Nuclear energy tends to get a bad rap in modern politics. Past accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima have scarred the minds of those who were alive to witness the catastrophes and have made it difficult for even newer generations to trust nuclear capabilities. Much of the fear surrounding nuclear…
In 2013, wind and solar power combined to produce less than 5 percent of all U.S. utility-scale electricity. In 2022, that number was 13.6 percent. Renewable energy sources are expected to make up at least 33 percent of all U.S. power generation by 2030 without major changes to energy policy….
As climate and energy policy continues to evolve, the EPA recently released a new proposed rule for environmental standards regarding emissions from coal and natural gas-fired power plants. An integral part of the proposal is reducing CO2 emissions through a process called carbon capture. First used as early as 1972,…
When it comes to sustainability, many industries are considering how to reduce their energy consumption. Organizations are also taking a more critical look at how their services and products may impact the environment. With the rise in digital currency, new discussions are emerging about the value of cryptocurrency and its…
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…
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…
Going Nuclear Irradiated landscapes, poisoned water supplies, the ubiquitous gas masks donned by radiation cleaners in the Chernobyl HBO series: these are the images that come to mind for many when hearing about nuclear power. Needless to say, this dramatized picture of Soviet infrastructure is a far cry from the true…
Windy days may be a welcome change from summer heat or a warning of the calm before the storm. Whatever its impact, it is almost always there in the background of our lives. Wind has been a great renewable energy resource for centuries and may only be getting better. Not…
The Biden Administration Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, said Tuesday that “pipe is the best way to go” to transport fuel. The comments were made in response to the Colonial pipeline shuttering service due to a ransomware attack. The context is important, as Secretary Granholm’s comments were specific…
The ground we walk on is covered with asphalt for roads, concrete for sidewalks, and is naturally decorated with grass, flowers, shrubs, and trees. Intermingled within are telephone polls, electricity wires, buildings, and other structures requiring power. We all understand that natural organisms have roots that ground them…
Our 3.8 million square-mile nation uses its space for a lot of purposes. About 50 percent of U.S. land is used for agriculture. Roads run for over 4 million miles across the country. Forests occupy nearly 300,000 square miles. But this vast and dynamic country requires abundant energy to…
o one could be blamed for having the wrong impression of pipelines. Views tend to align with politics, and media coverage often casts these silent transport methods in one extreme light or another. The facts about pipelines are quite revealing, but there is a lot of data to discuss…
When you see a tree, you know it has roots. When you pull weeds, you aim to get all of those roots spread across the whole garden just beneath the ground. What you may not think of quite as intuitively is that modern infrastructure has roots too. This month, Aii…
