When businesses, corporations, or entire industrial sectors focus on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), there is a tendency to favor decarbonization and abstract commitments to environmental stewardship. Within the energy sector, emissions are critical to account for and mitigate, but perhaps more so are the leaks and spills of…
This blog series Technology Highlight explores some of the ways that investments in innovation lead to better outcomes for infrastructure and public safety. When technology advances, it often becomes cheaper, more widely available and accessible, and helps facilitate faster, safer, and greener projects. This series has highlighted…
Carbon-free gasoline sounds like an oxymoron. Gasoline from refined petroleum remains one of the primary emissions sources across the world due to widespread utilization of diesel and gasoline-powered automobiles. Innovators in the energy sector have not only worked to reduce the harmful pollutants that come from burning gasoline, but now…
This blog series Technology Highlight explores some of the ways that investments in innovation lead to better outcomes for infrastructure and public safety. When technology advances, it often becomes cheaper, more widely available and accessible, and helps facilitate faster, safer, and greener projects. This series has highlighted many of…
Most Americans know hydrogen as being a key ingredient in water, H2O. Of the many chemical elements on the periodic table, hydrogen is the lightest element, while it’s also estimated to comprise up to 90 percent of the visible universe. With its simplicity and unfathomable abundance, might hydrogen be an overlooked…
Since oil was first discovered near Titusville, Pennsylvania over 100 years ago, petroleum has become arguably the most essential natural resource for the United State’s economy past and present. From its development as an energy source, fuel for vehicles, and as a key component in everything from plastics and tires to…
The solar energy striking the Earth at a given moment is more than the entire world’s energy usage in a year. Solar power’s massive energy potential has opened the door to to utility-scale electricity generation all the way down to rooftop power for individual homes. Yet solar panel efficiency and…
This blog series Technology Highlight explores some of the ways that investments in innovation lead to better outcomes for infrastructure and public safety. When technology advances, it often becomes cheaper, more widely available and accessible, and helps facilitate faster, safer, and greener projects. This series launched by highlighting the…
Coastal tides are a naturally occurring process caused by the moon’s gravitational pull on the oceans of the world. In the U.S., tidal changes vary wildly from coast to coast, with the highest tidal range in Anchorage, Alaska spanning up to forty feet. While the natural movement of water flowing…
Wind generation on land is affected by several factors, such as the topography of the surrounding area, temperature, competing land uses, and human activity. Due to the unevenness and diversity of topographical areas in the U.S., certain areas are not able to harness large amounts of wind energy. Mountainous areas, as…
This blog series Technology Highlight explores some of the ways that investments in innovation lead to better outcomes for infrastructure and public safety. When technology advances, it often becomes cheaper, more widely available and accessible, and helps facilitate faster, safer, and greener projects. This series launched by…
When 3D printing first became popular with the general public in the early 2000s, there was absolutely no limit on what it could do. People wanted to print new gadget prototypes, food, even human organs. One stone that was left unturned for too long however, was 3D printing for infrastructure….
While you may know March 14 as pi day (3.14) and May 4 as Star Wars day (May the fourth), today is of even greater consequence. August 11 – or 8-11 – is a day dedicated to safe digging known as 811 Day. Why does safe digging matter? Because every…
Coal fueled the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the proliferation of everything from personal cars to iron ore smelting. The advent of new technology that harnessed coal’s massive energy density led to massive spikes in the quality of life for many industrialized countries. However, while coal became an industrial…
Now more than ever, efforts to combat climate change are becoming universal. Individuals, corporations, and governments are looking for ways to consume more sustainably, reduce their natural resource usage, and better steward the environment. With everyone looking for ways to aid in the fight for climate equilibrium, a key part…
