Energy + Environment

  A recent discovery about the heart cockle shell’s light transmission properties could have far-reaching implications for various fields of technology and environmental conservation. The mollusk’s special shell channels light to algae living inside it. The heart cockle shell, found to transmit light in a manner similar to fiber optic cables, has caught the attention [...]

The DLC is planning updates to the SSL Technical Requirements. Originally planned for two-phased updates, feedback received has convinced DLC that a single update as V6.0 would be less disruptive and provide greater value. SSL V6.0 represents a major update with an efficacy increase and associated product delistings. It also includes proposed updates that support [...]

  In September 2024, McCormick Place completed the installation of bird-safe window film on its Lakeside Center, a crucial step in preventing future mass bird casualties. This initiative comes in response to a tragic incident in October 2023, when approximately 1,000 birds died in a single night after colliding with the building’s glass facade. The [...]

  Most of the world’s electricity is still generated using fossil fuels, however, the new capacity being built globally was generated by more than 85% renewable sources. The data is from the International Renewable Energy Agency. 473 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy capacity was installed in 2023, primarily solar and wind power. In 2022, it was 308 [...]

CORRECTION: The study cited below focussed on trees that were all exposed to High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps. Therefore, the findings can not be generalized to LED streetlights. Special thanks to Jim Levecchi at AECOM for sharing this detail of the study. Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have published research showing exposure to [...]

  Streetleaf is a Tampa Bay, FL-based startup producing solar streetlights. Earlier this month, they formalized a nationwide partnership with the largest home builder in North America, D.R. Horton. The sustainability story for solar streetlights is pretty well known; like most solar streetlights, Streetleaf operates off the grid using solar power and a battery. Streetleaf [...]

Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) is the first utility in the country using EV batteries to help power homes. The utility is paying Ford F-150 Lightning owners to run their homes using their truck batteries during peak periods to help balance grid supply and demand. Other electric utilities around the country are talking about creating [...]

Networked lighting controls (NLC) enable many useful functions, including dimming, high-end trim, occupancy/vacancy sensing, scheduling, and daylight harvesting. A recent article by Levin Nock of the Design Lights Consortium (DLC) in EC&M argues that a NLC function of growing importance is demand response (DR). Demand response is when end-users voluntarily reduce electricity usage at peak [...]

iLamp is a self-powered, feature-packed, smart streetlight and pole, manufactured by Conflow Power Group. Functions include: Solar self-powered, off-grid or on-grid. Lights stay on when the grid goes down. Wi-Fi hotspot built in, and 4 & 5G towers optional. iLamp can become a communications hub for the community. 360 degree camera produces a live feed [...]