Connect with us

Technology

NASA, Artemis Accords Signatories Progress on Sustainable Exploration

Published

on

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A record number of Artemis Accords signatories, including the United States, gathered at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the world’s largest global space conference taking place in Milan this week, furthering discussions on the safe and responsible use of space for the benefit of all.

During the space conference, top space agency leaders and other government representatives met Oct. 14 to continue advancing implementation of the Artemis Accords, marking the most comprehensive engagement yet among Accords signatories.

“As we send humans further into the solar system, collaboration and shared responsibility among nations are more critical than ever,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “The Artemis Accords provide a common sense set of principles to guide our work together, and our recent efforts to further their implementation is fostering a remarkable environment of trust and cooperation where all nations can contribute to and benefit from these endeavors.”

The high-level meeting was co-chaired by NASA, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) and Italian Space Agency. With 42 of 45 signatories participating, established and emerging spacefaring nations from every region of the world were represented to help create a foundation for future space exploration for the Artemis Generation.

Leaders from each nation reflected on how the group can contribute to and advance existing multilateral forums, further technical discussions to inform policy deliberations, and promote and encourage the participation of emerging space nations including the adoption of the Artemis Accords by additional countries. They agreed on recommendations on non-interference, interoperability, release of scientific data, long-term sustainability guidelines, and registration to advance implementing the Artemis Accords. A method of operations was established for the ongoing work of the signatories.

“Promoting the participation of emerging space nations and encouraging the adoption of the Artemis Accords is crucial for the entire space,” said Teodoro Valente, president of the Italian Space Agency. “This is a matter of strategic importance in order to ensure the active and meaningful engagement of emerging space nations, both those already part of the Artemis Accords, and those poised to join in the future.”

The conversation in Milan built on previous work during a workshop in Montreal in May 2024, where participants delved into the topics such as non-interference and interoperability.

Canada is pleased to be part of a growing group of countries committed to the safety and sustainability of outer space activities,” said Lisa Campbell, CSA president. “We are strong supporters of the Artemis Accords and are pleased to have hosted the most recent workshop that advanced work on key aspects of the Artemis Accords. We look forward to continuing this important work in the coming months and years.”

In October 2023, signatories agreed on an initial set of mission data parameters to advance transparency and non-interference in conducting space activities. The data parameters identify relevant information about planned lunar surface missions including expected launch dates, the general nature of activities, and landing locations. Recent progress also included work on a database to house them. Several space agencies, including NASA, have submitted mission data to the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs for dissemination.

Potential focus areas for the next year include further advancing sustainability, including debris management for both lunar orbit and the surface of the Moon.

In 2020, the United States and seven other nations were the first to sign the Artemis Accords, which identified a set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity. The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data. 

The commitments of the Artemis Accords and efforts by the signatories to advance implementation of these principles support the safe and sustainable exploration of space.

Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords/ 

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-artemis-accords-signatories-progress-on-sustainable-exploration-302280509.html

SOURCE NASA

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Hikvision achieves TÜV Rheinland Green Product Mark as first in LED display industry

Published

on

By

HANGZHOU, China, Oct. 18, 2024 /CNW/ — Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (“Hikvision”) announced that 16 of its LED display products received the Green Product Mark certification from TÜV Rheinland—the first in the LED display industry achieving this distinction. Based on the 2 PfG E 0052/06.2024 standard, this certification highlights compliance with stringent environmental criteria. TÜV Rheinland, with over 150 years of history, is a member of the UN Global Compact and the Global Ecolabelling Network, making its certifications widely recognized.

The certified products include the CW, BW, and other series, covering various mainstream packaging technologies. They passed comprehensive evaluations in product technical compliance, restricted substances control, carbon footprint, and recyclability. Recognized for outstanding environmental performance and sustainability, these products adhere to high green standards throughout.

Hikvision’s LED products strictly follow rigorous environmental standards in material selection and production. By using eco-friendly materials, optimizing designs, implementing intelligent manufacturing, and enforcing strict quality control, the products minimize environmental impact throughout their lifecycle. Notably, the casings are made with up to 90% recycled aluminum, and packaging cartons use 100% recycled materials, significantly reducing waste.

Moreover, the new generation of Hikvision’s LED products incorporates three energy-saving technologies: flip-chip packaging, common cathode driving, and intelligent power systems. These innovations significantly reduce carbon emissions, standing out among high-energy-consuming industrial products. They also achieve a remarkable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to environmental features, these LED products maintain industry-leading quality. They utilize proprietary display control systems for stability and safety. Dynamic energy-saving algorithms automatically recognize high-brightness image details and adjust local brightness seamlessly, providing a comfortable viewing experience while enhancing image quality and reducing energy consumption.

Earning the TÜV Rheinland Green Product Mark certification underscores Hikvision’s commitment to green and low-carbon production. The company has consistently invested in green innovation, integrating sustainable design concepts like automation, modularization, and recyclability into product development. By focusing on the entire product lifecycle—from raw materials to end-of-life—Hikvision ensures its products meet green requirements throughout.

Looking ahead, Hikvision will continue to embed sustainability into its operations, promoting social responsibility alongside business growth.

More about Hikvision’s LED Products

All raw materials of Hikvision’s LED products undergo strict inspections, including tests for photoelectric parameters, environmental adaptability, electrical properties, stability, dimensional accuracy, material characteristics, and appearance, ensuring quality before production.

By deploying intelligent manufacturing equipment—achieving automatic SMT, assembly, aging, packaging, and warehousing—the entire process is fully automated, effectively preventing quality issues. With bases in Hangzhou and Wuhan, and over 20 automated production lines, annual production of Hikvision LED display screens exceeds 500,000 square meters.

Hikvision operates seven laboratories covering EMC, environmental testing, safety regulations, electrical performance, and more, holding certifications such as CNAS, UL, and CCC. These facilities enable LED products to undergo rigorous tests for temperature impact, salt spray, vibration, dissipation, and waterproofing, ensuring stable and reliable operation in various environments.

For more details and updates, please visit the official website of Hikvision Commercial Displays.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hikvision-achieves-tuv-rheinland-green-product-mark-as-first-in-led-display-industry-302280693.html

SOURCE Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.

Continue Reading

Technology

Granite Telecommunications VP of Technology Adam Weiner to Speak at INCOMPAS Show on October 21

Published

on

By

Weiner and industry leaders to discuss the transformative impact of AI on telecommunications

QUINCY, Mass., Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Granite Telecommunications, the nation’s premier provider for communications and technology solutions to businesses and government agencies, today announced that Vice President of Technology, Adam Weiner, will speak at The 2024 INCOMPAS Show in Denver, Colorado.

“I am honored to participate in this panel hosted by INCOMPAS, the leading trade association advocating for competition and innovation across all networks, to discuss how the convergence of AI and telecommunications is reshaping the way we connect and communicate,” said Weiner.

Weiner will participate in the panel titled “AI: Revolutionizing Telecom through Cooperative Innovation” on Monday, October 21, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. in Plaza Ballroom ABC. He will be joined by executives from EchoStar, Intermedia, and GTT to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the telecommunications industry, while addressing deployment challenges, security concerns, and the evolving dynamics of cooperation and competition among service providers.

Granite is embracing the power of artificial intelligence to transform network infrastructure and drive the next wave of connectivity and innovation. By developing “innovation infrastructure” through AI-driven solutions such as EPIK and edgeboot, Granite is enhancing customers’ experiences, improving network reliability, and fortifying security for the nation’s leading multilocation business and government clients.

“Competition has always driven innovation and new ideas. Granite believes the future of AI requires new solutions that are tailored to fit business and government customers’ growth needs. Our advancements in network optimization, predictive maintenance, and security are crucial for meeting the demands of our increasingly connected world,” said Weiner. “I am honored to participate in this panel hosted by INCOMPAS, the leading trade association advocating for competition and innovation across all networks, to discuss how the convergence of AI and telecommunications is reshaping the way we connect and communicate.”

Granite is proud to be a Platinum Sponsor at this year’s INCOMPAS Show. In addition to participating in the Buyers Forum, the company will host a private meeting space in Room 16 at The Sheraton Denver Downtown.

About Granite
Granite delivers advanced communications and technology solutions to businesses and government agencies throughout the United States and Canada. The $1.8 billion company serves more than two-thirds of Fortune 100 companies and has 1.75 million voice and data lines under management, supporting more than 650,000 locations. Founded in 2002, Granite has grown to be one of the largest competitive telecommunications carriers in the U.S. by simplifying sourcing and management of voice, data and cellular service with a single point of contact and consolidated invoicing for all locations nationwide. Today, Granite supports customers with a wide range of services, including access, UCaaS, mobile voice and data, and MSP solutions for SD-WAN, monitoring and network management. Granite employs more than 2,220 people at its headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts, and 10 regional offices nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.granitenet.com.

Media Contact

Jeremy Robison, Granite, 617-837-4027, jrobison@granitenet.com, www.granitenet.com

Twitter Facebook

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/granite-telecommunications-vp-of-technology-adam-weiner-to-speak-at-incompas-show-on-october-21-302280555.html

SOURCE Granite

Continue Reading

Technology

SB Energy Announces Commercial Operation of American-made Solar Projects to Help Power Google Data Centers

Published

on

By

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm joined SB Energy and other officials to celebrate a historic milestone for American-made solar SB Energy prioritizes American-made components, and the Orion projects are expected to be the first utility-scale projects to qualify for the domestic content bonus  SB Energy’s Orion Solar Belt helps power Google’s data centers in Ellis County and represents Google’s largest solar energy investment in the world

BUCKHOLTS, Texas, Oct. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — SB Energy Global, LLC (“SB Energy”) announced today that its Orion I, Orion II and Orion III solar projects (the “Orion Solar Belt”), located in Milam County, Texas, have reached commercial operation. The Orion Solar Belt totals 875 MWdc of energy capacity and utilizes over 1.3 million American-made modules, U.S. steel, and other major domestically made components. The projects that make up the Orion Solar Belt are expected to be the first projects to qualify for the domestic content bonus credit enacted by the Inflation Reduction Act.  

SB Energy leadership was joined today by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, state and local officials, American-made suppliers, anchor customer Google, and investors to celebrate this exciting milestone for American-made energy. 

“The Biden-Harris Administration envisioned an industrial strategy for clean energy that’s built and installed by American workers and powering American companies in proud American communities. This future is seen in action through the Orion Solar Belt in Texas,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “This project showcases how American made clean energy can power data centers and our future.”

The Orion Solar Belt is estimated to have employed 3,000 U.S. workers through the manufacturing of the components and construction. The Orion Solar Belt includes more than 1.3 million solar modules manufactured by First Solar at its Perrysburg, Ohio facility. Additionally, the 22,800 tons of structural steel for the entirety of the project is sourced from Gerdau steel mills located in Midlothian, Texas and Cartersville, Georgia. Additionally, the Orion Solar Belt includes Nextracker smart solar trackers, with the majority of the components manufactured domestically. SB Energy selected Blattner to provide the engineering, procurement and construction services for the project.

Rich Hossfeld, SB Energy Co-CEO, said, “When it comes to actualizing American jobs and providing power to the world’s largest energy users, SB Energy is committed to creating the roadmap. We are thankful for the support from Secretary Jennifer Granholm and the many federal, local, and statewide leaders, as well as Google. We hope the Orion Solar Belt serves as a catalyst for growing investments in a robust American-made supply chain for solar.” 

SB Energy’s projects are delivering electricity to the Texas grid and helping power Google’s data centers in Ellis County and its Dallas cloud region. SB Energy’s power purchase agreement (PPA) with Google for the output represents Google’s largest solar energy investment in the world and contributes to its commitment to operate every hour of every day on carbon-free energy by 2030. Earlier this year, Google announced plans to invest more than $1 billion in Texas to support its cloud and data center infrastructure and help meet growing demand for Google Cloud and AI, and other digital products and services that people and organizations use every day, such as Search, Maps, and Workspace.  

“Google’s data centers house some of the world’s most popular services and are a major economic engine for 21st century business. Our goal is to make sure that the services and products that people and customers use every day are powered by reliable carbon-free energy around-the-clock,” said Ben Sloss, Vice President of 24×7 & Capacity, Google. “We’re thrilled SB Energy’s Orion Solar Belt is coming online, helping build a stronger future for communities and Google in Texas.”

SB Energy is proud to support the Midlothian, Texas community not just by supplying clean power from the Orion Solar Belt for Google’s data centers, but also through procurement of Midlothian-made steel. Most of the steel for the Orion Solar Belt was sourced from Gerdau’s steel mill, also located in Midlothian.  

Gerdau’s President for its North American Long Steel Operation, Chia Yuan Wang, said, “The commercial operation of the Orion Solar Belt is a tremendous achievement for domestic steel and the U.S. solar industry. As a direct result of SB Energy’s Orion Solar Belt and other solar projects across the country, we have expanded our U.S. operations to support the solar industry at our facilities in Midlothian, Texas as well as our facility in Cartersville, Georgia. We thank SB Energy for its leadership, and we look forward to continuing to support the solar industry.” 

The Texas economy is booming, and the Lone Star State leads the U.S. in both total energy consumption and installed renewable energy capacity. Currently, Texans get nearly 30 percent of their energy from renewable energy resources. The state has 70 gigawatts of installed solar, wind and energy storage capacity.1 

The Orion Solar Belt, based in Milam County, is estimated to contribute $100 million to local services over the life of the projects. SB Energy is proud to be a local partner to the Milam County community. 

Milam County Judge Bill Whitmire said, “It has been a pleasure to work with SB Energy as they build energy projects in Milam County that will contribute to the energy economy here in Texas. Throughout the development of the Orion Solar Projects, SB Energy’s employees and contractors have worked with our communities by supporting local businesses like Hecho En Texas, contributing to the improvement of local schools, and sponsoring community services like The HOP Transportation Program here in Milam County. We also recognize the substantial tax revenue that these projects will add to the county and look forward to working with SB Energy in the future.”

About SB Energy 
SB Energy is a leading utility-scale solar, energy storage, and technology platform backed by SoftBank Group Corp. SB Energy develops, owns, and operates some of the largest and advanced renewable projects across the U.S. SB Energy’s mission is to provide flexible renewable energy at scale, and benefiting our planet, customers, communities, and people. For more information, visit SBEnergy.com

1 https://cleanpower.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Texas_clean_energy_factsheet.pdf

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sb-energy-announces-commercial-operation-of-american-made-solar-projects-to-help-power-google-data-centers-302280706.html

SOURCE SB Energy

Continue Reading

Trending