1. AI: a big deal for clean energy, US grid

Learning: "Artificial intelligence presents a huge opportunity for grid modernization and clean energy deployment in the US."

Implication: Some experts predict "federal, state and private stakeholders working together to scale clean power cost-effectively and in a way that supports data center development. (And) actually see AI as an accelerant to our ambition on the electricity grid."

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2. Walmart designed its new Bentonville headquarters to be a bikeable extension of the city

Learning: "A new kind of corporate campus is materializing in Bentonville, Arkansas. The retail giant Walmart is officially opening its new headquarters there, in its longtime hometown, with a bold, 350-acre campus that, if its design intentions pan out, will become a seamless expansion of the city’s downtown."

Implication: "The new campus, which officially opened on Friday, is still partly under construction. The company expects all buildings to be complete and occupied by the end of the year."

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3. Spout home appliance transforms air into pure drinking water

Learning: "California company Spout has launched a countertop kitchen gadget that transforms humidity from the air into drinking water, drawing on technology used by NASA."

Implication: "Spout's Los Angeles-based parent company hopes that the appliance will reduce the use of plastic bottles. Americans buy about 50 billion water bottles per year."

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4. A robot worm digs for geothermal energy in your backyard

Learning: "Borobotics, a startup from Switzerland, has developed an autonomous drilling machine — dubbed the “world’s most powerful worm” — that promises to make harnessing geothermal heat cheaper and more accessible for everyone."

Implication: "Drilling will become possible on properties where it would be unthinkable today — small gardens, parking lots, and potentially even basements."

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5. Webinar: Why Hotels Need an EV Charging Strategy

Learning: "When traveling, EV drivers assess hotel options based on whether they have chargers available. And hotels offering multiple chargers—that also receive glowing reviews from guests about their reliability—will vault to the top of the list. EV drivers who know they can count on a full battery when they stay at a hotel will sleep better and come back again...

Borobotics wants to tap the burgeoning demand for geothermal heat pumps. These devices use a network of subterranean pipes to transfer heat from below the ground to a building on the surface. Under the right conditions, they double-up as air conditioning."

Implication: "Hotels that haven't installed EV chargers may not be aware of how much business they’re losing, but with EV ownership on the rise, hospitality leaders who want a share of that business should consider the impact of adding charging stations at their properties."