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Register for the 20th Anniversary Edition of LEDucation

William Attardi on December 5, 2025

Now celebrating its 20th year, LEDucation is expected to have more than 400 exhibitors and 40 educational sessions. Registration is now open for LEDucation 2026 in New York, NY, on April 14-15, 2026. This year’s event will feature the debut of “Designer Hours” on Tuesday, April 14, which will give lighting designers exclusive access to the exhibition halls from 9 am through 11:30 am so they can beat the crowds and visit manufacturer booths for efficient, in-depth engagement. Eligible attendees for Designer Hoursinclude lighting designers, architects, interior designers, landscape architects and engineers. Virtual sessions will be held April 9-10. Click here to register for this year’s event.

Study: Self-Powered Data Centers Can Speed Grid Connection

William Attardi on December 5, 2025

Data centers with on-site power sources, such as natural gas turbines, solar panels and batteries, can connect to the grid up to five years faster than those relying solely on utilities, according to a study from Princeton University’s ZERO Lab, Camus Energy, and encoord. The study notes that self-powered data centers can reduce demand stress during emergencies, with Google funding the research to explore the benefits of more flexible data centers. Full Story: Utility Dive

AI Startup Anthropic Announces $50 Billion Data Center Investment

William Attardi on December 5, 2025

Anthropic, which was launched in 2021 by former staff of OpenAI and is known for its “Claude” platform, said it plans initial sites in Texas and New York. Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic announced Wednesday a $50 billion drive to build new data centers in a partnership with British venture Fluidstack. Tech companies have been on a building spree for additional data centers, which provide the computing storage and processing power required by artificial intelligence. AI Startup Anthropic Announces $50 Billion Data Center Investment | IndustryWeek

DOE Taps TVA, Holtec for $800M in Early SMR Deployment Funding

William Attardi on December 5, 2025

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Holtec Government Services to support early deployments of advanced light-water small modular reactors (SMRs) in the United States. The project teams will receive up to $800 million in federal cost-shared funding to advance initial projects in Tennessee and Michigan, while also facilitating additional follow-on projects and associated supply chains. . “President Trump has made clear that America is going to build more energy, not less, and nuclear is central to that mission.” DOE taps TVA, Holtec for $800M in early SMR deployment funding

U.S. Regular Gasoline Prices (dollars per gallon)

William Attardi on December 5, 2025

 

Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 
11/17/25 11/24/25 12/01/25 week ago year ago
U.S. 3.062 3.061 2.985 -0.076 -0.049
East Coast 2.953 2.985 2.931 -0.054 -0.058
New England 2.980 2.996 2.971 -0.025 -0.041
Central Atlantic 3.131 3.122 3.086 -0.036 -0.034
Lower Atlantic 2.834 2.896 2.824 -0.072 -0.076
Midwest 2.907 2.858 2.740 -0.118 -0.162
Gulf Coast 2.600 2.643 2.551 -0.092 -0.030
Rocky Mountain 2.949 2.872 2.783 -0.089 -0.004
West Coast 4.120 4.070 4.031 -0.039 0.168
West Coast less California 3.746 3.702 3.672 -0.030 0.151

 

Baird Research: Distributors Expect Growth in 2026

William Attardi on November 30, 2025

In the exclusive tED magazine/Baird research for the 2025’s third-quarter, NAED distributors point to indications of “healthy mid-single digit” growth for next year. 18 distributor companies representing more than $7 billion in annual sales responded to the third quarter survey, which showed revenue growth in the third quarter and a rise in pricing trends. Respondents say they expect to see a 5.4% growth rate in electrical next year, along with a 4.5% growth rate in Datacomm. Those forecasts are generally in line with the broader distribution industry, which anticipates a 4.7% growth rate next year. Baird Research: Distributors Expect Growth In 2026

How AI Is Ushering in a New Nuclear Age

William Attardi on November 26, 2025

Atomic energy is back, thanks to the ravenous demands of AI, favoritism from Trump, and the zeal of young entrepreneurs raising billions to build mini-reactors. The upside is unlimited. So far in 2025, venture capitalists, stock market investors, billionaires, the DOE and others have poured more than $4 billion into these and other new U.S. nuclear ventures, versus closer to $500 million in 2020, per PitchBook.  Tens of billions more will be needed if nuclear power is to make a comeback. Sure, lots of folks still oppose nuclear reactors, particularly in their own backyard. But support is now both broad-based and top-down. The Nuclear Power Entrepreneurs Getting Rich From AI

Toyota to Invest $912 Million in U.S. Plants to Increase Hybrid Vehicle Production by Michael Wayland

William Attardi on November 22, 2025

Toyota Motor on Tuesday announced plans to invest $912 million in U.S. manufacturing plants in five Southern states as part of a previously announced plan for the company to invest up to $10 billion domestically by 2030. The investments announced Tuesday are broadly meant to support increasing production of hybrid vehicles, which Toyota leads with a more than 51% market share through the third quarter of this year, according to Motor Intelligence data. Most of the investments are expected to be completed by 2027.  The investments are expected to create 252 new jobs.  Toyota and the entire automotive industry have been trying to navigate production plans amid regulatory changes impacting all-electric vehicles and Trump’s litany of tariffs this year on new vehicles and auto parts.  Toyota to invest $912 million in U.S. plants to increase hybrid vehicle production

US to Own Nuclear Reactors Stemming from Japan’s $550 Billion Pledge

William Attardi on November 21, 2025

The US plans to purchase and own up to 10 nuclear reactors using Japan’s $550 billion funding commitment, part of a $332 billion investment in US energy projects. The initiative, driven by rising electricity demand for AI and manufacturing, is part of a broader strategy to accelerate the development of energy infrastructure. US to Own Nuclear Reactors Stemming From Japan’s $550 Billion Pledge – Bloomberg

Trump Wins Saudi Pledge to Boost US Investment to $1 Trillion

William Attardi on November 18, 2025

Mohammed bin Salman pledged to increase Saudi investment to $1 trillion. The original $600 billion plan envisioned expanded Saudi trade and investment over four years, spanning energy, infrastructure, technology and defense cooperation. Recent deals linked to the pledge already include huge orders for U.S. weapons and advanced artificial-intelligence hardware, as Saudi-backed firms sign agreements with chipmakers and cloud providers to build data centers and AI hubs.  The money is expected to land in U.S. factories, energy projects, construction, and cutting-edge tech. Trump Wins Saudi Pledge to Boost US Investment to $1 Trillion | Newsmax.com

Why Use AI – 5 Reasons besides making us smarter:

  1. Efficiency and Automation: AI can automate repetitive tasks… saves time and reduces human effort
  2. Data Processing: AI excels at analyzing large datasets quickly… uncovers patterns and insights that humans might miss
  3. Scalability: AI systems can handle growing workloads… without a proportional increase in costs or resources
  4. Accuracy: AI can perform tasks with high precision… reducing errors in areas like diagnostics or forecasting
  5. 24/7 Availability: AI tools can operate continuously… improving productivity and customer support