Learners Live

N.J. Explores Nuclear Strategy for Energy Goals

 New Jersey is projected to need as much as 10 gigawatts of clean, firm energy capacity by 2035 to maintain system reliability and meet the state’s clean electricity goals. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has initiated a request for information to evaluate the possible role new nuclear power plants could have in meeting the state’s energy objectives. The RFI seeks insights into how nuclear can support growing energy demands, particularly from large consumers like AI data centers.  New Jersey BPU eyes potential for new nuclear | Utility Dive

DALI Alliance and IES Collaborate for Lighting Standardization and Education

The DALI Alliance and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) are pleased to announce a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing the development, adoption, and harmonization of educational initiatives around global lighting standards. Through this collaboration, the DALI Alliance and IES will coordinate on activities such as education and training programs, and outreach to designers, engineers, and specifiers. The goal is to create greater alignment across lighting technologies and accelerate the deployment of intelligent and sustainable lighting solutions worldwide. DALI Alliance and IES Collaborate for Lighting Standardization and Education – tEDmag

AR + AI: Evolution from Tool to “Second Brain”

Dr. Qiu Xiaoling, CFO of JBD, has recently delivered a penetrating analysis of the MicroLED microdisplay and AR glasses ecosystem, illuminating how these once-independent frontiers are coalescing to redefine wearable AI. As AI evolves from merely being “smarter” toward truly “more attuned to you,” users increasingly expect an always-on digital assistant. AR glasses have emerged as the quintessential conduit for frictionless, context-aware interaction, and the ultra-compact MicroLED microdisplay has become the linchpin technology that turns the vision of lightweight, all-day wearable intelligence into daily reality. The fusion of AI and AR offers consumers a far more natural, convenient means of interaction and is catalyzing a revolution in smart wearable electronics. Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth has remarked, “The always‑on AI experience will allow smart glasses to replace the smartphone.”  [News] AR + AI: Evolution from Tool to “Second Brain” – LEDinside

U.S. Economy Shows Remarkable Resilience in Face of Trade Turmoil

The world’s most powerful economy is showing remarkable resilience in the face of enormous pressure. Employers added more jobs than many economists expected last month, and the low unemployment rate held steady. The U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter, but the result was distorted by a rush of imports that offset generally solid demand. The stock market rallied sharply from its April lows. Yet real turmoil is threatening that strong foundation. President Trump’s ever-changing tariff policies, government cuts and immigration restrictions are disrupting trade and sparking deep unease among consumers, businesses and investors. Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese imports are causing cargo shipments from China to plummet, prompting major retailers to warn of likely price hikes and even shortages of some goods. In early April, economists forecast the likelihood of a recession in the coming year to be twice as high as it was at the start of the year.  At the moment, however, things are still looking surprisingly good. U.S. Economy Shows Remarkable Resilience in Face of Trade Turmoil – WSJ

NEMA Urges Passage of Critical Mineral Legislation

A Senate committee unanimously approved the Critical Mineral Consistency Act, legislation aimed at boosting the development of reliable critical mineral supply chains. NEMA Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Spencer Pederson thanked the committee for quickly advancing the legislation and urged lawmakers and President Trump to turn the bill into law. “The advancement of [the bill] through Committee brings us one step closer to reaching our goals by removing dependence on unreliable foreign sources like China for the raw materials that are essential to the electroindustry and will help bolster supply chains,” Pederson said. NEMA urges passage of critical mineral legislation

Energy Storage Industry Commits $100B to American-Made Grid Batteries

On April 29th, the American Clean Power Association (ACP), on behalf of the U.S. energy storage industry, announced a historic commitment to invest $100 billion into building and buying American-made grid batteries. This investment is expected to fuel the creation of 350,000 jobsacross the battery energy storage industry and transform the United States into a global battery manufacturing leader.  This announcement aligns with actions taken by the Trump Administration to unleash American energy and develop critical minerals in the United States. The industry’s investment will advance a manufacturing expansion in the United States with the aim of enabling American-made batteries to meet 100% of domestic energy storage project demand. Energy Storage Industry Commits $100B to American-Made Grid Batteries – electrifiED

Supply Chain Bill Passes the House 

On April 28, the House of Representatives passed the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2025, sponsored by Rep. John James (R-MI). The bill establishes a Supply Chain Resiliency Program within the Department of Commerce, using AI and quantum computing to anticipate and mitigate supply chain disruptions from natural and man-made disasters. It includes an Early Warning System, fosters public-private collaboration, and incentivizes domestic manufacturing to reduce reliance on adversarial nations like China. Supply Chain Bill Passes the House  – tEDmag

BriteSwitch: LED-to-LED Upgrades and Rebates

Early adopters who first transitioned from fluorescent and HID to LED lighting a decade ago are discovering that it’s time to replace their early-generation fixtures. Traditionally, rebate programs haven’t supported LED-to-LED upgrades, but that’s starting to change. As LED technology has evolved, both light quality and efficacy have significantly improved. One effective way to measure these advancements is by examining the Design Lights Consortium’s (DLC)technical requirements. Increased efficacy basically means that new LED fixtures have to use fewer watts to get the same light output, providing an opportunity to realize additional energy savings.  RebatePro makes it easy to sort through all the commercial lighting rebates in the US and Canada. LED-to-LED Upgrades and Rebates

Google to Fund NECA Training Program

Google is announcing a new paper and support for an effort to train 100,000 electrical workers and 30,000 new apprentices in the United States. This is Google’s news release: AI presents the United States with a generational opportunity for extraordinary innovation and growth. The deployment of AI will grow the American economy, create jobs, accelerate scientific advances and more. Fully realizing these opportunities requires an effort to rapidly increase the capacity of the nation’s existing, sometimes antiquated energy system. This in turn requires accelerating innovation and investment in advanced energy technologies; optimizing use of the existing grid and unlocking construction of new transmission infrastructure; and developing the labor force needed to build new energy infrastructure. Through shared public and private efforts to introduce and support training programs like this one, the U.S. can develop a model for training the next generation workforce. Google to Fund NECA Training Program – electrifiED

Pickleball & Tennis Court Illumination by U.S. Architectural Lighting

U. S. Architectural Lighting recently introduced Baseline – Pickleball & Tennis Court Lighting. Designed specifically for the court, Baseline uses a Type IV CL precision optic designed especially to meet IESNA / USA Pickleball / USTA Standard Performance Criteria for court photometrics. The luminaires distribute uniform light across the court surface without creating hot spots. To minimize glare, the light is directed at a low angle onto the court surface avoiding direct glare into the eyes of the players to prevent discomfort or distractions during play. The Baseline is available in five sizes in wattages from 85W to 550W, with up to four fixtures per pole, in parallel assembly arrangements, allowing a wide range of lumen packages. https://usaltg.com/product/bas/

 

Key Themes of Washington’s Farewell Address 

Crafted with the assistance of his close advisors, including Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, President George Washington’s Farewell Address was intended to offer guidance and warnings to the American people as they faced the challenges of the future. Among the most significant themes were:

  1. Neutrality in Foreign Affairs – advising that the United States should avoid becoming involved in the conflicts and political machinations of foreign powers. He argued that such alliances could lead to unnecessary entanglements and could jeopardize American interests and independence.
  2. The Dangers of Political Parties – Washington expressed concern that political factions could lead to divisions within the country and weaken the unity of the nation. He believed that political parties could become sources of discord and could prioritize their own interests over the common good. He encouraged Americans to work together for the benefit of the nation as a whole.
  3. The Importance of National Unity – He emphasized that the strength of the United States depended on the unity of its people and the coherence of its government. Washington urged Americans to set aside regional and political differences and to work together to build a strong and prosperous nation. Source: Day in History