Technology

"The U.S. Department of Energy has announced up to $100 million in federal funding for projects modernizing the nation’s remaining coal plants, nearly half of which were slated to close by 2030."

"Surging electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence is putting humanity’s climate goals out of reach, extending the life of fossil fuels and driving up emissions in the U.S. power sector while contributing to deadly extreme weather, according to two new reports published Wednesday."

"Even after an immigration raid on its Georgia facility and dimmed prospects for hydrogen, Hyundai is committed to its $6B low-carbon steel plant in Louisiana."

"Closely watched gubernatorial campaigns in Virginia and New Jersey are serving as testing grounds for how candidates will use surging electricity prices to their advantage in next year’s midterm elections."

"A new policy in China could ramp up the nation’s production of green hydrogen for use in airplanes, ships, and other heavy industries, potentially eclipsing output of the fuel in the United States and Europe."

"Northern Indiana Public Service Co. says the spinoff is needed to meet surging power demand. Others say it’s an excuse to bypass regulations that protect consumers."

"As dawn broke over San Juan Island, a team of scientists stood on the deck of a barge and unspooled over a mile of fiber-optic cable into the frigid waters of the Salish Sea. Working by headlamp, they fed the line from the rocky shore down to the seafloor — home to the region’s orcas."

"Millions of tons of discarded electronics from the United States are being shipped overseas, much of it to developing countries in Southeast Asia unprepared to safely handle hazardous waste, according to a new report released Wednesday by an environmental watchdog."

"As tech companies build data centers worldwide to advance artificial intelligence, vulnerable communities have been hit by blackouts and water shortages."