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Solar, Batteries Dominate New US Power Plants in H1

William Attardi on August 13, 2026

Solar has dominated a surge in utility-scale projects between January and June, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. Of the 368 utility-scale power plants added in the first half of the year, 207 were solar projects with a combined 11,458 megawatts of capacity across 207 projects. Batteries followed with 8,207 megawatts from 95 projects. However, the largest new projects were the SunZia Wind farms in New Mexico. So Much Solar: Digging Into the List of Every US Power Plant That Went Online This Year – Inside Climate News

Data Centers: More Power to Them by Jim Lucy

William Attardi on April 1, 2025

2025’s surge in data center construction will be fueled by the greater demands of AI (artificial intelligence) for electrical power. The explosive growth in data center construction and the related increases in demand for the electrical system installation and supply and logistical services they require is quite unlike anything the electrical business has ever seen. Over the years there’s been booms in speculative office construction, energy-efficient lighting retrofits and the installation of power quality industrial automation products. But the dollars being spent on new data centers – and the electrical construction materials that help power them – may very well be unmatched. This all means big business for electrical contractors, design engineers and other electrical professionals involved with data center construction. Data Centers: More Power to Them | Electrical Wholesaling

The Creator of Baby Ruth Actually Sued Babe Ruth –The Baby Ruth candy bar was created by the Curtiss Candy Company in 1920 — the same year that baseball legend Babe Ruth hit a then-record 54 home runs. But the Great Bambino was irked that the company was selling a candy bar with such a similar name to his own without offering him any royalties. Rather than take the Curtiss Candy Company to court, the Sultan of Swat decided to make his own candy bar, and in 1926 he debuted Ruth’s Home Run bar. The Curtiss Candy Company responded by turning the tables and taking Ruth to court. They accused the slugger of trying to steal their trademark and capitalize on the success of their brand. In a 1931 deposition, Curtiss founder Otto Schnering insisted the candy was named after “Baby Ruth” Cleveland — the daughter of President Grover Cleveland.  He also attested that the company came up with the name in 1919 before the baseball player had become a household name and that the name was merely coincidental. While the validity of those claims is disputed to this day, the court nonetheless ruled in favor of the candy company, forcing Ruth to end his foray into the world of candy.