Manchester's Lynch Toyota has completed a 298.1 kW solar carport installation at its Tolland Turnpike dealership, financed through the Connecticut Green Bank's CPACE program and installed by Ellington based Earthlight Technologies. The project is projected to save more than $968,000 over its lifetime, and is part of the Green Bank's broader mission to reduce energy costs for Connecticut businesses.
Student transportation provider Zum will deploy a fully electric school bus fleet for Branford Public Schools beginning in the 2026 27 school year, making Branford the largest fully electric school district with vehicle to grid (V2G) capabilities in the Northeast. The district is completing its transition to 100% electric buses three years ahead of its original schedule, with bidirectional V2G charging infrastructure that will allow buses to return stored energy to the local grid when not in service.
The Connecticut Green Bank has crossed a major milestone, surpassing $3.11 billion in cumulative investment in clean energy and environmental infrastructure since its founding in 2011, the first state level green bank in the nation. The total includes $463 million in public funds that have leveraged significant private capital, supporting nearly 30,000 green jobs and reducing energy costs for more than 71,000 families, businesses, and nonprofits across the state.
At 91, Charlie Horhn reflects on a lifetime at the intersection of the Civil Rights and labor movements. Beginning with his work organizing IBEW Local 2268 at a segregated Jackson, Mississippi factory in the 1960s, Horhn draws a direct line between economic justice and civil rights, and the enduring power of solidarity across both movements.
Rep. Donald Norcross, the only IBEW represented electrician in Congress has introduced the Faster Labor Contracts Act, which would set enforceable deadlines for first contract negotiations, requiring talks to begin within 10 days of certification and moving to binding arbitration if no agreement is reached within 120 days. IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper is urging members to contact their representatives in support of the bill.
The Clean Technology Training Trust has launched a new podcast, Apprenticeships WORK!, featuring 9th District International Vice President Dave Reaves discussing the history and value of IBEW joint apprenticeships and how they advance the interests of workers, employers, and communities alike. Available on all major podcast platforms.
Ten years after the Paris Agreement took effect, newly released climate data shows 2025 ranking among the three hottest years on record, with ocean heat and sea levels reaching new highs. Efforts to phase out fossil fuels remain insufficient, and with the U.S. having withdrawn from the accord, the world is on course to significantly overshoot its climate targets.
A new independent report analyzing 154 statements from major tech companies and the IEA found no verified examples of generative AI tools, including Google's Gemini and Microsoft's Copilot, delivering measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers say companies are deliberately conflating energy-efficient traditional machine learning with the far more power-hungry generative AI to mislead the public about the technology's climate impact.
Voting for the 2025 IBEW Photo Contest closed January 31. Winners, including a $1,000 first prize and $750 second prize, will be announced in the March 2026 issue of The Electrical Worker, available online March 1.
Blackstone owned QTS Data Centers is pursuing a $2 billion Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities refinancing deal covering three campuses in Atlanta, Chicago, and Northern Virginia, the latest in a series of major capital market moves fueled by surging AI driven demand for data center infrastructure.