Tag: 3BL

Eastman

KINGSPORT, Tenn., March 28, 2024 /3BL/ – Eastman (NYSE: EMN) announced it has achieved on-spec initial production and is generating revenue from its new molecular recycling facility in Kingsport, Tennessee. The company expects to ramp up production of the new facility over the coming months and enable growth across a wide range of markets. Achieving this critical milestone enables the company’s pathway to deliver approximately $75 million of incremental EBITDA in 2024 from this facility as it builds momentum in its circular economy platform.

“We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of our Eastman team members who have worked tirelessly to build and bring this new facility online,” said Mark Costa, Board Chair and CEO. “By demonstrating molecular recycling at this scale, we have solidified our position as a leader in the creation of a circular economy. Demand for recycled material at virgin-quality levels from our new facility remains strong, and we are excited to announce this significant next milestone in our journey.”

Eastman’s proven polyester renewal technology recycles hard-to-recycle plastic waste bound for landfill or incineration today. The company’s technology allows this waste to be broken down into its molecular building blocks and then reassembled to become virgin-quality material without compromising performance. Eastman is enabling the potentially infinite use of materials by keeping these valuable molecules in production, in a material-to-material high-yield loop. Eastman can transform waste plastic into virgin quality food contact polyesters with lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional methods.

In addition to this recently completed facility in Kingsport, Eastman plans to invest in two additional molecular recycling plants, one in France and another U.S. site.

About Eastman
Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2023 revenue of approximately $9.2 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

Media contact 
Kristin Parker 
1-423-229-2526 
kristin@eastman.com

Investors contact 
Greg Riddle 
1-212-835-1620 
griddle@eastman.com

Originally published by Pepco

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2024 /3BL/ – Pepco has received national recognition for the significant impacts its energy efficiency programs are having in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing billions of dollars in energy bill savings for Maryland customers. The company was honored with the 2024 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year: Sustained Excellence Award for Energy Efficiency Program Delivery award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This is the ninth year Pepco has received this recognition.

“Energy efficiency programs play a critical role in supporting Maryland’s climate goals, while also driving affordability for our customers,” said Valencia McClure, Pepco Region President. “These programs provide core tools and resources to help our customers make informed decisions to reduce their energy use and ultimately lower the cost of powering their home or business.”

The Sustained Excellence designation is awarded to companies that continue to exhibit exceptional leadership year after year in the ENERGY STAR program while remaining dedicated to environmental protection through superior energy efficiency achievements.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda creates unprecedented opportunity to build a clean energy economy, and private sector partners through programs like ENERGY STAR are leading the way,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I congratulate this year’s ENERGY STAR award winners for their innovation and leadership, in delivering cost-effective energy efficient solutions that create jobs, address climate change, and contribute to a healthier environment for all.”

Pepco’s energy-saving programs have produced 4,284,536 megawatt-hours in energy savings and more than $4.1 billion in savings on customer bills since the program’s inception in 2009. Customers can visit pepco.com/WaysToSave to learn more about these programs.

Each year, the ENERGY STAR program honors a group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy achievements. ENERGY STAR Award Winners lead their industries in the production, sale, and adoption of energy-efficient products, services, and strategies. These efforts are essential to fighting the climate crisis and protecting public health.

Winners are selected from a network of thousands of ENERGY STAR partners. For a complete list of 2024 winners and more information about ENERGY STAR’s awards program, visit energystar.gov/AwardWinners.

To learn more about Pepco, visit The Source, our online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting pepco.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/PepcoConnect and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/PepcoConnect. Pepco’s mobile app is available at pepco.com/MobileApp.

Pepco is a unit of Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC), a Fortune 250 company and the nation’s largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers. Pepco provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 944,000 customers in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners helped American families and businesses avoid more than $500 billion in energy costs and achieve more than 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions. More background information about ENERGY STAR’s impacts can be found at www.energystar.gov/impacts.

LinkedIn workforce data shows that women are still significantly underrepresented in the Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM). Despite making up almost half (49.3%) of total employment across non-STEM occupations, women represent just 29.2% of all STEM workers.

As technology moves quickly, that underrepresentation shapes the technology of tomorrow as well as amplifies existing gender bias in technology. As Cisco’s corporate purpose is to power an inclusive future for all, Cisco Networking Academy chooses to take action to address gender parity in tech by encouraging young girls and women to consider STEM as a career option.

AI is not new

The idea of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not new. Metropolis, the classic Fritz Lang film featured a humanoid robot in 1927. Even in academia the interest in AI and machine learning dates back more than half a century. Alan Turing wrote a paper on Computing Machinery and Intelligence in 1950.

Despite what seems like a long history, it took the confluence of increased computational capacity, big data, and years of research and training before AI genuinely burst into the mainstream in 2023. One third of respondents to McKinsey’s Global Survey last year said their organizations are using generative AI regularly in at least one business function. This is less than a year after many of these tools debuted.

The AI revolution

AI is now seen as a revolution with organizations and people working diligently to understand opportunities and implications.

Along with revolutions come challenges, however. Cisco’s position on AI is that while there is enormous positive potential for humanity, we must deploy the technology responsibly. Cisco research reveals there are gaps in preparedness for the AI revolution in 86 percent of global organizations.

In our recent Quarterly Student Outcome Survey,* 63 percent of Cisco Networking Academy students tell us they are using AI today and 17 percent already have advanced skills in this area. We are proud our students are at the leading edge of technology learning. In fact, 88 percent of our students believe Cisco Networking Academy is at the forefront of this rapidly evolving tech world.

Unfortunately, we are already seeing a gender gap in AI.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), women comprise only 22 percent of AI professionals globally, only 18 percent of authors at leading AI conferences are women, and only 2 percent of venture capital flowed to start-ups founded by women in 2019.

Equally troubling, the WEF believes this gender gap in AI is self-perpetuating.

“There is an urgent need to rebalance the situation for women in AI to avoid biased analyzes and to build technologies that take into account the expectations and needs of all of humanity,” says Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General.

Are you AI-ready?

Celebrating its 10th year in 2024, Cisco Networking Academy’s Women Rock-IT program is a global initiative aimed at closing the gender gap in the technology industry by encouraging young women to pursue careers in tech.

The program highlights successful women in tech as role models and provides free introductory tech courses through Cisco Networking Academy. Since its inception, Women Rock-IT has seen more than two million participants and 870,000 course enrolments.​

On International Girls in ICT Day on April 25, 2024, Women Rock-IT will host a special event that aims to empower our audience by providing immediate, actionable steps to become AI-ready. We underscore the need to develop skills to harness the vast potential of AI and machine learning for businesses, public services, and society at large.

Cisco supports Girls in ICT Day 2024

This year more than 240 Cisco volunteers are organizing events and inviting local schools to visit Cisco offices to see what types of careers are available in the world of tech.

Over 250 Cisco Networking instructors have registered to run classes in Introduction to Cybersecurity and Introduction to Data Science as part of a Global Learn-A-Thon to introduce new students to the world of tech and to consider technology as a career pathway.

And a worldwide virtual broadcast in multiple time-zones will feature speakers with expertise in AI. These speakers are using artificial intelligence to forward developments in areas such as nature conservation and human development.

Meet the speakers

We are thrilled to announce our two speakers who are women at the cutting edge of the AI revolution:

Nadin Kokciyan — Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh.

Nadine is deeply involved in ethical and future-oriented studies of technology as a Senior Research Affiliate at the Centre for Technomoral Futures, Edinburgh Futures Institute.

As the director of the Human-Centered AI Lab (CHAI Lab), Nadin’s work emphasizes the development and study of AI systems that prioritize human needs and values. Additionally, her affiliations with the Artificial Intelligence and its Applications Institute (AIAI), the Security and Privacy group, and the Technology Usability Lab In Privacy and Security (TULiPS) underline her multifaceted approach to AI research.

Nadin aims to bridge the gap between technical AI advancements and their societal implications, ensuring that AI development aligns with ethical standards and contributes positively to human welfare.

Dr. Tanya Berger-Wolf — Director of the Translational Data Analytics Institute, Ohio State University

Tanya is a professor of Computer Science Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at the Ohio State University. As a computational ecologist, her research is at the unique intersection of computer science, wildlife biology, and social sciences.

Tanya is a member of the US National Academies Board on Life Sciences and CNRS International Scientific Advisory Board, Artificial Intelligence for Science, Science for Artificial Intelligence (AISSA) Centre. She also sits on advisory boards for Conservation X Labs and the Ocean Vision AI (OVAI) project.

She is also co-founder of the AI for wildlife conservation software non-profit Wild Me, home of the Wildbook project, which has been chosen by UNSECO as one of the top AI 100 projects worldwide supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Recently, Tanya was awarded a US National Science Foundation grant to establish a new field of study: Imageomics.

As a computational ecologist, her research is at the unique intersection of computer science, wildlife biology, and social sciences.

AI everywhere

Artificial Intelligence will affect everyone and every business. From nature conservation, to the fashion industry, and education, AI will have an impact.

Join us for Women Rock-IT on April 25. Start exploring how you can use AI for an AI-fueled career boost. Hear from real-time innovators and leaders in their fields. Ask your questions and access free entry-level courses from Cisco Networking Academy to get started right away.

Register now for the Women Rock-IT virtual event on April 25!

Are You AI-Ready? Unlocking nature’s secrets: how AI & Data save wildlife

Check registration page for your local broadcast time.

*Based on Q2 FY24 Cisco Networking Academy survey responses of 1400 students

View original content here.

AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, and OAKLAND, Calif., March 28, 2024 /3BL/ – Cascale, the global nonprofit alliance formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and Fair Wear, an independent nonprofit multi-stakeholder initiative that works to improve conditions for workers in garment factories, have announced a strategic collaboration. The core purpose of the collaboration is to promote human and labor rights.

“Power imbalances in the consumer goods industry can often result in both human rights and environmental risks and violations in supply chains,” said Andrew Martin, executive vice president at Cascale. “More equitable partnerships are not only desirable but are a necessary driving force for continuous improvement in responsible business conduct, and effective due diligence has a pivotal role to play in delivering this. With our membership, representing over 300 organizations in the consumer goods industry, and Fair Wear’s expertise, we work collaboratively to expand and scale the systemic change needed to address the human rights challenges we face.”

“With 25 years of experience in what is now known as human rights due diligence, Fair Wear knows that industry alignment is a condition for real impact on workers,” said Alexander Kohnstamm, executive director at Fair Wear. “Now that legislation is a fact, we are ready to provide Cascale members with Fair Wear’s knowledge and solutions to facilitate impactful due diligence. This collaboration is a great step in raising the bar for human rights in global garment supply chains.”

The industry’s fragmented nature undermines efforts to ensure unified due diligence implementation. Cascale and Fair Wear agree that meaningful change requires collaboration. Therefore, they will work with Worldly, the leader in environmental and social impact data for the apparel and footwear industry, to jointly provide their members with high-quality, reliable resources and guidance. These resources will help navigate the complexities of human rights due diligence effectively, leveraging tools such as Cascale’s Higg Index.

Fair Wear and Cascale have been working to drive sustainability in the apparel and textile industry for decades, collaborating and aligning on several initiatives related to responsible business practices. Both organizations have jointly emphasized and advocated for the critical importance of mandatory due diligence legislation as a catalyst for industry-wide impact. Furthermore, the organizations have actively supported the European Commission’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), a recently approved Directive in European Union law that requires due diligence for companies to prevent adverse social and environmental impacts across their value chains. Cascale and Fair Wear welcome the recent approval of CS3D by the Council, as well as the recent approval vote in the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI). Together, they eagerly await the European Parliament’s plenary vote to adopt the Directive, expected in April 2024. This vote is expected to contribute to the establishment of a comprehensive framework for sustainable practices in the industry.

Moreover, both organizations understand the urgent need for aligning due diligence efforts with international standards, such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment & Footwear Sector (OECD Guidelines). This is especially important given the developments in Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) legislation, such as the EU CS3D. Through this collaboration, Fair Wear and Cascale will help brands meet existing and upcoming legislative requirements.

About Cascale

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance catalyzing collective action toward equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Spanning 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, industry associations, and nonprofits across 37 countries, we are united by a singular vision to give back more than we take for people and the planet. Cascale’s membership includes apparel, footwear, home furnishings, sporting and outdoor goods, and bags and luggage companies.

Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index. Initially formed to create standardized sustainability metrics, Cascale has sharpened its focus to driving pre-competitive collective action for a unified industry transformation. As an independent entity, Cascale brings together brands, retailers, manufacturers, NGOs, academics, and industry associations to combat climate change, ensure decent work, and contribute to a nature-positive future.

LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

About Fair Wear

Fair Wear’s mission is to achieve a world where workers’ rights are realised through freedom of association and social dialogue. We want to see the global garment supply chain as a source of safe, dignified and decently paid employment. As a multi-stakeholder initiative, we have connected and convened brands, factories, workers, trade unions, NGOs and other industry influencers, and built strong multi-stakeholder networks across the whole value chain for the past 25 years. Utilising each of their unique leverage, we demonstrate how impactful OECD-aligned HRDD implementation can positively change the lives of the people who make our clothes. 

By the end of 2023, 97% of Electrolux Group products with refrigerants had switched to gases with low global warming potential, which led to recognition in the latest UN Cool Coalition report on the cooling industry.[1] This is just one of the highlights from the Electrolux Group Sustainability Report 2023.

Electrolux Group sourced 60% of all energy used in its operations from renewable sources in 2023. Global non-profit organization CDP gave Electrolux Group an A grade for its work on climate action and supplier climate change engagement, and an A- for water management. Electrolux Group’s most energy- and water-efficient products accounted for 29% of total units sold and 38% of gross profit in 2023.

In early 2024, Electrolux Group had its second science-based climate target approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative, after achieving its first target three years ahead of time. The new target aims to reduce the company’s direct and indirect carbon emissions resulting from its operations (scope 1 and 2) by 85% and absolute scope 3 carbon emissions (use of sold products, materials, transport of products and business travel) by 42% between 2021 and 2030. The target is aligned with the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit average global temperature rises to 1.5°C this century to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change.

“Our sustainability performance in 2023 and our new science-based climate target approved in 2024 show that together we continue to build a better company, create better solutions and enable better living,” says Elena Breda, Chief Technology & Sustainability Officer.

“This highlights the power of our combined people, planet and business perspectives,” Breda adds.

Other Electrolux Group sustainability 2023 highlights

Better Company  

3 million meals donation target achieved seven years early by the Electrolux Food Foundation.98% of top 361 suppliers responded to the CDP Supply Chain Program.  Stronger processes implemented to safeguard human rights among employees and the supply chain.

Better Solutions

ColourCare washing machines use up to 30% less energy compared with the minimum threshold to achieve the highest energy class in Europe.Laundry tower in North America was the Group’s first stacked solution to be energy star certified.

Better Living

AirFry function for ovens can help consumers reduce the use of fat when cooking by up to 70% compared with conventional frying.[2]SteamCare system allows consumers to refresh their clothes using up to 90% less water and 30% less energy compared to a complete washing cycle.[3]Six products for wellbeing at home won Red Dot and iF Design awards.In 2023, Electrolux Group launched a new built-in refrigerator that can help consumers reduce food waste by up to 28%.[4]

Climate Goals

Carbon emissions from operations (scope 1 and 2) reduced by 33% since 2021.Carbon emissions from products sold (scope 3) reduced by 28% compared with 2021.

Read the Electrolux Group Sustainability Report 2023 and In Brief version here: Sustainability – Electrolux Group

[1] Cooling suppliers: A stocktake on the path to Net Zero | The Carbon Trust 
[2] Tests carried out by a nutritionist with 800 g of frozen French fries, comparing conventional frying (using 1800ml of soybean oil) and preparation using the airfry function of the OE9XB built-in oven (without adding oil). The result demonstrated a reduction of 33.9% in calories and 68.7% in fat when prepared in the airfry function of the OE9XB model. 
[3] Based on an internal test of water consumption comparing SteamRefresh with a full wash 30°C Delicate program using a 1 kg load. 
[4] Compared to the 500 ColdSense refrigerator and based on external tests on duration of the edibility of soft cheese and cooked ham stored on shelves. Results may vary depending on type of foods. Estimated potential food waste reduction based on appliance performance only and not considering user behavior.

For further information, please contact: 
Electrolux Group Press Hotline 
+46 8 657 65 07

AB Electrolux (publ) 
S:t Göransgatan 143 
105 45 Stockholm, Sweden 
+46 8 738 60 00 
www.electroluxgroup.com 
Org. No.: 556009-4178

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In response to ongoing civil unrest and disruptions in healthcare in Haiti, Direct Relief today announced $1 million in financial support to nine healthcare organizations providing essential health services across the country.

The country’s ongoing instability has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation, leading to urgent needs for essential services and support. Over the past year, Haiti has experienced a substantial resurgence of insecurity in many Port-au-Prince metropolitan area neighborhoods. This has created a hostile environment for communities, limiting access to essential resources including food, water, shelter, and healthcare services. Additionally, Haiti has dealt with storms, flooding, landslides, and a cholera outbreak.

Thousands of people in Haiti are now facing acute shortages of necessities like food, fuel, healthcare, and protection from violence. Recent reports indicate that hospitals in Haiti are facing critical shortages of staff and medical supplies, hindering their ability to provide adequate healthcare to the population. Partner organizations working in the country have been forced to pause the delivery of services due to the surge in violence, leaving many vulnerable individuals without access to vital support.

The situation has been compounded by mass displacements of the population, with thousands forced to seek safety in new locations amidst the escalating instability.

“Direct Relief is deeply committed supporting front-line health organizations in Haiti, whose staff tirelessly serve patients every day under chronically challenging conditions that have recently become much more severe,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President and CEO. “The instability is preventing Direct Relief’s typical provision of medications and other essential health products, so this financial support is to allow these exceptional organizations and teams to sustain their essential work when it is needed most.”

Each of the nine recipient organizations plays a crucial role in providing essential medical services and support to communities across Haiti. The funding provided is to support general operational expenses, including safe transportation for medical staff, housing provisions, and increased security measures amidst escalating unrest. Due to safety and security concerns, names of the organizations are being withheld at this time.

Direct Relief has been actively involved in humanitarian efforts, including providing aid to Haiti in response to various crises, such as natural disasters and health emergencies, for many years. As one of the organization’s largest aid recipient countries since the 2010 earthquake, Direct Relief has provided Haiti $418 million in medicines and medical aid among more than 200 recipient organizations, and more than $5 million in grant funding support.

Direct Relief has maintained a strong relationship with its network of health care focused organizations in Haiti and also works in coordination with the Pan American Health Organization, or PAHO, to maintain a flow of medicines and supplies into the country as requested.

In addition to the $1 million in grant funding, Direct Relief has provided more than $3.2 million in medical aid to 11 healthcare organizations in Haiti since March 2023.

Direct Relief will continue to track the situation closely and respond to requests for support as needs arise in the days and months ahead.

Ahead of one of the most consequential elections of our lifetimes, Paramount is renewing its commitment to Vote Early Day and calling on corporate & community partners to empower voters to share their voices by signing up to celebrate Vote Early Day on October 29th, 2024!

Learn more and sign up to celebrate Vote Early Day!

Vote Early Day is a national day of action and celebration for our democracy. Thousands of businesses, nonprofits, election administrators, campus groups, and creatives unite each year to build activations that provide Americans with the tools and knowledge to overcome Election Day hurdles by voting early. When we vote early, voters ensure last-minute problems, long lines at the polls, confusing election laws, or voter disinformation cannot prevent us from casting our ballots.

Since the launch of Vote Early Day in 2020, Paramount has joined 4,853 organizations to encourage millions of Americans to cast their ballots. As we enter an election year with incredible opportunities and challenges ahead, we are calling on you to join this movement.

The power behind Vote Early Day is the partners who celebrate. We are proud to join national partners like Patagonia, Lyft, The League of Women Voters, MTV, Snapchat, YMCA, NAACP, and thousands of others on the ground in all 50 states. Through this diverse collaboration, Vote Early Day partners help ensure all voters, especially those representing historically marginalized communities, can cast their ballot.

During the last presidential election, defined by a global pandemic, Americans voted early in record-breaking numbers. Over 100 million people cast their ballot ahead of Election Day, more than the total early vote in the 2016 and 2018 elections combined. We have seen early voting increase year after year, and 2024 will provide a critical opportunity to prove we can change the culture of voting by making Election Day the last day to vote.

In 2024, we must maintain momentum to ensure that the voices of every American voter are heard. That’s why we are calling on every organization invested in our democracy to join us as Vote Early Day partners this fall. 

Learn more and sign up to celebrate Vote Early Day!

Paramount celebrates Vote Early Day each year because it speaks to our values of participation and inclusion. Through content shared to millions across linear and digital platforms, to the outreach we provide to our employees internally, Paramount is proud to support the participation of our audiences, employees and communities in the democratic process.

The question for you is: what platform, community, or voice does your organization have that could mean the difference between someone knowing how to cast a ballot early or getting left behind?

The work we do together this fall will ensure we can rise to the challenge of uplifting voters as they decide who will lead our country as President, who will represent them in Congress, and the fate of many state elections and ballot referenda. Every event, post, forum, and conversation that takes place on Vote Early Day will help play a vital role in ensuring voters have their say.

Join us in helping Americans vote early and growing this civic holiday at www.VoteEarlyDay.org.

TORONTO, March 27, 2024 /3BL/ – With generous support from FedEx, the Pembina Institute has launched the Grid Readiness Project to help accelerate the transition from gas- and diesel-powered fleets to zero-emission road freight.

The Grid Readiness Project is a unique collaboration between the Pembina Institute and RMI. At the end of the project’s research and analysis phase, Pembina will release a comprehensive charging infrastructure Action Plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) that will assist decision-makers in determining optimal locations for commercial freight charging and refueling stations and their anticipated energy loads.

Operators of large fleets have already begun to switch over to low-carbon and electric commercial vehicles, and uptake is expected to continue its rise. However, the adoption of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles is at risk of stalling largely because the deployment of charging infrastructure has not kept pace.

Utilities and energy regulators are only now beginning to make planning decisions that will address the steep increase in energy demand from zero-carbon road transportation. In the absence of research that can inform complex and dispersed decisions and investments, the Pembina Institute will undertake analysis using RMI’s new GridUp data platform, a powerful tool that will inform utilities, energy regulators, and others on how to proactively locate, strengthen and upgrade charging infrastructure.

Pembina will also be working with municipalities, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to assess grid readiness and recommend next steps.

This announcement reflects a commitment by FedEx to advance sustainable transportation throughout Canada. FedEx is working toward transforming its entire parcel pickup and delivery fleet to zero-tailpipe-emissions vehicles by 2040, as part of its goal to reach carbon-neutral operations by the same year.

Quotes

“Fleet electrification is a key pillar of the FedEx roadmap to carbon-neutral operations by 2040 and our commitment to deliver a more sustainable future for all. Our commitment to the Pembina Institute will bring RMI’s advanced grid planning tools to the Greater Toronto area, empowering key players in the electrification ecosystem with information needed to support a wide-scale transition to EVs.”

— Dean Jamieson, Vice President of Operations, FedEx Express Canada

“We’ve been witnessing the gradual shift to fleet electrification, which is likely going to go into overdrive in less than 10 years. This means enormous changes in the types of trucks and buses on the road and the infrastructure needed to power these vehicles. Given the timelines, planning for charging locations and energy demand needs to happen as soon as possible and decisions need to be data driven. The support from FedEx for this project shows how the private sector can be a leader in some of the most important climate actions we can take to realize a net zero-carbon future.”

— Adam Thorn, Transportation Director, Pembina Institute

“RMI is thrilled to work with the Pembina Institute as they leverage the GridUp platform to advance planning for their region’s electric vehicle charging needs. Equipped with data-driven insights from GridUp, utilities and grid operators in the GTHA will be able to validate proactive infrastructure investments where the imminence of electric vehicle charging demand is clear, enabling rapid electric vehicle adoption that avoids unnecessary expenditures.”

— Dave Mullaney, Principal of Carbon Free Transportation, RMI

Quick facts

In June of 2023, FedEx Express Canada received its first 50 Zevo 600 all-electric 
delivery vehicles from GM subsidiary BrightDrop. FedEx now has over 1,000 low-emission vehicles globally.Fleet turnover is expected to continue its rise. BloombergNEF predicts commercial road freight will have another breakout year in 2024, forecasting a doubling of deliveries of new electric vehicles from approximately 500,000 in 2023 to 1 million in 2024.Electrifying all 4 million U.S. and Canadian vans and step vans would save nearly 43.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.Electrifying all medium-duty box trucks in the U.S. and Canada would save more than 7.6 million tonnes of GHG emissions each year.

About The Pembina Institute

Our mission is to advance a prosperous clean energy future for Canada through credible policy solutions that support communities, the economy and a safe climate. The Pembina Institute envisions a world in which our needs are met in ways that protect natural ecosystems; ensure clean air, land and water; stop contributing to climate change; and promote a just global community.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenue of $88 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively and innovating digitally as one FedEx. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.

About RMI

RMI is an independent nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. We work in the world’s most critical geographies and engage businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50 percent by 2030. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.

[30]

Contact 
Victoria Foote 
Communications Advisor, Pembina Institute 
647-290-9384

Background 
Report: Canada’s Pathway to Net-Zero for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks and Buses 
Blog: Ambitious, staggered sales mandates a key to meeting zero-emission MHDV targets

March 27, 2024 /3BL/ – Escalating conflict in the province of North Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has displaced 2.4 million people and created an imminent risk of a severe hunger crisis, according to Action Against Hunger, a nonprofit leader working to end hunger for good. In February alone, more than 240,000 people fled to the city of Goma, often arriving malnourished and seeking safety in displacement camps and informal sites ill-equipped to support the estimated 600,000 people who are now there.

As United Nations Security Council members gather today, Action Against Hunger urges them to ensure respect for U.N. Resolution 2417, which condemns the use of hunger as a weapon of war and requires parties in conflict to facilitate humanitarian access to those in need.

In defiance of international law, the increase in fighting in North Kivu has been characterized by:

Indiscriminate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure.Militarization of camps for internally displaced people (IDPs).Movement restrictions on the main supply routes, preventing the delivery of food, essential goods, and humanitarian assistance.

“Since the upsurge of conflict, the nutrition situation of children coming to Action Against Hunger health facilities in Lushagala has worsened. Since November, we have admitted quadruple the number of severely malnourished children under five years old, receiving up to 10 new cases per day,” explained Florian Monnerie, Action Against Hunger’s Country Director in DRC.

Across North Kivu, more than 2.4 million people have fled the violence, leaving behind what little they had. Displaced for days, weeks or months at a time, civilians are left with limited options to grow or buy food. Fighting and blockades are preventing humanitarian organizations from providing much needed assistance, further exacerbating the risk of a severe hunger crisis.

“Action Against Hunger, along with other humanitarian organizations, urgently calls for the cessation of hostilities and for respect for international humanitarian law, allowing for civilians to be protected and for the safe delivery of neutral, impartial aid to people most in need. Immediate action is needed to further prevent the loss of life,” said Monnerie.

Action Against Hunger is committed to providing lifesaving assistance in DRC, including nutrition and medical care, water, hygiene, sanitation, and psychosocial support. The organization has worked in DRC since 1997 and has programs across North Kivu and displacement sites in Goma.

About Action Against Hunger

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Photos by Alexis Huguet and Olivia Acland

At NVIDIA GTC this week, the keynote address made it clear that data centers are set to grow in numbers and in terms of power consumption in order to provide AI capabilities to the world. Organizations that seek to modernize trillions of dollars’ worth of installed  IT equipment used to provide AI services over the next several years will need a facility to store and power their equipment  Accelerated computing will usher in a new era of greater efficiency through intelligence while requiring a steadfast commitment to providing smarter technology that builds a brighter, more sustainable future.

As industries around the globe seek to use AI for analyzing vast bodies of data, power efficiency remains crucial to making the rollout of these compute-intensive workloads accessible for all businesses. A key element to enabling this transformation? Water.

For more than a decade, Lenovo has been at the forefront of enabling efficient, high-power computing without compromise, pioneering Lenovo NeptuneTM water cooling technology and ranking  #1 on the Green500 list for cutting-edge designs powered by NVIDIA GPUs that accelerate computing capabilities while keeping things cool even in high-heat, multi-GPU environments. 

Water. What is the big deal?

Today is World Water Day 2024, a United Nations Observance that celebrates water and inspires action to tackle the global water crisis in support of water and sanitation for all by 2030. As climate change impacts increase, and populations grow, there is an urgent need, within and between countries, to unite around protecting and conserving our most precious resource.

The earth’s surface is composed of 71 percent water. Of that, less than one percent is available for human consumption. Most of it is either salt water, frozen in polar ice caps or inaccessible (i.e. too far under the earth’s surface to be extracted). The fresh water that is available for use isn’t just used for human consumption. Critical industries like agriculture and manufacturing rely on community water supplies. Data Centers also require water to perform critical functions like keeping IT equipment cool so that they don’t overheat. Comparing the percentage of water available to humans to the vast amount of water being used for data center cooling, manufacturing and agriculture you can quickly deduce that it is a precious and scarce commodity.

NPR  reports the average data center uses 300,000 gallons of water a day to keep cool, roughly equivalent to water use in 100,000 homes. Many data centers directly consume water on-site to remove the heat generated by the IT equipment. But we have a tremendous opportunity to drive greater computing and operational efficiency for today’s data centers: Lowering the overall electric consumption and coupling that with utilizing data center cooling that requires little to no water can have a dramatic impact on both indirect and direct water usage.

Cooling the Data Center

The solution to cooling massive data centers might seem as simple as installing conventional air conditioning equipment to cool and blow air through the data center. But while many organizations use this traditional method of data center cooling, it is the least energy efficient. Air-cooled data centers rely on large fan systems to move air to the IT equipment, so air ducts must be installed to deliver this cold air to the computer systems in the room. Smaller fan systems inside the equipment itself then use that cooler air to pull air in the front end and rejects air out the rear back into the data center. This process repeats for each IT system in the data center.  Dealing with the heat that is rejected back into the data center is where a large portion of water consumption occurs. Heated air is captured and exchanged from the air and into water delivery systems through large heat exchangers. This heated water is then sent outside the data center building where it is sprayed across cooling pads. Large fans blow air across these cooling pads thus evaporating the water into the surrounding environment as vapor. This water loss from the evaporation process must then be replenished from external sources. Traditional air cooling not only requires massive amounts of power (for air conditioning and air movement), but also a high amount of water if an organization selects the evaporative cooling method for their data center.  

In fact, data centers that rely on water for cooling consume millions of gallons a year, putting stress on local water sources. In areas such as the western United States, home to data centers operated by large tech companies, this poses a threat to an already drought-stricken region. The cost of installing and running these large air conditioning and air movement systems presents even more downsides for doing data center cooling the traditional way. Other methods, like evaporative cooling, blow air across cooling pads saturated with water to eject heat into the atmosphere. It requires warm water to move across a cooler-than-ambient wet media so the water evaporates and can consume several millions of gallons per year from community water supplies.

Using Warm Water to Keep Cool

Lenovo Neptune™ has led the world in data center cooling technology by using liquid to remove heat more efficiently than air cooling. The direct water-cooling solution recycles loops of warm water to cool data center systems, enabling customers to realize up to a 40% reduction in power consumption and a 3.5x improvement in thermal efficiencies compared to traditional air-cooled systems. The unique method keeps all the server components cool, reducing the need for power-hungry system fans in data center operation. 

At NVIDIA’s GTC event this week, Lenovo released a new ThinkSystem SR780a server that utilizes Lenovo Neptune™ to achieve an ultra-efficient power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.1. PUE is the ratio of the total amount of energy used by the data center facility overall to the energy used by just the computing equipment. By implementing direct water-cooling of CPUs, GPUs, and NVIDIA NVSwitch technology, this system can sustain maximum performance without reaching thermal limits. In fact, Lenovo Neptune™ delivers more computing power in a compact environment, increasing power efficiency without sacrificing performance.

As an industry metric used to determine the energy efficiency of a data center, PUE and power consumption are among the top-tracked sustainability methods, according to the “Uptime Institute Annual Global Data Center Survey 2021.” Because liquid cooling provides a more energy-efficient alternative to air, the system can drive higher sustained performance while consuming less energy. It also allows the ThinkSystem SR780a to fit in a dense 5U package, helping to conserve valuable data center real estate. 

Smarter Makes Better Use of Precious Resources

In data center cooling, every bit of water saved adds up fast. Water sourcing is an issue most organizations that operate data centers will be required to face head on. Selecting the best cooling method for a data center is more than just ensuring the hardware is kept cool. The choice extends into environmental impacts.

Both the traditional air-cooling and evaporative cooling methods result in water consumption – water that could have been distributed where it’s needed most in the community. Operating an energy efficient data center can also have a significant impact on water use. In addition to water that may be directly used within a data center, water is often indirectly used to produce the electricity required to power the data center itself. For example, it can take up to 11.86 gallons of water to produce just one kilowatt hour(kWh) of power through the use of fossil fuels (i.e. coal-fired power plants). This indirect water consumption can have a dramatic effect on the overall water consumption that is required to operate a data center when coupled with the direct usage of energy by the IT equipment.  Therefore, sourcing electricity through renewable sources can also help drive down indirect water usage when powering a data center. Additionally, non-potable water is also an alternative source that can be used for cooling helping large data centers conserve drinking water.

Using other cooling methods such as data center dry cooling and liquid cooling inside a server help conserve water and energy because there is no need for evaporative cooling methods. Lenovo Neptune™ liquid cooling offers innovative technologies designed to serve the dual purpose of keeping IT infrastructure cool and functional all while helping to reduce water use and waste.

An Obligation for Water Innovation

Lenovo’s Neptune™ water-cooling system was developed with business performance and energy efficiency as equal considerations. The enormous increases in data being generated in recent years have created unprecedented demand for accelerated computing power, at a time when an already limited water supply is being strained throughout the world. As we focus on technology solutions that help build a a more sustainable future a, Lenovo Neptune™ is designed to make data center computing as powerful and efficient as possible, empowering customers to meet their sustainability goals and exponentially grow generative AI and intelligence through infrastructure that doesn’t sacrifice efficiency for higher performance.