Controversial decision could affect U.S. farmers and more Republican U.S. lawmakers plan to create a task force to study potential year-round sales of higher-ethanol E15 gasoline blends in the U.S., after an attempt to pass such legislation in a funding bill this week fell through. Farm groups and Midwest ethanol advocates criticized the decision to form a task force instead of passing legislation, predicting it will hurt American farmers already stung by low prices, uncertai

Acquisition involves data analytics, AI, federal contracts, and more Tetra Tech, Inc. , the Pasadena, California-based provider of consulting and engineering services in water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure, announced January 22 that it has acquired Halvik Corp., a provider of advisory consulting services focused on advanced data analytics, systems modernization, and cybersecurity for U.S. defense and civilian agencies. “The addition of Halvik expands our high-

Dairy production will be affected in Pacific Northwest facilities Alpenrose will consolidate operations and cease production at its butter, sour cream, and ice cream mix manufacturing facility in Clackamas, OR, effective March 31, 2026. Fresh milk production will continue at the company's Pacific Northwest facility in Kent, Wash., "ensuring the beloved Alpenrose brand of milk and cottage cheese remains available at local grocery stores across the region," the company stated i

Wastewater services granted to three Pennsylvania counties Wastewater service company Aqua Pennsylvania announced it was awarded a combination of principal forgiveness loans and low-interest loans through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST), according to a January 22 press release. Funding totaling $16.9 million will support 5 PFAS treatment systems at 9 community well sites in southeastern Pennsylvania, which will meet federal regulatory requireme

Amazon and USPS are parting ways Amazon and the U.S. Postal Service are in the middle of a major realignment, and several developments paint a picture of a long‑running partnership under serious strain. Amazon has begun pulling back from its decades‑long USPS delivery partnership, after reporting a $9.5 billion loss tied to the arrangement. This shift puts roughly 100,000 postal jobs at potential risk. Reports indicate Amazon is preparing to walk away entirely, ending a nearl

Avangrid, Inc., a Connecticut-based energy company, announced a strategic investment of $7 million to purchase five power transformers manufactured in Washington, Missouri by American manufacturer WEG Transformers USA. The investment, part of Avangrid’s plan to invest $18.5 million in grid infrastructure by 2028, underscores Avangrid’s commitment to strengthening the grid while supporting American manufacturing and local jobs. The five transformers will be utilized by Avangr

A predictable development in the AI world: managing heat at data centers Any electrical engineer saw this one coming: how to manage heat at data centers, where massive rows of servers with heavy-duty wiring require around-the-clock power. With that in mind, Los Angeles company Karman Industries recently announced the launch of what it calls the "Heat Processing Unit (HPU)," a modular 10MW integrated thermal platform engineered to solve the "speed-to-power" crisis facing AI h

Last chance to register for this late February energy conference in the Bay Area In partnership with Stanford University, the Volta 2026 conference is set for February 26-28 out in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's one of only a few events that have zeroed in on one of the world's fastest-growing industries: battery storage. Volta convenes leaders across the battery supply chain and is billed as "a global stage for insight, innovation, and collaboration shaping the future of e

Repair advocacy begins 2026 with a rapid start For a movement that historically runs into onerous resistance, the start of 2026 must feel rewarding for "Right to Repair" advocates. Already, at least 33 Right to Repair bills have been introduced across 13 states this calendar year, according to The Repair Association, along with four more states introducing five additional bills focused on cars and motorcycles. "This year’s bills cover everything from cars and farm equipment t

Henk de Swardt joins EASA Henk de Swardt  has joined the EASA (Electrical Apparatus Service Association)  staff as a Technical Support Specialist. A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, he holds a bachelor of science in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Johannesburg. De Swardt worked at various companies for 16 years as an engineer, engineering manager and engineering director before accepting a position as head of ABB’s Electric Motor Design Depa

Worker productivity grew at its fastest pace in two years last quarter Worker productivity grew at its fastest pace in two years in the third quarter, other data from the Labor Department showed January 8, suggesting "the much-anticipated artificial intelligence-driven boom was underway," according to Lucia Mutikani, an economist at Reuters . "The productivity surge, which depressed unit labor costs, underscored what economists have termed a jobless economic expansion," Mutik

Capstone project completed: 6.6 megawatt facility in North Carolina Capstone Green Energy Holdings, Inc. , together with its subsidiaries, a Los Angeles-based renewables company focused on "ultra-low emission microturbine energy solutions" announced completing the installation of its 6.6-megawatt combined heat and power (CHP) microturbine system at a landmark renewable energy facility in North Carolina, per a January 7 press release. This waste-to-energy project "marks a mean

California utility delivers on promise; electrical rates cut for the fourth time in two years Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) , California's largest utility and one of the biggest in the nation, cut electric rates for the fourth time in two years on January 1, 2026. Natural gas rates also are going down, per a company press release sent to Electrical Apparatus dated December 30th. Combined with previous decreases, residential electric rates will reportedly be 11% lo

There are jobs in Ohio if you're willing to consider working on "air taxis" Joby Aviation, Inc. , a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, announced it has signed an agreement to acquire a manufacturing facility in the Dayton, Ohio area spanning more than 700,000 square feet. The facility, which is ready for immediate use, "will initially support Joby’s plans to double production to four aircraft per month in 2027, while also providing space

Fresh advice from a trusted source on identifying motor imbalance signs early Motor imbalances develop gradually, often showing subtle indicators months before catastrophic failure. Some fresh advice from Megger contains valuable tips on how to identify certain motor failures associated with imbalance before they occur, with a focus on testing protocols. While obvious symptoms like excessive vibration get immediate attention, early-stage warning signs frequently go undetected

CWIEME announces special EEMODS forum on motor efficiency CWIEME Berlin has been selected as the host of the prestigious EEMODS conference in 2026 , bringing one of the world’s leading forums on energy efficiency in motor-driven systems (there's that acronym) directly to the heart of the electrical engineering community. The partnership marks a powerful alignment of vision and ambition, reinforcing CWIEME Berlin’s role as a global destination where power meets progress. Celeb

Jan. 9 deadline for Cleanpower submissions; registration for show is open Upcoming deadline notice: If you or a co-worker is interested in speaking about the energy sector, you can still register now to January 9th for the lowest available CLEANPOWER 2026 registration rate. For a chance to present, submit a proposal for one of the following presentation styles: Clean Power Insights Presentations (quick hit, TED-style stage presentations) Poster Presentations Submission deadli

The Bollinger Motors saga is the latest example of difficulties with tech-industrial startups Tech-industrial startups lean heavily on the notion of "innovation", which, as we've covered in print, is a precariously nebulous term. Bollinger Motors of Oak Park, Michigan is going through the EV startup struggle. The Detroit Free Press is credited with speaking to Bollinger first and confirming the shutdown. SEC filings are available to view also, but Bollinger hasn't confirmed

Who knew AI needed maintenance? McNally Capital , a growth-oriented private equity firm specializing in middle market aerospace & defense and industrial technology & services investments, announced its acquisition of Airforce Turbine Service, Ltd. , an independent global aviation services company specializing in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (“MRO”) of the PT6A turboprop engine family. As part of the transaction, "Turbine Engine Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (“TEMRO”) w

An innovative linear image sensor for line scan cameras and visual inspections Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has launched " TCD2400DG ," a lens-reduction type CCD linear image sensor developed expressly for line scan cameras used in visual inspections. Shipments started December 17th on the new product. Image inspection equipment that integrates line scan cameras, including color sorters, is used in diverse applications, among them sorting and grading foo