a gift to solar and wind power operators. Many power companies and Republican-led states don't want to spend money on new transmission lines or upgrades for renewable energy, creating conflicts with Democratic states that have ambitious clean-energy goals. The rule is intended to streamline how power lines are sited and how costs are shared between states. It could accelerate construction of new transmission lines for wind, solar and other renewable power and add huge amounts of clean energy to the grid. The new rule "will improve regional transmission planning, break down barriers to grid buildout and support the delivery of more affordable and reliable power,″ Zaidi said.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Willie Phillips, Allison Clements, Republican Mark Christie, Phillips, Christie, ″, Biden, Ali Zaidi, ″ Zaidi, Clements, Heather O'Neill, Chuck Schumer, Schumer Organizations: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Democratic, Republican, Energy Department, FERC, Advanced Energy Locations: Washington, U.S

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