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By Karina Hershberg, PE

For most of human history, work and activity has been shaped by the sun. During the day, humans could farm, socialize, and build. At sunset, activity had to slow down, and shelter found. Energy was only used when energy was available, during daylight hours. We were leading Net Zero Carbon lives before it was cool.

By first harnessing biofuels and then fossil fuels, life got to expand beyond the confines of sunrise and sunset. Fossil fuels were an amazing portable form of super dense energy that transformed humanity’s path through history and paved the way to our modern lifestyle. Unfortunately, these fuels also have led us to the abyss of the climate crisis in which we currently find ourselves. The question now is whether we can reconcile the negative aspects of our relationship with energy while preserving the positive.

Enter the concept of grid-interactive flexible loads. It doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easy as “solar” or “wind,” which is perhaps why it hasn’t received the same amount of attention in discussions of sustainability. Yet, a closer look at the plans for energy decarbonization shows flexible loads are just as important to the success of this planet-saving solution as its more famous renewable energy cousins.

The concept of flexible load is called by many names — demand response, peak shaving, grid-interactive efficient buildings, distributed energy resources, and the list goes on. But despite a cornucopia of buzzwords, these terms all describe the same vision of utilizing buildings and their systems to help grids.

Net Zero … What?

Grid-interactivity and flexible loads are in response to the limitations of onsite solar generation and even the aspirations of net zero energy. Net zero energy has been an important goal for the building sector to target, but it technically is not the same as truly being in sync with available energy resources. In many ways, it is a math problem you do at the end of the year to reconcile your annual usage with your annual generation, whereas total decarbonization means your load is served by renewable sources every minute of every hour of every day. So, while net zero energy is a critical step in the right direction, 24/7 emissions-free energy is ultimately where we need to land. If done correctly, it will be a return to a zero-carbon lifestyle, one aligned with the energy flows of nature, while still supporting the advances of modern society.

Images courtesy of PAE

DIY Grid-Interactivity

One of the key solutions for returning to a system in balance with renewable resources is to reimagine buildings and homes as dynamic partners in these larger utility systems instead of simply passive users of the energy services. This more dynamic relationship is where grid-interactive, flexible loads come back into the picture.

Demand response programs come in all shapes and sizes, but to an average homeowner such as myself, they can look as simple as a text message like the one I received on June 22, 2020. It was the inaugural residential “Peak Time Rebate Event” for my utility, Portland General Electrical (PGE). My text message invited me to reduce my household electricity use the following day from 5pm–8pm. In exchange, I would receive an incentive based on my decreased usage.

Source: Portland General Electric

As an electrical engineer at PAE with a passion and expertise for sustainability design and the future of energy, I was excited to participate in this program for the first time. Finally, a chance to make my home my own research project! Living in an older house without air-conditioning, my family was already in the habit of passive cooling techniques for the hot summer days- shades on the windows, avoid opening doors during the hottest parts of the day, and generally try not to add heat to the house. When the time came, 5 PM on June 23, we went around the house trimming our electric loads. It was as straightforward as shutting off lights, avoiding appliance cycles like laundry and dishes, and making simple no-cook egg salad sandwiches for dinner, which the kids reported was the best dinner they had ever had. My children’s questionable culinary preferences aside, it was a nice evening with relatively little impact to our typical routine.

The next day when my phone pinged with a text from PGE, I was excited to see the results of my efforts, but that excitement turned to confusion when I opened the message. I had saved just $.75 — reducing energy consumption from my typical 2.02 kWh to an unremarkable 1.27 kWh. I was deflated. In the coming days, I compared notes with fellow energy geek colleagues and discovered we all had a similar experience — little measurable individual impact from our supposedly critical behavior change. What was going on?

Power of the Collective

It turned out the key to our seeming failure was the scale of our view. When observed through the lens of an individual, the impact to behavior and usage was minimal. But as a collective, the story suddenly changed. After talking with experts at PGE, I learned that the voluntary collective reduction of households in PGE service areas reduced energy demand by 11 MW per event hour compared to expected demands. It put us right on the cusp of eliminating the need for a peak-time natural gas engine, one of the highest emission sources for electricity generation. This impressive system-level impact was created by a humble group of early program adopters with an average savings of just 0.12 kWh per participating household.


This is, in fact, exactly what load flexibility is trying to achieve. Collective actions made up of small individual changes are a key element of grid decarbonization and translate into system-wide emissions savings. In the most extreme cases, these small collective actions can potentially even avoid the more catastrophic situation of grid outages as recently seen around the country. The reason is that to support higher than usual energy demands, typically because of an extreme weather event, utilities have to activate their most carbon-intensive quick-response plants, so-called “peaker plants.” By strategically organizing collective action to reduce demands on the grid during these peak times, we are collectively able to have a greater emissions sum impact than might appear from its energy parts.

Image: An emissions heat map of the northern California electric grid. Decreasing electricity usage during peak emissions time with load flexibility techniques has an increased benefit in terms of emissions reductions than the same usage decrease during low emissions times.
Image by PAE using data from WattTime

“AND” Not “OR”

This brings us to what is perhaps my favorite aspect of load flexibility. When discussing sustainability, we often run into conversations about responsibility and blame. We compare and contrast the agency individuals have in their daily lives with corporations and industries who closely influence consumer options. Within the community of people who recognize the need for decarbonization and care passionately about the broad adoption of sustainable practices, even we can fall into the trap of asking the wrong question: “Should the burden be on individuals to change their habits?,” OR “Should corporations and industries be held responsible for systemic change?” In asking the question in this way we are using the wrong conjunction (and perspective for a solution). In reality, individuals need to make conscious efforts to change AND corporations and industries need to change. Demand response programs are an intriguing example of these paired truths. Changes by the individual directly support changes in the system, and vice versa.

Decarbonization of the electricity sector is one of the most critical system changes needed to reach U.S. climate targets and participation in local demand response programs is one of the more powerful tools we have as individuals to support that transition. Conveniently, it is also one of the easiest. Program registration is usually through your local utility with no cost and perhaps even a small incentive. My local utility, PGE, has several incentives from peak rebate times to smart thermostat programs. Although equipment like smart thermostats and home batteries can make participation easier and increase the benefits, low tech options like light switches and no cook meals work just fine, too.

Images courtesy of PAE

A New Energy Relationship

After a full year of participating in the PGE residential demand response program, my family has dialed in our electrical load reduction strategies. Perhaps more importantly, it has changed my mindset about how and when my home is using energy. As a certified energy geek, I’ve spent more hours than I can count poring over utility emissions profiles and pondering how buildings can more wisely tap into the flow of electrons. By better understanding where and how our electricity comes from, we can better design our buildings and optimize our usage patterns. Embracing the perspective that the solutions are an “and,” and not an “or,” will also allow us to reach an optimized grid-interactive state. But whether you chose the automated solutions or a more manual approach to embark on this path, take it from my kids – make sure to include egg salad sandwiches.

Join me for a webinar with Electrify Now and Portland Sustainable Building Week on grid interactivity on October 13. 

Karina Hershberg is passionate about sustainable development and has 15 years of experience in electrical engineering. She brings a unique perspective to her dual roles in analysis and engineering at PAE. Through data-driven analytics and innovative electrical design, Karina helps projects implement regenerative and resilient solutions. She leads the development of microgrid design, emissions analysis, and campus-scale solutions for the firm. 

 

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CNBC Daily Open: Most people don’t start a political party after separation

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CNBC Daily Open: Most people don't start a political party after separation

US President Donald Trump, right, and Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, May 30, 2025.

Francis Chung | Bloomberg | Getty Images

When they find themselves without a significant other, most men finally start living: They pay attention to their personal grooming, hit the gym and discover new hobbies.

What does the world’s richest man do? He starts a political party.

Last weekend, as the United States celebrated its independence from the British in 1776, Elon Musk enshrined his sovereignty from U.S. President Donald Trump by establishing the creatively named “American Party.”

Few details have been revealed, but Musk said the party will focus on “just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” and will have legislative discussions “with both parties” — referring to the U.S. Democratic and Republican Parties.

It might be easier to realize Musk’s dream of colonizing Mars than to bridge the political aisle in the U.S. government today.

To be fair, some thought appeared to be behind the move. Musk decided to form the party after holding a poll on X in which 65.4% of respondents voted in favor.

Folks, here’s direct democracy — and the powerful post-separation motivation — in action.

 — CNBC’s Erin Doherty contributed to this report.

What you need to know today

Trump confirms tariffs will kick in Aug. 1. That postpones the deadline by a month, but tariffs could “boomerang” back to April levels for countries without deals. Trump on Friday said letters with “take it or leave it” offers will go out to 12 countries Monday.

U.S. stock futures slipped Sunday. Despite the White House pushing back the return of “reciprocal” tariffs, some investors could be worried trade negotiations would result in higher-than-expected duties. Europe’s Stoxx 600 index dropped 0.48% Friday.

OPEC+ members to increase oil output. Eight members of the alliance agreed on Saturday to hike their collective crude production by 548,000 barrels per day, around 100,000 more than expected.

Elon Musk forms a new political party. On Saturday, the world’s richest man said he has formed a new U.S. political party named the “American Party,” which he claims will give Americans “back your freedom.”

[PRO] Wall Street is growing cautious on European equities. As investors seek shelter from tumult in U.S., the Stoxx 600 index has risen 6.6% year to date. Analysts, however, think the foundations of that growth could be shaky.

And finally…

Ayrton Senna driving the Marlboro McLaren during the Belgian Grand Prix in 1992.

Pascal Rondeau | Hulton Archive | Getty Images

The CEO mindset is shifting. It’s no longer all about winning

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/06/the-ceo-mindset-is-shifting-its-no-longer-all-about-winning.html

CEOs today aren’t just steering companies — they’re navigating a minefield. From geopolitical shocks and economic volatility to rapid shifts in tech and consumer behavior, the playbook for leadership is being rewritten in real time.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC earlier this week, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown outlined a leadership approach centered on urgency, momentum and learning from failure. 

— Spriha Srivastava

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Honda now has an electric Ruckus. Will they bring it to the US?

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Honda now has an electric Ruckus. Will they bring it to the US?

The Honda Ruckus has earned cult status thanks to its minimalist styling, exposed frame, and seemingly endless customizability. The scooter, also known in international markets as the Honda Zoomer, has spent years being seen as a blank canvas for scooter tuners, urban commuters, and anyone who just wanted something simple, small, and kind of weird to zip around town. A few years ago, Honda finally answered the call for an updated version by announcing and producing the “Zoomer e:”, which was an electric version of the Honda Ruckus. So where is it?

When Honda launched the all-electric version of the Ruckus, the Zoomer e:, back in 2023, many fans hoped it was only a matter of time before we saw it quietly glide onto U.S. streets.

But two years later, there’s still no sign of a stateside release, and no indication that Honda plans to change that anytime soon.

The Zoomer e: was first introduced in China in early 2023 alongside two other retro-inspired electrics: the Cub e: and Dax e:.

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The Zoomer e: keeps the stripped-down, industrial look of the classic gas-powered Ruckus, but swaps the 49cc engine for a 400W rear hub motor and a 48V 24Ah battery (around 1.15 kWh).

It was originally given a top speed of a mere 25 km/h (15.5 mph) to keep it street legal as an electric bicycle in its first market of China, where it also came with functional but stubby pedals so riders could pretend it was actually pedalable.

The first version of the electric scooter claimed a range of up to 80–90 km (50–56 miles) from its removable lithium-ion battery, depending on conditions.

An advertisement for a Honda Zoomer e: in the Philippines via Facebook

We’ve since seen the performance bumped up to 40 km/h (25 mph) top speeds when the scooter was introduced into the Philippines market, where the local L1B classification allowed for higher speeds. It’s fairly obvious that the performance can be software-tweaked by Honda depending on the market, though likely to a limit. To achieve speeds much higher than 25 mph, a motor and controller swap may be required, though neither would be complicated.

In other words, the electric Ruckus’ debut revealed an ultra-lightweight, street-legal runabout designed for countries with expansive low-speed e-bike laws. But in the U.S., these types of quasi-e-bikes that are actually scooters are few and far between. The same performance can be had from a $1,000 electric bicycle, and in fact, Class 3 e-bikes in the US can go nearly twice as fast as the original electric Ruckus.

So Honda obviously hasn’t been in a rush to bring its low-spec version of the bike to the US market, where it would be a slower and heavier competitor to the wide range of cheap imported electric bicycles. However, its iconic design and cultural legacy have kept enthusiasm up for riders who have managed to privately import their own models. One Redditor appears to have imported two Honda Zoomer e: models in parts to assemble in the US, while someone else posted a YouTube video of his completely assembled Honda Dax e: model that was launched along the Zoomer e:.

Despite clear consumer interest and a growing market for low-speed electric vehicles, as well as Honda’s own proven interest in growing its electric scooter market, the company hasn’t made any moves to release the Zoomer e: in the US. That’s not surprising since America still lacks a robust electric scooter culture (or even a gasoline scooter culture, for that matter), and anything motorcycle-shaped that doesn’t hit 30+ mph tends to get passed over by mainstream buyers.

But perhaps that could change one day. Technically, bringing the Zoomer e: to the US wouldn’t be a monumental task for Honda. The U.S. is a self-certify country, meaning Honda could design a version that meets federal vehicle safety standards, beef up the motor and controller for higher speeds, and sell it as either a Class 2/3 e-bike, or perhaps more appropriately, as a low-speed motorcycle with a top speed in the 35-45 mph range (55-70 km/h).

With the rise of micromobility, electrification, and growing frustration with car-centric cities, now might actually be the perfect time for a reborn electric Ruckus to hit US roads. But until Honda decides to take that step, American riders will have to keep dreaming – or start importing.

A private import of a Honda Zoomer e: to the US

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BMW ups the ante with the fastest, most powerful electric maxi-scooter

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BMW ups the ante with the fastest, most powerful electric maxi-scooter

BMW Motorrad’s futuristic electric scooter just got its first real refresh since beginning production in 2021. The BMW CE 04, already one of the most capable and stylish electric maxi-scooters on the market, now gets a set of upgraded trim options, new aesthetic touches, and a more robust list of features that aim to make this urban commuter even more appealing to riders looking for serious electric performance on two wheels.

The BMW CE 04 has always stood out for its sci-fi styling and high-performance drivetrain. It’s built on a mid-mounted liquid-cooled motor that puts out 31 kW (42 hp) and 62 Nm of torque. That’s enough to rocket the scooter from 0 to 50 km/h (31 mph) in just 2.6 seconds – quite fast for anything with a step-through frame.

The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h (75 mph), making it perfectly capable for city riding and fast enough to hold its own on highway stretches. Range is rated at 130 km (81 miles) on the WMTC cycle, thanks to the 8.9 kWh battery pack tucked low in the frame.

But while the core performance hasn’t changed, BMW’s 2025 update focuses on refining the package and giving riders more options to tailor the scooter to their taste. The new CE 04 is available in three trims: Basic, Avantgarde, and Exclusive.

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The Basic trim keeps things clean and classic with a Lightwhite paint scheme and a clear windshield. It’s subtle, sleek, and very much in line with the CE 04’s clean-lined aesthetic. The Avantgarde model adds a splash of color with a Gravity Blue main body and bright São Paulo Yellow accents, along with a dark windshield and a laser-engraved rim. The top-shelf Exclusive trim is where things get fancy, with a premium Spacesilver metallic paint job, upgraded wind protection, heated grips, a luxury embroidered seat, and its own unique engraved rim treatment.

There are also a few new tech upgrades baked into the options list. Riders can now spec a 6.9 kW quick charger that reduces the 0–80% charge time to just 45 minutes (down from nearly 4 hours with the standard 2.3 kW onboard charger). Tire pressure monitoring, a center stand, and BMW’s “Headlight Pro” adaptive lighting system are also available as add-ons, along with an emergency eCall system and Dynamic Traction Control.

BMW has kept the core riding components in place: a steel-tube chassis, 15-inch wheels, Bosch ABS (with optional ABS Pro), and the impressive 10.25” TFT display with integrated navigation and smartphone connectivity. The under-seat storage still swallows a full-face helmet, and the long, low frame design means the scooter looks like something out of Blade Runner but rides like a luxury commuter.

With these updates, BMW seems to be further cementing the CE 04’s role at the high end of the electric scooter market. It’s not cheap, starting around €12,000 in Europe and around US $12,500 in the US, with prices going up from there depending on configuration. However, the maxi-scooter delivers real motorcycle-grade performance in a package that’s easier to live with for daily riders.

Electrek’s Take

I believe that the CE 04’s biggest strength has always been that it’s not trying to be a toy or a gimmick. It’s a real vehicle. Sure, it’s futuristic and funky looking, but it delivers on its promises. And in a market that’s still surprisingly sparse when it comes to premium electric scooters, BMW has had the lane mostly to itself. That may not last forever, though. LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric spin-off brand, has teased plans for a maxi-scooter-style urban electric vehicle in the coming years, but as of now, it remains something of an undefined future plan.

Meanwhile, BMW is delivering not just a concept bike but a mature, well-equipped, and ready-to-ride electric scooter that keeps improving. For riders who want something faster and more capable than a Class 3 e-bike but aren’t ready to jump to a full-size electric motorcycle, the CE 04 hits a sweet spot. It delivers the performance and capability of a commuter e-motorcycle, yet with the approachability of a scooter. And with these new trims and upgrades, it’s doing it with even more style.

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