Energy & Infrastructure

As scientists and companies work on cleaning up cars, there’s also a team developing new technology along a road in rural Georgia in the United States, with the aim of making a truly sustainable highway.

This summer, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Safeway stores are partnering to help save shoppers energy and money on their lighting with “Lighten Your Load” events.

With gas prices rising, is there an electric vehicle (EV) in your future? A survey released in May by the American Automobile Association found that 20 percent of Americans said an EV would be the next car they buy. That’s up 5 percent from 2017.

“Do you want to help save the planet?” CLP Power graduate trainee Crystal Kwan asked a group of kindergarten students. In a split second, more than a dozen hands shot up into the air as the boys and girls cried out in unison: “Yes, I do. I do.” CLP Power Hong Kong is sowing the seeds of energy efficiency and conservation in children through kindergarten visits while motivating the community to live a low-carbon life.

As a civil engineering student, Alex Smith never considered a career in the energy industry. But at a job fair on campus, a Duke Energy recruiter revealed some opportunities that appealed to her. Today, Smith is a transmission line engineer designing power lines, poles and towers for the company, and she’s an example of how Duke Energy is changing its recruiting practices to attract more diverse employees including women.

A highway in Georgia is being used as an experiment to try out alternative uses for roads.

The Southern Plains Land Trust, working with the Environmental Defense Fund, has sold the first listed grassland carbon credits, making possible the restoration and preservation of two Colorado ranches that together sequester 8,000 metric tons of soil carbon per year. SCS Global Services conducted the third-party verification of the carbon offset project, confirming the accuracy of the emissions reductions and compliance with the Climate Action Reserve’s Grassland Project Protocol. The project was funded in part by a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant.

People usually think of highways as polluted eyesores, but an 18-mile stretch of road in rural Georgia is working to change that perception.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for skilled workers continues to rise and is becoming employers’ favorable choice to replace traditional long-term workers. However, there is a mismatch between the skills that workers can offer and what employers are demanding. This gap impacts not only economies but also hampers the transition to equitable and inclusive societies. Therefore, developing skills among the youth is becoming crucial to ensure the overall improvement of business and society.