Outdoor Retailer Patagonia Tests Solar Windows

The clothing seller tries out green energy that works via transparent cells Source: Wall Street Journal. At Patagonia Inc.’s California headquarters, some windows double as power generators. The outdoor-clothing retailer is one of the first companies to test solar-panel windows, a new and largely unproven technology that proponents hope will become a crucial source of electricity for homes and commercial buildings. The windows look much like normal windows, but include a layer of transparent photovoltaic cells between panes of […]

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US Postal Services Electric Vehicle

US Postal Service commits to buying 100% electric trucks by 2026

In a major reversal, the US Postal Service (USPS) has announced that it will ensure that 75% of new vehicles purchased in the next several years will be electric. By 2026, that will increase to 100% of purchases. The USPS announced in a press release that it expects to acquire at least 66,000 battery electric delivery vehicles from defense contractor Oshkosh as part of its 106,000 vehicle acquisition plan for deliveries between now and 2028. Further, 21,000 […]

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EVSE challenges installation

The EV Market’s Hidden Challenges & Opportunities

Why EVSEs will offer a new revenue stream for the construction industry. Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) installations will offer a new revenue stream for the electrical construction industry, but electrical contractors need to first see if the local power distribution system can support the significant new electrical load. Electric vehicles (EVs) and the business opportunities they represent for electrical contractors may seem like a relatively new revolution. But Mike Johnston, NECA executive director of codes and […]

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Sustainable Construction

Using tech to drive a more sustainable building industry

From initial design through to construction, technology can help the construction sector to move away from its heavy contribution to carbon emissions. It is imperative to act now. Energy costs are rising rapidly, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and there is a legal commitment to net zero. For the building industry, it offers a huge opportunity, with green jobs key to its next stage of development. This growth will need technology to succeed. Using technology […]

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Global Demand

Global Demand of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Market Size & Share

Global Demand of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Market Size & Share to Surpass USD 210 Billion by 2028, at a 33.2% CAGR | EVSE Industry Trends & Forecast Report by Facts & Factors TOKYO, JAPAN, March 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Facts and Factors has published a new research report titled “Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Market By Type Of Charging (Level-1, Level-2, and Level-3), By Type Of Charging Station (Inductive, Super, and Normal), By Type Of Setup (Portable […]

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EVSE Installation Tips

Planning Tips for EVSE Installations

NECA’s 2022’s educational program was loaded with content on building a business in EVSE installations. This session covered pre-installation planning. In the NECA 2022 seminar, “The Evolving EV Industry and Electrical Infrastructure Needed,” attendees got some solid tips on preparing for an EVSE installation. Andrew Taddoni, director of business development and product development for Leviton’s EVSE business and Will Lammey, associate product manager, for Leviton’s EVSE, Commercial and Residential unit, said with the number of electrical vehicles […]

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EV fast charging: How to build and sustain competitive differentiation

New publication by McKinsey: As millions of electric vehicles hit the roads in the next decade, the need for fast charging will grow rapidly. To win in this already competitive market, providers must differentiate themselves. Sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), the main driver of demand for charging infrastructure, are expected to grow by more than 25 percent annually through 2030, when about 120 million passenger BEVs will be sold.1That growth will be driven by declines in battery prices […]

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Concrete Limestone

Biogenic limestone from microalgae

In a world-first, scientists create eco-friendly cement from algaeThe era of sustainable construction has arrived. Every year about two gigatons (2,000,000,000,000 Kg) of CO2  is released into our environment due to the production and usage of cement. According to a report from the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA), cement ranks thirdamong the top ten biggest sources of industrial pollution. Surprisingly, a team of researchers claims that we can put a full stop to this cement-driven carbon emission overnight […]

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Light ray

A Visual History of Light

This is a quick visual history of human-created light sources over the past ~400,000 years, from wood fires to candles to the electric light. In 3,000 BCE, the “rushlight” candle was invented in Ancient Egypt. It is made of a pithy stalk of rush soaked in animal fat. In 1500 BCE, Babylonian/Assyrian lamps were created from olive or sesame oil. They had a linen wick and were fashioned from stone, terracotta, metal or shells. In 100 CE, […]

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Level 1 2 3 chargers

Shaping the future of fast-charging EV charging infrastructure

To help electric vehicles reach ubiquity, governments and EV charging companies must ensure the availability of fast-charging infrastructure doesn’t become a bottleneck for growth. A McKinsey research In the past decade, electric vehicles (EVs) have gone from a rare sight on even the busiest roadto an increasingly common, affordable option. In 2020, EV sales set new records that surpassed expectations, particularly in countries with an eager customer base and government policies supporting the transition to EVs. Much of […]

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Broken EV Charging Station

Electric vehicle owners are fed up with broken EV chargers and janky software

A common complaint you hear from electric vehicle owners is about the sorry state of public EV charging: broken chargers, janky software, busted screens. But a lot of this is anecdotal, and it can be hard to find any rigorous studies that capture the current state of EV charging in the US. JD Power surveyed 11,554 electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid vehicle owners from January through June 2022 for its second annual Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging […]

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EV Batteries

Tech talk – EV batteries

Batteries, they do not make electricity – they store electricity produced elsewhere, primarily by coal, uranium, natural gas-powered plants, or diesel-fueled generators. So, to say an EV is a zero-emission vehicle is not at all valid. Also, since forty percent of the electricity generated in the U.S. is from coal-fired plants, it follows that forty percent of the EVs on the road are coal-powered, do you see?” But that is not half of it. For those of […]

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Global EV Outlook 2022

Securing supplies for an electric future by the International Energy Agency. See thus very thoughtful PDF: Full Report Here. Executive Summary: Electric car sales continue to break records, but mineral supply constraints are loomingFew areas in the world of clean energy are as dynamic as the electric car market. Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) doubled in 2021 from the previous year to a new record of 6.6 million. Back in 2012, just 120 000 electric cars were […]

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Charging Battle for EVSEs

Winning the Battle in the EV Charging Ecosystem

A BCG study from 2021… Still very relevant in 2022! As electric vehicle sales take off, demand for public charging will explode. Providers can pursue seven strategic plays in this nascent but fast-moving market. It may not have the same allure as bringing the latest battery-pow- ered concept car to life. But public charging represents an explosive market opportunity for participants in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle ecosystem. Sales of electric vehicles, including plug-in hy- brids, were virtually untouched by […]

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EV Charging Cables Market – A new Research Study

Report:EV Charging Cables Market by Power Supply (AC and DC), Application (Private Charging and Public Charging), Length (2-5 Meters, 6-10 Meters, and >10 Meters), Shape (Straight and Coiled), Mode, Charging Level, Diameter and Region – Global Forecast to 2027 The global EV charging cables market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 29.8%, to reach USD 2,453 million by 2027 from an estimated USD 665 million in 2022. The market growth is driven factors such as […]

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Rivian Launches Fast Charging Network

Irvine-based electric car manufacturer Rivian says it is launching its own network of fast chargers, with the first deployment of what it is calling the “Rivian Adventure Network”. According to Rivian, it is launching Level 3 DC fast charging sites for Rivian drivers, starting with sites in Salida, Colorado; Inkoyern, California; and Bishop, California. Rivian says the charging sites will provide as much as 140 miles of range in 20 minutes of charging. Rivian says its new charging sites […]

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The current administration has announced a $5 billion EV charging program for the nation’s major transportation corridors

The Biden administration has proposed a new program entitled the National Electric Vehicle Charging Network. Think of the EV charging plan as being similar to the Interstate highway program that began in the 1950s, which transformed how Americans traveled and how goods got delivered. That program has repaid its initial investment 100 times over by unlocking increases in interstate commerce that have powered America’s economic growth for the past 70 years. The $5 billion allocated to the […]

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U.S. proposes standards for fast electric vehicle charging projects

WASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) – The U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) on Thursday proposed minimum standards and requirements for electric vehicle (EV) charging projects funded under a $5 billion government program. The rules would require government-funded EV charging stations use DC Fast Chargers and have at least four ports capable of simultaneously charging four EVs and each must be at or above 150 kW. It would also bar charging stations from requiring a memberships to use them. USDOT says requiring […]

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Carpenters Shortage

Talk to a lot of carpenters, and they’ll express similarly warm feelings about their job. It’s the rare profession that doesn’t require an expensive education, yet offers decent pay. It’s largely unaffected by automation or globalization. And aside from occasional downturns, carpenters are in steady demand. So, why does America have so few of them? Even among the other construction trades, which have long faced retention and recruitment problems and for which there were ~400k unfilled jobs […]

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Automakers Are Adding Electric Vehicles to Their Lineups. Here’s What’s Coming.

Many automakers have detailed plans to electrify large portions of their fleets over the next decade, with some announcing goals for fully electrified lineups within five years. Consumers might not even have to wait that long. Dozens of pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are set to debut by the end of 2024 if all goes according to plan. “These more affordable models have the potential to sway a significant percentage of the car-buying public toward buying an […]

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