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Diane Waghorne Receives Inaugural Mayor’s Spotlight Award on Behalf of Tech Safety Lines
Jan 10, 2025

Diane Waghorne Receives Inaugural Mayor’s Spotlight Award on Behalf of Tech Safety Lines

Tech Safety Lines, a global leader in life-saving safety training and equipment for industries including wind energy, construction, and telecommunications, has been honored as the first-ever recipient of the Mayor’s Spotlight Award. CEO Diane Waghorne accepted the prestigious award on behalf of the company during a ceremony at City Hall, where Mayor Steve Babick delivered a keynote address highlighting Tech Safety Lines’ industry leadership and community contributions.

The Mayor’s Spotlight Award, part of Carrollton’s Business Retention & Industry Development Program, was established to recognize exemplary local businesses that drive innovation, growth, and excellence while enhancing the community’s prosperity. This award celebrates companies that embody Carrollton’s vision of a thriving business ecosystem and a strong, connected community.

Mayor Babick lauded Tech Safety Lines for its global impact on safety training and equipment while remaining deeply engaged with local initiatives. Since establishing its Carrollton headquarters in 2012, Tech Safety Lines has set international standards for fall protection and rescue training. The company also demonstrates its commitment to public safety by offering state-of-the-art training facilities free of charge to local first responders for skill development and internal exercises.

Diane Waghorne, the driving force behind Tech Safety Lines’ innovation and success for more than two decades, delivered a heartfelt speech. “Receiving the inaugural Mayor’s Spotlight Award is a tremendous honor,” Waghorne remarked. “Carrollton has been an integral part of our journey, providing a supportive and dynamic environment that aligns with our mission to protect lives. This recognition reflects the hard work of our incredible team, the trust of our clients, and the strength of our partnerships. We look forward to deepening our roots in this community and continuing to lead with safety and innovation.”

The ceremony also featured a video presentation showcasing Tech Safety Lines’ achievements and ongoing community engagement.

Tech Safety Lines | www.techsafetylines.com

 

NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips Appointed to Board of NAM’s Council of Manufacturing Associations
Jan 10, 2025

NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips Appointed to Board of NAM’s Council of Manufacturing Associations

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) announced that National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) President and CEO Debra Phillips has been appointed to its Board of the Council of Manufacturing Associations (CMA). NEMA represents leading manufacturers of electrical technologies essential to a resilient grid, modern mobility systems, efficient industrial operations and smart building applications. Electrical manufacturers are instrumental to America’s critical infrastructure, national security and economic growth.

As part of the CMA Board, Phillips will guide work to advance policies that enhance U.S. manufacturing priorities and to collaborate across the American manufacturing sector to achieve shared objectives.  

“There has never been a more exciting moment for U.S. manufacturing and I look forward to advancing the opportunities for our critical sector as part of NAM’s CMA Board,” said Debra Phillips, President and CEO, NEMA. “The electroindustry is one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the U.S. economy and this new role will provide an opportunity to add our voice and leadership to the growing domestic manufacturing base. I look forward to working together with fellow industry leaders to advance our shared goals.”

NEMA | www.nema.org

Clean Energy Group Statement on Treasury Department Final 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit Guidance
Jan 10, 2025

Clean Energy Group Statement on Treasury Department Final 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit Guidance

On Friday, January 10, 2025, the US Department of the Treasury officially published final guidance regarding the 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. 

Clean Energy Group applauds the Treasury for not bowing to industry pressure to relax the core principles of its initial draft guidance, ensuring that 45V will primarily incentivize green hydrogen, which (as long as stringent guardrails are in place) is the only form of hydrogen production that will not lead to a dangerous increase in greenhouse gas emissions. However, some concessions in the final guidance, in combination with other federal funding and tax credits for fossil fuel powered hydrogen, leaves experts concerned.

“Treasury’s 45V final guidance is a step in the right direction, but it does not go far enough,” says Abbe Ramanan, Clean Energy Group Project Director. “Without stricter guardrails in place, increased hydrogen production will perpetuate fossil fuel dependence and exacerbate climate change and local pollution.” 

The final rules maintain the “three pillars” approach of the draft guidance, requiring that hydrogen production facilities must meet the following standards to be eligible for the 45V tax credit: 

  • Hydrogen facilities must be paired with new clean energy generation (“incrementality”)
  • Hydrogen production must be matched with clean energy generation (“temporal matching”)
  • Clean energy resources must be located within the same transmission region as the hydrogen production facility (“deliverability”)

While the final guidance maintains these core principles, it does contain several concessions to industry lobbying that have the potential to jeopardize emissions reductions. These include loosened restrictions on what energy generation is eligible to meet the incrementality requirement, opening three pathways for using existing energy generation:  

  • Clean energy procured from states that have set goals requiring that 100% of retail energy sales be carbon-free by 2050 (currently, only California and Washington) 
  • Energy produced from formerly retired nuclear facilities (“pink hydrogen”) 
  • Energy from fossil fuel power plants retrofitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS) (“blue hydrogen”) 

In another capitulation to the fossil fuel industry, fossil fuel alternatives like biomethane, which has a similar emissions intensity to natural gas, can be used as a feedstock for qualifying hydrogen production, although some stipulations have been put in place to limit undercounting the emissions intensity of those fuels. 

The final guidance for 45V comes as the US Department of Energy’s Regional Hydrogen Hubs Initiative has continued to move forward despite significant pushback from climate scientistsenvironmental justice advocates, and members of communities likely to be impacted by the Hubs. The seven Hubs are supported by $7 billion in federal funding, and many of them plan to produce hydrogen at least partially with fossil fuels. While the final guidance for 45V means that some of the Hubs may not be eligible for the highest tier of the tax credit, other federal tax credits are available to subsidize fossil fuel powered hydrogen, including the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture, for which blue hydrogen projects could qualify. 

Clean Energy Group |. www.cleanegroup.org 

Digi International Drives Digital Transformation with the Launch of Digi X-ON
Jan 10, 2025

Digi International Drives Digital Transformation with the Launch of Digi X-ON

Digi International, (NASDAQ: DGII), a leading global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity solutions, announced the launch of Digi X-ON, a breakthrough edge-to-cloud IoT solution that provides the components needed for IoT systems from one trusted and reliable supplier.

Designed to remove the barriers of integrating, deploying and scaling industrial IoT systems, Digi X-ON integrates hardware, software, and cloud connectivity into a single, secure, and reliable platform that delivers measurable business value — supporting many different applications and use cases such as connected cities, smart utilities, industrial IoT and smart agriculture.

“With customers deploying Digi X-ON in a range of use cases, we are seeing excellent results, such as greater visibility into the health of large livestock herds, automation in buildings, and digital transformation in supply chain use cases, as well as improved return on investment,” said Mike Rohrmoser, VP of Product Management, OEM Solutions at Digi International.

For example, a lead customer, Fever Tags, empowers ranchers, feedlots and dairies to take a proactive and innovative approach to animal health, enabling early detection of illness, and allowing for timely intervention to reduce extensive antibiotic treatments, prevent death loss and disease spread. This not only improves animal welfare but also contributes to the animal’s continued weight gain and a more sustainable and responsible approach to livestock management.

"With a FeverTags solution, we can identify and treat sick cattle up to 72 hours before they show signs of illness that you can detect visibly,” says John Greer, CEO of FeverTags. “Anytime you can keep an animal healthy, and eating and drinking, you deliver an immediate financial impact and an ROI to the cattle owners."

Greer added, “FeverTags provides immediate cost savings by early sickness identification and treating only sick animals instead of giving antibiotics to the entire herd.” This reduces costs for veterinarians, bankers and insurers who can monitor individual animals or entire herds from their phone or computer.

In addition, Greer said, “We also provide other features, such as traceability and predictive values we can use to identify if cattle originating from a particular location are all prone to sickness, which helps cattle owners to isolate and treat health problems quickly. The herd’s data captured in our software presents a predictive value to cattle and dairy organizations, providing early actionable treatment that results in an immediate ROI.”

The Digi X-ON platform communicates several miles omnidirectionally, so the tags can cover a 250,000-head feed yard, or a 40,000-acre ranch or a dairy, as structures and buildings do not impede the communication signal.

Digi’s WDS custom engineering services designed and manufactured the custom tag for monitoring animal health around the Digi XBee LR for LoRaWAN,” said Rohrmoser. “The XBee module allows the sensor to be pre-activated, so tagging a cow and activating the tag on a rugged tablet takes just seconds as a cow enters the feedlot, a key benefit of Digi X-ON’s scan-and-go provisioning. 

Deploying IoT networks requires a diverse set of components and systems, from sensors and gateways to connectivity, software, and cloud platforms. As industrial IoT adoption accelerates, organizations deploying LoRaWAN networks struggle with fragmented technology ecosystems, which leads to higher costs, integration complexity, and disjointed support that slows down their digital transformation.​​​​​​​​​

"Digi X-ON changes industrial IoT from a complex multi-vendor puzzle into a single, seamless solution that drives real business results,” said Rohrmoser. “Customers can now focus on achieving their business goals instead of wrestling with the complexities of technology integration, scaling from concept to production with remarkable simplicity, speed, and scalability."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

With industrial IoT set to reach $2.5 billion by 2032, Digi X-ON empowers businesses to lead their industries by eliminating complexity and accelerating time to value with a future-ready, scalable solution.

Digi X-ON development kits, produced by SparkFun, are available worldwide. These kits provide businesses with everything they need to start building their IoT solutions today. 

Digi International | https://www.digi.com

ESA Strengthens Leadership in Virginia's Community Solar Market with Key 2024 Milestones
Jan 10, 2025

ESA Strengthens Leadership in Virginia's Community Solar Market with Key 2024 Milestones

ESA, a leading solar and energy storage developer, proudly reflects on a year of milestones and impact in Virginia's dynamic and competitive community solar market. From originating financeable projects in Dominion Energy's service territory to securing key land use approvals, ESA continues to demonstrate its commitment to community-focused project development.

ESA has strengthened its position as a trusted greenfield 
developer dedicated to expanding pathways to energy independence.

ESA has strengthened its position as a trusted greenfield developer dedicated to expanding pathways to energy independence.

Virginia is one of the most challenging states for solar development, yet ESA has proven its ability to deliver results. By securing approvals for high-quality projects and advancing construction across multiple counties, ESA has strengthened its position as a trusted greenfield developer dedicated to expanding pathways to energy independence.

In 2024, ESA reached critical milestones:

  • Construction Advancements: Three ESA-originated community solar projects totaling 14 MW began construction in Halifax and Lunenburgcounties.
  • New Land Use Approvals: Three projects amounting to 10 MW of solar capacity received land use approvals, further advancing ESA's pipeline.
  • Shared Solar Capacity Awards: ESA secured 11.5 MW of new Shared Solar capacity, adding to its success in originating projects in Dominion Energy's service territory.

ESA's success in Virginia extends beyond renewable energy production. Through meaningful community engagement and financial support, ESA has made a lasting difference in the lives of residents across the state. In 2024 alone:

  • In 2024 alone, ESA contributed $43,000 in community impact grants to six Virginia communities, supporting initiatives such as food accessibility, education, and local services. This included efforts like participating in a school supply donation drive, volunteering to distribute Thanksgiving meals to low-income families, Christmas Food Basket shopping and drop-off, and a first-ever donation to an elementary school.

"We take immense pride in our ability to develop projects that foreground both reliable energy and tangible benefits to the communities we serve," said Justin Vandenbroeck, Chief Operating Officer at ESA. "Navigating one of the country's most competitive markets requires diligence, innovation, and strong partnerships with landowners and local stakeholders. Our team has proven time and again that we are up to the challenge, and our 2024 achievements are a testament to our capabilities."

As ESA looks ahead to 2025, the company remains as dedicated as ever to the people of Virginia, with plans to further scale its development pipeline and deepen its community partnerships. "This year's milestones set the stage for even greater accomplishments as we continue to deliver projects that strengthen America's energy independence, enhance energy security, and create jobs in rural communities. We are proud to contribute to the nation's energy future while fostering economic growth in the areas that need it most," added Vandenbroeck.

ESA | esa-solar.com

Report Shows Domestic Aluminum Demand Up 4.6% Through Q3 2024
Jan 09, 2025

Report Shows Domestic Aluminum Demand Up 4.6% Through Q3 2024

As part of its monthly Aluminum Situation report, the Aluminum Association released preliminary estimates showing demand for the aluminum industry in North America (U.S. and Canada) increased 4.6% through the first three quarters of 2024.

“This continued demand growth reflects the aluminum industry’s strength and ability to compete in a dynamic marketplace,” said Charles Johnson, president & CEO of the Aluminum Association. “While there may be some uncertainty ahead, aluminum will continue to be a critical material used to build a stronger, more sustainable America, and the industry stands ready to deliver.”

Among key takeaways from the report:

  • Aluminum demand in the United States and Canada (shipments by domestic producers plus imports) totaled an estimated 20,712 million pounds through Q3 2024, compared to the Q3 2023 total of 19,798 million pounds.
  • Sheet & plate products saw 6.9% year-over-year demand growth through the third quarter while foil, extrusions and electrical products showed declines.
  • In total, semi-fabricated – or “mill” – product demand was up 2.5% year-over-year through Q3.
  • Aluminum exports (excluding scrap) to foreign countries increased 23.3% in the third quarter.
  • At 107.13, the Association’s Index of Net New Orders of Aluminum Mill Products (baseline index of 100) increased 1.2% over year-to-date 2023 (through November).
  • Imported aluminum and aluminum products into North America (US and Canada) have decreased 8% through Q3 2023.

In the last decade, Aluminum Association member companies have announced more than $10 billion in investments for domestic manufacturing operations to meet demand for sustainable packagingsafe and efficient vehiclesgreener buildings and vital infrastructure

The Aluminum Situation report is one of more than two-dozen ongoing industry statistical reports developed exclusively by the Aluminum Association through surveys of aluminum producers, fabricators and recyclers. Subscribers to the Aluminum Association statistical reports have access to an online portal with data users can manipulate directly to produce interactive, presentation-ready charts and graphs.

Aluminum Association | www.aluminum.org/statistics

 

Sustainability Partners Achieves Milestone of One Million Miles Driven with Electric Vehicles as a Service
Jan 09, 2025

Sustainability Partners Achieves Milestone of One Million Miles Driven with Electric Vehicles as a Service

Sustainability Partners (SP), a Public Benefit Company transforming how essential infrastructure is funded, deployed, and maintained, proudly announces a significant milestone in its journey to advance sustainable transportation solutions. Through its innovative Electric Vehicles as a Service (EVaaS), SP has surpassed one million miles driven by public entities committed to reducing their carbon footprint and embracing cost-effective, environmentally friendly transportation. Utilizing the U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Emissions Calculator, this equates to a reduction of over 570,000 pounds in greenhouse gas emissions.

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EVaaS is a cutting-edge approach that simplifies the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) for public entities by removing the typical barriers associated with converting entire fleets to electric, including the necessary charging infrastructure. This comprehensive solution provides access to a full range of electric vehicles, including fully customized passenger cars, SUVs, police vehicles, ATVs, golf carts, buses, street sweepers, and more, along with the seamless installation and maintenance of charging infrastructure, including chargers, solar, battery storage, and microgrids. EVaaS also covers ongoing fleet maintenance, offering predictable costs for repairs, servicing, and upgrades. With SP's flexible as-a-service model, organizations only pay based on usage of the vehicles, eliminating upfront capital costs and enabling scalability and financial flexibility.

"Reaching one million miles driven with EVaaS is a testament to the power of partnerships in advancing sustainability," said Adam Cain, President of SP. "This milestone showcases how public entities can achieve their environmental goals while optimizing both cost and convenience. Together, we are proving that sustainable transportation isn't just a vision for the future; it's a reality today."

EVaaS offers significant benefits for public entities. Transitioning to EV fleets helps them drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to their environmental goals. The predictable, monthly usage-based billing eliminates the financial burden of fleet management and maintenance, resulting in substantial cost savings and allowing organizations to focus on their core mission.

One of SP's standout EVaaS success stories comes from Hawai'i, where the Hawai'i Department of Transportation has embraced electric transportation as part of the state's commitment to achieving 100% clean energy by 2045. Learn more about SP's impact and partnership in Hawai'i.

Sustainability Partners | https://www.sustainability.partners/

 

 

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