Editor Blogs

March 2022

Smart Contracts Enable New Transactional Energy Grid

Heriot-Watt University

Six layers of smart contracting in energy systems

Smart Contracts Enable New Transactional Energy Grid

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

The way we generate electricity and distribute it has changed over the last two decades. Instead of having centralised generation stations burning fossil fuels or using nuclear energy, more and more of our energy is coming from smaller scale renewable sources, either in the form of corporate owned solar and wind fa

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Date:

03/31/2022

Ukraine could potentially provide the vast majority of raw materials, including lithium, needed for EV batteries.

Ukraine Could've Supplied Vast Majority of Raw Materials for EV Batteries

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

The War in Ukraine could have a near-catastrophic effect on one of the fastest-growing industries. Or at least, it could completely reorder the supply chain or otherwise ensure that it remains the exclusive domain of China. I’d previously mentioned how the War in Ukraine could cause neon shortages – Ukrai

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Date:

03/28/2022

Geothermal Energy Could Supply Green Lithium

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

Lithium is a key element that will enable many of the solutions that we are currently developing to make our society more environmentally friendly. Among other uses, it is powers the batteries that are used in electric vehicles and stores excess renewable energy. It also supplies the power to many of the IoT s

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Date:

03/23/2022

Bernhal's video showing the moment his vehicle, under the control of the Full Self-Driving Beta software, hit a pylon.

Tesla Employee Fired for Posting Video Showing Failure of Self-Driving Beta

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

It’s never a good idea to publicly embarrass your employer…especially when your employer is Tesla and you’re fiddling with their Full Self-Driving Beta software. And if said software fails, and you hit a traffic cone, you probably shouldn’t post the ensuing collision on YouTube….at least if you va

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Date:

03/21/2022

Intel Announces Investments Around Europe

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

As I’ve written I this space before, issues seen during the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted governments and organisations around the world to try make the supply chain more robust in their own areas. Now, we are seeing some of the first solid signs of that commitment, but it is not without its own controversy.

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Date:

03/16/2022

Quadrupedal Robotic Goat Fascinates/Horrifies in Equal Measure

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

The “why” is kinda besides the point with something like this. Bipedal (or quadrupedal) robots, like Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, test the bounds of human ingenuity, technological expression, and our very progress as a species. Who cares if they look like a cross between a llama and The Exorcist? Boston Dynamics’ bipe

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Date:

03/14/2022

Germany Pledges 200 Billion Euros for Green Projects

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

Energiewende is the German word for 'energy turnaround'. It describes Germany’s attempt to change to a reliable, environmentally sound energy supply. The term was first coined in the title of a magazine in 1980. However, the transition hasn’t been easy, and I think most people would say the country has made some

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Date:

03/09/2022

60% of new Generating Capacity Should Come from Solar, Battery Projects

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

Solar power is slowly gaining market share, with a majority of new generating capacity expected to come from solar and batteries in the next couple years. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory, power plant developers and operators

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Date:

03/07/2022

System Allows Small Renewable Generators to Name their Price

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

Anyone who likes to dabble in shares will appreciate the fact that they can set buy and sell prices that allow them to automatically deal in shares when the price is right. It adds a touch of convenience to the process and means that you can get the price you desire without staring at a screen all day. What if

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Date:

03/03/2022

War in Ukraine Could Cause Neon and Palladium Shortages

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

As you’d expect, the war in Ukraine is causing a ton of industrial side effects, possibly igniting its own mini supply chain crisis. The noble gas neon is vital for gas-phase lasers used to manufacture semiconductors, and apparently, Ukraine (the largest neon producer in the world) provides the U.S. with

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Date:

03/01/2022