How this solar IoT detection system prevents wildfires caused by utilities
In the United States, utilities cause around 74% of wildfires. And, since 2015, utilities have been responsible for six of California’s most-destructive wildfires, killing hundreds of people and causing billions of dollars in damage. Dryad Networks’ solar-powered sensor can detect a fire within 60 minutes, and its IoT network provides accurate location data. Electrek spoke to Carsten Brinkschulte, cofounder and CEO of Dryad Networks, about how utilities can strengthen their wildfire mitigation strategies and how solar is playing a part in forest protection.
Electrek: How does Dryad Networks’ solar-powered wildfire detection system work, and what is its purpose?
Carsten Brinkschulte: As humans, we are responsible for about 80% of wildfires. That means it’s our responsibility to stop them.
Wildfires cause up to 20% of global CO2 emissions – the same amount that all traffic (cars, airplanes, and ships combined) puts into the air. Wildfires cause more than $140 billion of economic losses each year and have a devastating impact on biodiversity, with more than 3 billion animals killed annually.
Within a forest, you can’t confidently rely on a mobile network operator’s coverage, so we’re installing our own wireless network infrastructure. A key innovation of our system is a solar-powered “mesh network architecture” that enables large-scale, off-grid deployments and overcomes problems with limited network coverage.
By taking advantage of the latest Internet of Things (IoT) developments, solar-powered sensors, and “mesh gateways,” Dryad can build a network across even the most remote forest. With inbuilt artificial intelligence, our sensors are placed directly into forests to monitor air composition and can “smell” a fire at its smoldering phase.
The sensors then send an alert signal over our large-scale IoT mesh network architecture. Data is collected and monitored at our cloud monitoring platform, carrying ultra-early alerts of wildfires to the authorities and pinpointing the location within 60 minutes – after which it is more likely to get out of control.
Electrek: You’re currently working with US utilities such as California’s PG&E. Why are utilities deploying your product?
Carsten Brinkschulte: In the US, extreme weather can sometimes create wildfires by blowing trees into power lines. With wildfires, a utility must weather a disaster through coordinated emergency response and prevent the disaster from occurring in the first place. Therefore, the stakes are high, and a utility’s responsibilities for safety and damage control are complex and far-reaching.
Carefully overseeing infrastructure in rural areas and over hundreds of thousands of kilometers is a monumental task. If a utility starts a wildfire, it faces potential regulatory action, enormous settlements, and even criminal prosecution. The rise of extreme wildfires therefore creates a whole host of legal, regulatory, financial, business, and reputational risks for utilities.
To overcome this existential threat, utilities are prioritizing investments in emerging technologies that help them monitor these threats and control them before they get out of control. Utilities are deploying Dryad’s “ultra-early” wildfire detection technology to do so.
Dryad is working with PG&E to demonstrate its Silvanet large-scale IoT network solution for early wildfire detection in Northern California. The Silvanet network includes asset-mounted sensors, a mesh network utilizing LoRaWAN – the leading open standard for long-range radio IoT networks – for
communications, and a cloud-based data analysis dashboard.
Electrek: Which other utilities are you currently working with, and how and where
is your product being deployed?
Carsten Brinkschulte: We are working with several other utility companies globally, and we have several proofs of concept under way in Southern Europe.
Electrek: Why are current solutions for wildfire detection, such as cameras, satellites, spotters, no longer sufficient?
Carsten Brinkschulte: Existing systems that aim to tackle wildfires typically rely on satellites or cameras placed in the forest. However, these systems can take hours or even days to detect a fire as they cannot “see” what’s happening under a tree canopy, which is where wildfires first start. These optical systems also have limited use at night.
In contrast, we can leave our sensors deployed in forests, under tree canopies, for up to 10 years. Our technology accounts for forest canopy densities, and it can operate through the night – ensuring deployment and reliability in sparsely populated regions and difficult-to-reach forests.
As cameras and satellites have a slower response time, by the time firefighters arrive at the scene, the fire has often grown too large and can no longer be contained. Dryad aims to detect wildfires within the first 60 minutes, enabling firefighters to extinguish the fire before it spreads out of control.
Read more: EVs are not a problem during California fire season, they’re the friggin’ solution
Telecoms tech veteran and serial entrepreneur Carsten Brinkschulte is cofounder and CEO of impact tech startup Dryad Networks. The firm’s large-scale IoT network for the ultra-early detection of wildfires is working to help save the world’s forests and fight climate change.
Carsten’s 20 years in mobile network infrastructure includes three successful exits: Core Network Dynamics (acquired by Twilio), Movirtu (acquired by Blackberry), and Synchronica (acquired by DAT Group).
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.
Amazon is adding over 200 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric semi trucks to its fleet later this year – its largest-ever order of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs).
Amazon’s new electric semi trucks
These electric trucks will handle high-mileage routes across the UK and Germany, moving trailers between Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sorting centers, and delivery stations.
The new eHGVs are expected to transport more than 350 million packages annually once fully operational.
Amazon is installing 360kW charging stations at key sites capable of powering the 40-tonne trucks from 20-80% in just over an hour. The company is also working with stakeholders to establish external charging locations to support longer routes.
The eActros 600 is Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ flagship electric long-hauler, with a battery capacity of more than 600 kWh and a range of 310 miles (500 km). Production of the eActros 600s recently began at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Wörth, Germany.
Sustainable delivery across Europe
In the UK, Amazon has begun using the electric rail network for package transport at scale. It’s also rolling out on-foot delivery options in London, with associates using carts that can be restocked from nearby vans. In Germany, Amazon doubled its fleet of Rivian electric delivery vans to over 600, and electric cargo bikes delivered more than 1.5 million packages in Berlin alone last year.
By the end of 2024, Amazon plans to expand its micromobility hubs – locations supporting deliveries by foot and cargo bike – to Germany’s five largest cities and beyond. Across Europe, the company is investing more than €1 billion to further electrify and decarbonize its transportation network.
Amazon’s European network already includes 38 eHGVs, with 50 electric semis recently deployed in California. The company’s fleet of electric delivery vans in Europe has grown to over 3,000 and is expected to surpass 10,000 by the end of 2025. Micromobility hubs have also expanded from 20 cities in 2022 to more than 45 by the end of 2024, including new additions in Belfast, Madrid, Rome, and Vienna.
Electrek’s Take
Amazon says its latest electric semi truck order aligns with The Climate Pledge it announced in 2019, in which the company committed to achieving net zero across its operations by 2040. While The Climate Pledge initiative has garnered praise, it has also faced criticism and skepticism regarding its effectiveness and transparency.
In 2020, Amazon faced allegations of retaliating against employees who spoke out about the company’s environmental policies. The National Labor Relations Board found that Amazon had illegally fired workers who advocated for climate action and better safety measures.
Amazon is also donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. Trump is a climate change denier who actively opposes renewables, and not just in the US. Earlier this month Trump demanded that the British government open up the North Sea to fossil fuel drilling and get rid of “windmills.”
Read more: It begins: Mercedes eActros 600 electric semi truck enters production
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![Check out the new Genesis GV60 interior, it looks even more luxurious in blue [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Genesis-new-GV60-interior.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
If you thought the current GV60 looked pretty inside, wait until you see the updated model. Genesis unveiled the new GV60 earlier this month, its first major redesign since launching in 2021. Here’s our first look at the interior of the new Genesis GV60.
Genesis GV60 interior gets an upgrade in the new model
Genesis launched the GV60 in October 2021 as its first dedicated EV. Less than four years later, the luxury electric SUV is already getting a new look.
The luxury brand unveiled the new GV60 last week for the first time. One of the biggest updates is to the front end.
Although the GV60 is already a sporty-looking EV, the redesigned front bumper with a new 3-D shape takes it up another level. Then, add the signature Genesis Two Line headlamps with Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech, and the refreshed GV60 is a head turner.
The revamped model now features 21″ wheels with a new five-spoke design, complementing its wide, low stance.
Inside, the upgraded GV60 features its new 27″ connected car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) infotainment system. The design “eliminates the bezel” between the driver display and infotainment screens.
The new Genesis GV60 interior also gains a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel for an even more sporty feel while you’re in the cockpit. Other popular features from the outgoing model, like the Crystal Sphere shift-by-wire system, are still included.
After revealing the updated model for the first time last week, we are already getting a look at the redesigned interior.
A new video from Korea’s HealerTV gives us our first look at the Genesis GV60 interior in a new blue color. Although the reporter initially thought it was a performance model, he noted it was just a new color option. Other added design elements, like the large quilting pattern on the side panels, give it that Bentley or Rolls-Royce feel.
Last week, HealerTV posted a video revealing the first look at the updated Genesis GV60 exterior design. You can see the redesigned front and rear bumpers add to the GV60’s already impressive look.
In the US, the 2025 Genesis GV60 starts at $52,350. A new AWD trim was introduced this year, starting at $55,850.
The current mode gets up to 294 miles driving range, but a bigger battery is expected to push that number closer to 300 miles in the 2025MY. It’s expected to feature the same 84 kWh battery as the updated 2025 IONIQ 5, which provides up to 318 miles range. That’s up from 303 miles in the previous model with a 77.4 kWh battery.
| 2025 Genesis GV60 trim | Range (EPA-est) |
Starting Price* |
| Standard RWD | 294 miles | $52,350 |
| Standard AWD | 264 miles | $55,850 |
| Advanced AWD | 248 miles | $60,900 |
| Performance AWD | 235 miles | $69,900 |
Genesis will launch the updated GV60 in Korea in the first quarter of the year, with overseas markets following shortly after. Check back for more info, including prices and specs, closer to launch.
What do you think about the new GV60 design? Do you like the changes? What would you change? Let us know in the comments below.
Ready to check out the electric luxury SUV for yourself? With the 2025 models here, Genesis is offering clearance prices on the 2024 lineup while they are still in stock. You can use our link to find offers on 2024 and 2025 Genesis GV60 models at a dealer near you today.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports9 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway