ORLANDO, August 21, 2023 – Fiber networks can reduce operating costs for electric cooperatives as well as connect residents to the internet, said representatives of electric co-ops on a Fiber Connect panel Monday, claiming it is a good investment. 

Broadband networks allow co-ops to share data that keeps them more efficient on the electric grid, said William Graves, fiber optic network manager at MidSouth Electric Cooperative in Texas. 

High-speed broadband connectivity enables the smart grid, a network that allows for two-way communication between the utility and its customers, to ensure that electricity is being managed in the most efficient way, said Graves.  

Pete Hoffswell, superintendent of broadband services at Holland Board of Public Works in Michigan added that fiber can connect city systems – such as parking meters – to avoid backlog that occasionally occurs on less efficient networks.  

Smart infrastructure will be critical as demand for power increases as use-cases continue to grow for electric vehicle charging, smart home technologies, and more, said Hoffswell. He added that connectivity is more than just connecting renewable energy systems, it is now about building a smart city. 

“Smart cities are full of smart people, smart people want their cities to be smart,” he continued. Consumers will make more demands on network providers and this demand will change the way that the networks operate, he said.  

Hoffswell added that investor-owned utilities can cover a huge space in the co-op broadband space. Co-ops have the necessary capital for large broadband projects and are a good match for fiber, he said.   

William Davidson, director of strategic initiatives at NextEra Infrastructure Solutions in Florida, said that providing fiber services to customers provides incremental value to the cooperative. He added that cooperatives have the unique ability to be patient with long-term projects that take years to break even.

Some experts have touted electric co-ops as the ideal grantee for the $42.5 billion BEAD program – which funds are expected in 2024 – because they are well suited to build public owned networks that then can either be operated by the co-op or leased to private providers.  

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2023 – Witnesses at an Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on Wednesday joined lawmakers in pushing for congressional action on establishing a comprehensive federal framework for self-driving vehicles, after several years of regulatory stagnation.

In her opening remarks, Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-WA, highlighted the importance of advancing US leadership in the field of autonomous vehicles, which can help drive down traffic fatalities, support people with disabilities, and strengthen US technological competitiveness, particularly over China, she said.

Despite these possibilities, the federal regulatory landscape has not been able to catch up with innovation, said John Bozzella, president of trade group Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

The absence of a national standard has led to “a labyrinth of state laws and regulations” which spurs uncertainty among companies and hampers deployment and innovation, warned Bozzella. To that end, he urged Congress to swiftly pass a bipartisan, “balanced federal AV framework” that includes “safeguards, oversight, rules and regulations” to govern the future of autonomous vehicle technology.

“It’s rare that somebody from the private sector comes to plead for their businesses to be regulated by the federal government, but this is exactly what we are seeking,” he said.

Lawmakers have taken a shot at regulating autonomous vehicles in 2017 with the SELF DRIVE Act introduced by Rep. Robert Latta, R-OH, which would have established a national regulatory framework for automated vehicles and encourage the testing and deployment of the technology. The bill passed both the committee and the House but stalled in the Senate.

That legislation now makes up the bulk of legislation considered during Wednesday hearing, along with another bill drafted by Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-MI, to strengthen safety rules regarding automated vehicles and hold manufacturers accountable for adhering to those standards.

“I don’t believe anyone thought we would be back to square one today in 2023, re-examining similar legislation that had previously passed the House unanimously, and that many members of this Committee on both sides cosponsored,” said Innovation, Data and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Gus Bilirakis, R-FL.

Gary Shapiro, president of trade group Consumer Technology Association, said a large number of exemptions should be granted so that companies can start testing new vehicle designs and safety features. Currently, manufacturers are only allowed to deploy up to 2500 vehicles for testing on a temporary basis, a constraint he said would limit the scalability of the technology in the future.

However, Philip Koopman, associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University, sounded a cautionary note regarding “overly-permissive” regulations that would allow vehicle manufacturers to “cut corners on safety.” He argued that automated vehicles are not “a silver bullet for safety” because computer drivers do not necessarily make fewer mistakes than human drivers but rather in different ways.

“If we want to still have an automated vehicle industry in the future, Congress needs to act to require transparency, accountability, and adoption of the industry’s own safety standards,” he said.

The hearing took place against a backdrop of growing dissatisfaction among industry groups and AV advocates regarding the slow-paced regulatory process for driverless transportation technology. Government officials explained that taking time for regulation is necessary to ensure public safety.

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2023 – American investments in its domestic manufacturing must be accompanied by private investment and ambition, said the director of the Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office Jigar Shah a a Thursday event by nonprofit newsroom Canary Media. 

Currently, private companies are not interested in financing manufacturing loans in the U.S., said Shah. He urged the private industry to show more ambition by investing in infrastructure programs as federal investments come down the pipeline. 

Don’t miss the discussion of the connection between green energy, semiconductor manufacturing and infrastructure investment at Broadband Breakfast’s Made in America Summit on June 27.

The Build America Buy America Act, strengthened as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials used in federally funded projects to be produced in the U.S.

Additionally, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 which invests $400 billion in federal funding to clean energy and the CHIPS and Science Act which invests $280 billion into U.S. domestic semiconductor manufacturing. Semiconductors are the microprocessors that power all electronic applications. 

These investments, paired with the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which invests in various American infrastructure projects, play a central role in the administration’s strategy to revitalize the American industry. They invest in a more sustainable, consistent, and dependable supply chain for the U.S. economy, said Shah. 

Investing in American manufacturing will increase investor confidence that the U.S. is capable of large manufacturing projects, he added. 

By passing these acts, Congress has moved forward to improve American manufacturing, said Shah. It is now up to private industry to make the most of these investments and reinvent themselves to improve American global competitiveness.