Connect with us

Published

15 hours ago

on

Today’s Green Deals are led by ENGWE’s Autumn Sale, which has dropped its new entry-level L20 2.0 e-bike to $799 while also giving you $268 in free gear, among many other models. We also spotted a second chance to score Jackery’s new Explorer 2000 v2 Portable Power Station back at its $999 Prime Day low price. Goal Zero’s 500 Lumen Torch Light which also doubles as a 5,200mAh solar charging power bank is getting a nice price cut to $40, while we also have two one-day-only discounts on Anker’s 400W SOLIX PS400 Portable Power Station at $629 and Greenworks’ 80V 26-inch Cordless Electric Hedge Trimmer at $175. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Lectric XP 3.0 Long-Range e-bike flash sale that ends tomorrow or Bluetti’s ongoing post-Prime Day sale, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

ENGWE’s L20 2.0 e-bike with 28 MPH top speeds and 68+ miles of range falls to $799

ENGWE has an ongoing Autumn sale that is taking up to $500 off single e-bike models and up to $800 off dual e-bike bundles – plus, you’ll also be getting up to $268 in free gear (including some extra battery options)! One of the best bang-for-your-buck entry-level models is the L20 2.0 e-bike that is down at $799 shipped with $268 in free gear being thrown in with your purchase. It normally sits at $999 since first being released back in March, which already makes it a more affordable model for riders on a budget. We’ve seen it go a bit lower in past sales earlier in the year – hitting $699 at the start of summer, and falling lower to the $659 low by the end of summer. Today, you can add it to your commute with a solid $200 slashed off its going rate, dropping it to the fourth-lowest price we have tracked – just $140 above the all-time low from August. You can learn more about this model by heading below or checking out our hands-on review.

A newer model under ENGWE’s flag, the L20 2.0 e-bike cruises into view with a 750W geared hub motor (peaking at 1,125W) and a 52V 676Wh battery that provides top speeds of 20 MPH when only using its throttle and an even greater 28 MPH when taking advantage of its pedal assistance capabilities. For the price, you’re also getting a decent travel distance here, with throttle-only riding carrying you up to 28 miles while the pedal assistance increases that range up to 68 to 80 miles, depending on conditions.

The L20 2.0 e-bike has been given a folding frame that makes storage and transport outside of riding far less of a hassle – especially considering most folks on a tight commuting budget are likely to live in apartments without garage space (plus it weighs in at about 68 pounds too). It’s also been stocked with some solid features, like mechanical disc brakes on 180 mm rotors, a rear cargo rack, integrated head/tail/brake LED lights, front fork and post suspension, a SHIMANO 7-speed derailleur, puncture-resistant fat tires, and a color LED display.

Notable ENGWE Autumn Sale e-bike deals:

  • Engwe EP-2 Pro e-bike: $1000 (Reg. $1,498)
    • 75-mile max range
    • with extra battery (up to 150-mile range)
  • X20 Triple-Suspension Folding e-bike: $1,099 (Reg. $1,599)
    • with $199 in free gear
    • Dual-battery option available for $100 more
  • LE20 Step-Thru Cargo e-bike: $1,399 (Reg. $1,499)
    • 109-mile travel distance
    • with $268 in free gear
    • Dual-battery option (211 miles) available for $300 more
  • X26 Triple-Suspension Folding e-bike: $1,749 (Reg. $1,999)
    • with dual batteries for 93-mile range + $69 in free gear
  • And even more…

You can browse through the entire lineup of ENGWE’s autumn sale on the landing page here, with discounts on single e-bike purchases and double purchases alike. 

Second chance to grab Jackery’s new Explorer 2000 v2 LiFePO4 power station at return $999 Prime Day low

The official Jackery Amazon storefront is giving folks a second chance to grab its new Explorer 2000 v2 Portable Power Station at Prime Day pricing for $999 shipped. After releasing a few weeks ago at a $1,499 price tag, we’ve already seen a few discounts take costs down lower, with the first being the brand’s Prime Big Deals Day sale that lowered the price to $999 (while only dropping to $1,399 on Amazon), followed by the short Halloween sale that closed out last week at a higher $1,099 rate. Today, you can grab it while it’s back down at the lowest price we have tracked, saving you $500 on this all-new release for your backup power needs. It even beats out Jackery’s website at the moment, where it is listed at full price. There’s also a discounted bundle offer that gives you the power station with two 200W solar panels for $1,599, saving you $900.

Described by Jackery as “the smallest, lightest home backup power” thanks to the exclusive CTB tech and its honeycomb design, the new Explorer 2000 v2 delivers a reliable 2,042Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity alongside 2,200W of power output (surging to 4,400W) that can cover campsites, travel routes, and even home backup for one or more days. There are seven ports here to cover your devices and appliances, with three ACs, two USB-Cs (one of which offers 100W lightning-fast charging), one USB-A, and one car port. It’s also been given the brand’s next-gen ChargeShield 2.0 for 62 forms of protection so you won’t have to worry about charging mishaps during storms, outages, and the like.

It boasts four different options for you to recharge its battery, with a connection to a standard wall outlet getting it back to 80% battery in about 66+ minutes – or, if you need a full capacity for unexpected needs, you can activate its supercharge feature through the companion app to get a full battery in 102+ minutes. Plugging the station into your car for charging will take up to 24 hours, but still gets the job done, while taking advantage of the bundle offer gives you its maximum 400W solar input to fully recharge in 5.5 hours. One more thing to note here is its silent charging mode for when you’ve plugged it in for nighttime use or recharging, as it keeps under 30dB so you or anyone else trying to rest won’t be disturbed.

Goal Zero 500 Lumen Torch Light

Goal Zero’s 500 Lumen Torch light and 5,200mAh solar power bank at $40

Through its official Amazon storefront, Goal Zero is offering its 500 Lumen Torch Light for $39.95 shipped. Usually priced at $50 most of the time, there have been few discounts over 2024, with most keeping costs above $42, with large periods where the price went unmoved or the device was out of stock. In May we saw things drop to $38 before a long stretch at its full price, with the most recent price cut we’ve seen being the short-lived Labor Day discount that dropped things down to the $30 low before going out of stock. It’s back again here today though with a solid 20% markdown that shaves $10 off the tag and gives you the chance to score it at the third-lowest price we have tracked.

This versatile device from Goal Zero delivers multi-functional power over standard light sources, with 500 lumens of bright LED lighting for when you are tinkering in your garage, working outdoors at darker hours, camping in the unlit wilds of the world, or even supporting you through blackouts. The light is provided through either a focused spotlight or a more area-covering flood light, with the unit itself small enough to fit into your hand or even hang above you using the built-in bars. Its internal 5,200mAh battery can even double as a power bank to charge your devices through the USB-C port – plus, when its capacity has been drained, it has an integrated solar panel for recharging when you’re not near any other power source.

Anker 400W SOLIX portable solar panel

Add Anker’s 400W SOLIX PS400 portable solar panel to your setup at $629 for today only

Coming to us through its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Anker SOLIX PS400 400W Portable Solar Panel for $629 shipped. Normally sitting at $899 at Best Buy and Anker – with a higher $999 starting rate at Amazon, we see this model regularly discounted from Anker’s direct sales events, like the most recent Prime Day sale, as well as occasional one-day discounts like we’re seeing today. While normally keeping above $799 most of the time, we have seen it fall to its lowest $599 rate, with today’s deal coming in slightly higher, but still giving you a solid $270 off the going rate at the second-lowest price we have tracked.

This is a great chance to score some major savings while also upgrading your existing Anker power station setup with solar charging capabilities or greater solar input. The second-largest solar panel from under Anker’s flag (5W under the largest), it boasts a 23% conversion rate with an IP67 waterproof and scratch-resistant design to combat sudden weather changes while it may be in use, alongside a more adjustable paneling layout for four optimized angles no matter the season, location, or time of day. It’s well worth the added charging function at such a large markdown today, so make sure to grab it while you can and don’t be caught off guard when you’re most in need of a backup power solution that can keep going when no other source is nearby.

greenworks 80V 26-inch cordless electric hedge trimmer

Keep limbs in shape with Greenworks’ 80V 26-inch cordless electric hedge trimmer at $175 for today only

Courtesy of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Greenworks 80V 26-Inch Cordless Electric Hedge Trimmer for $174.99 shipped through the rest of the day. Normally priced at $250, we’ve mainly seen discounts hit this tool’s price tag in these one-day periods, with most of 2024 having seen them drop costs to $175, while July saw a drop further to the $165 low. Today, you can score one for your lawncare toolbox at a solid 30% markdown that slashes $75 off the tag and lands it at the second-lowest price we have tracked.

Powered by a 2.0Ah battery, this 80V cordless hedge trimmer sports the brand’s TRUBRUSHLESS motor and delivers up to 60 minutes of continuous cuts on a single charge so you can shape up your hedges and trees with more efficiency and comfort. It’s been given a 180-degree rotating rear handle alongside an over-molded, wrap-around front handle to provide this comfort, making its handling far easier and safer while trimming at varying angles. Limbs up to 1.1 inches in width will stand no chance against its 26-inch dual-action blades that reach up to 3,200 strokes per minute, letting you maintain a uniformed look year-round.

Fall e-bike deals!

L20 2.0 e-bike

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Environment

Why Big Tech is turning to nuclear to power its energy-intensive AI ambitions

Published

3 hours ago

on

October 16, 2024

By

Why Big Tech is turning to nuclear to power its energy-intensive AI ambitions

The OpenAI app icon displayed along with other AI applications on a smartphone.

Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto via Getty Images

Technology giants are turning to nuclear energy to power the energy-intensive data centers needed to train and run the massive artificial intelligence models behind today’s generative AI applications.

Microsoft and Google are among the firms agreeing deals to purchase nuclear power from certain suppliers in the U.S. to bring additional energy capacity online for its data centers.

This week, Google said it would purchase power from Kairos Power, a developer of small modular reactors, to help “deliver on the progress of AI.”

“The grid needs these kinds of clean, reliable sources of energy that can support the build out of these technologies,” Michael Terrell, senior director for energy and climate at Google, said on a call with reporters Monday.

“We feel like nuclear can play an important role in helping to meet our demand, and helping meet our demand cleanly, in a way that’s more around the clock.”

Google said its first nuclear reactor from Kairos Power would be online by 2030, with more reactors going live through 2035.

The tech giant isn’t the only firm looking to nuclear power to realize its AI ambitions. Last month, Microsoft signed a deal with U.S. energy firm Constellation to resurrect a defunct reactor at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, whose reactor has been dormant for five years.

The Three Mile Island plant was the location of the most serious nuclear meltdown and radiation leak in U.S. history in March 1979, when the loss of water coolant through a faulty valve caused a reactor to overheat.

Why they’re turning to nuclear

Tech companies are under pressure to find energy sources to power data centers — a key piece of infrastructure behind modern-day cloud computing and AI applications.

Many developers rent out servers equipped with GPUs (graphics processing units), which would typically be too expensive to own outright, from so-called cloud “hyperscalers” — such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google.

These tech giants have benefited from a surge of interest in generative AI applications such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. But that increase in demand has also led to an unintended effect: correspondingly large spikes in the amount of energy required.

Google announces nuclear energy partnership with Kairos Power

Global electricity consumption from data centers, artificial intelligence and the cryptocurrency sector is expected to double from an estimated 460 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2022 to more than 1,000 TWh in 2026, according to a research report from the International Energy Agency.

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, published a study in April last year that found ChatGPT consumes 500 milliliters of water for every 10 to 50 prompts, depending on when and where the AI model is deployed. That equates to roughly the amount of water in a standard 16-ounce bottle.

As of August, there were more than 200 million people submitting questions on OpenAI’s popular chatbot ChatGPT every week, according to OpenAI. That’s double the 100 million weekly active users OpenAI reported last November.

Environmental opposition

Nuclear energy isn’t without its controversy. Many climate activists oppose such supplies, citing their hazardous environmental and safety risks, and the fact that they do not offer a genuine source of renewable power.

“Nuclear power is incredibly expensive, hazardous and slow to build,” the climate charity Greenpeace says on its website.

“It is often referred to as ‘clean’ energy because it doesn’t produce carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases when electricity is generated but the reality is that it isn’t a plausible alternative to renewable energy sources.”

Proponents of nuclear energy, on the other hand, say that it offers a nearly carbon-free form of electricity and is more reliable than renewable sources like solar and wind.

Nvidia CEO talks AI energy demand

“If it is built and securitized in the right way, I do think nuclear is the future,” Rosanne Kincaid-Smith, chief operating officer of Northern Data Group, a global data center provider, told CNBC at a tech conference in London last week.

“People are scared of nuclear because of the disasters we’ve had in the past. But what’s coming, I just don’t see traditional grids being the sustainable power that’s ongoing in the development of AI,” Kincaid-Smith added.

While Northern Data Group isn’t using nuclear energy — nor is it actively exploring plans to use nuclear as a power source for its AI data centers — the firm does want to “contribute to that conversation because it’s important for the wider ecosystem, the wider economy,” Kincaid-Smith told CNBC.

– CNBC’s Pippa Stevens contributed to this report

Continue Reading

Environment

Trump PAC has raised about $7.5 million in crypto donations since early June

Published

4 hours ago

on

October 16, 2024

By

Trump PAC has raised about .5 million in crypto donations since early June

(L to R) Eric Trump, former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. attend a remembrance ceremony on the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 terror attack on the World Trade Center at Ground Zero, in New York City on September 11, 2024. 

Adam Gray | Afp | Getty Images

A political action committee supporting former President Donald Trump has raised about $7.5 million in cryptocurrencies.

Contributors to the Trump 47 joint fundraising committee donated bitcoin, ether and XRP, as well as the U.S. dollar pegged stablecoins tether and USDC, to the GOP presidential nominee’s campaign, according to a Federal Election Commission filing submitted on Tuesday.

The PAC said the latest filing covered donations in the period of July 1 through Sept. 30, but numbers included cumulative contributions.

With the 2024 election just three weeks away and the contest in a virtual dead heat according to polling averages, Trump is counting on a hefty dose of funding from the crypto community. The former president positioned himself as the pro-crypto candidate in this election, a reversal from his previous stance during his time in the White House. In May, he became the first major presidential candidate to accept donations in digital tokens.

Nearly half of all the corporate money flowing into the election has come from the crypto industry, according to a recent report from the nonprofit watchdog group Public Citizen. The sum was raised from a mix of contributors, with Coinbase, Ripple, and venture firm Andreessen Horowitz accounting for most of those business donations. The industry has raised roughly 13 times the amount it brought in during the last presidential election year.

At least 18 donors gave more than $5.5 million in bitcoin to Trump 47, the filing shows. Another seven people gave around $1.5 million in ether.

Crypto donors warm up to Kamala Harris

Contributors hailed from more than 15 states, including a few battlegrounds, plus the American territory of Puerto Rico. Their professions include Lockheed Martin software engineer, Duthie Power Services sales engineer, and a producer for Esperanza Entertainment.

David Bailey, CEO of media group BTC Inc., gave more than $498,000 in bitcoin. Bailey was part of a small army of bitcoin fanatics who indoctrinated Trump in all things bitcoin and helped turned him from a skeptic to an evangelist. The process culminated in Trump headlining the biggest bitcoin conference of the year in Nashville in July.

Trump said in his keynote that his campaign had raised $25 million from the crypto industry, though he didn’t specify the split between digital tokens and dollar donations.

Among the new donors is Chase Herro, one of the co-founders of the Trump family’s new crypto project World Liberty Financial. The platform, which has been described as a decentralized bank where customers will be encouraged to borrow, lend and invest in crypto, launched its token sale on Tuesday.

So far, more than $10.2 million worth of WLFI tokens have been sold, far short of the initial fundraise goal of $300 million. The launch was plagued with technical issues, including the repeated crashing of the website where the sale was taking place.

Mike Belshe, CEO of digital asset security company BitGo, has contributed almost $100,000 in bitcoin.

Brian Murray, a partner at Craft Ventures, gave $6,560 in bitcoin. Craft was founded by pro-Trump venture capitalist David Sacks.

Kresus Labs founder Trevor Traina gave over $25,000 in ether, Chainstone Labs CEO Bruce Fenton donated $60,000 in bitcoin, and Gary Cardone of Cardone Digital Ventures contributed over $840,000 in bitcoin.

Ripple legal chief Stuart Alderoty contributed $300,000 in XRP, as CNBC previously reported. Alderoty attended a Trump fundraising event hosted by Sacks in San Francisco in June.

Tech for Trump: Silicon Valley investors turn against Biden

Alderoty is at odds with Ripple’s billionaire co-founder Chris Larsen, who gave $1 million worth of XRP tokens to Future Forward, a super PAC that’s supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for the White House. Future Forward began accepting donations in crypto in September.

While Larsen shares the crypto industry’s criticism of SEC Chair Gary Gensler and the aggressive approach the Biden administration has taken towards companies in the space, the Ripple chairman said he has more confidence in Harris, in part because she’s from the Bay Area.

“She knows people who have grown up in the innovation economy her whole life,” Larsen told CNBC in an interview this week. “So I think she gets it at a fundamental level, in a way that I think the Biden folks were just not paying attention to, or maybe just didn’t make the connection between empowering workers and making sure you have American champions dominating their industries.”

In addition to Larsen, Uniswap legal chief Marvin Ammori gave money to the Harris Action Fund. Like Ripple, Uniswap is battling claims it violated U.S. securities laws.

On the pro-Trump side, billionaire twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss have led the charge, with an aggregate contribution of nearly $1.1 million each. Some of that money was refunded in September because it exceeded the maximum allowed.

WATCH: Kamala Harris backs crypto regulatory framework

Kamala Harris backs crypto regulatory framework in pitch to Black men: CNBC Crypto World

Continue Reading

Environment

GM reveals Next-Gen tactical vehicle with electric Silent Drive tech

Published

7 hours ago

on

October 16, 2024

By

GM reveals Next-Gen tactical vehicle with electric Silent Drive tech

Side view of GM Defense’s Next Gen tactical vehicle

GM rolled out its new “Next Gen” tactical vehicle prototype at the AUSA conference this week packing electric drive motors at the front and rear axles that enable Silent Drive and Silent Watch technologies to make the trucks harder to detect on the battlefield.

Based on the off-road focused Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD ZR2 pickup frame, the GM Defense version pairs GM’s 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel engine to a 12-module battery pack that send electrons to the “Silent Drive” electric motors powering each axle. GM says the quiet combo can help the big truck make its way through high threat zones without calling undue attention to themselves, and enable the truck to power a number of battlefield accessories.

“Our Next Gen vehicle is a game-changing mobility solution that delivers tactically significant capabilities by integrating GM’s proven commercial technologies,” said Steve duMont, president of GM Defense. “Our warfighters deserve the latest technology that industry can offer in order to gain and maintain competitive advantage over our adversaries. Our Next Gen mobility solution can be customized and fielded now.”

The GM Defense Next Gen tactical truck is currently being offered at AUSA in two-, four-, and six-seat configurations. The truck is built to support multi-mission capabilities, including command and control, launched effects, network extension, counter unmanned aerial systems anti-armor, casualty evacuation, and other critical missions.

The official press release is otherwise light on specs like kWh, armor levels, cabin filtration specs, and more – but that’s probably smart. Here are some of the features GM did share:

  • Silent Drive and Silent Watch, enabling low acoustic and thermal signatures;
  • Exportable power capable of charging mission systems;
  • Tactically significant range with extended mission duration;
  • Designed to be autonomy-ready with manned and unmanned options; and
  • Add-on armor capable.

GM also presented the following “sustainment” features:

  • Fuel demand reduction;
  • The ability to use existing JP8 fuel infrastructure;
  • Lower maintenance requirements from reduced parts and subsystems in the overall propulsion system; and
  • Reduced logistics tail for fuel, batteries, and vehicle parts.

“Next Gen’s ‘wow’ factor is right behind the wheel,” said John (JD) Johnson, vice president of GM Defense’s Government Solutions and Strategy Division. “Next Gen fundamentally changes the discussion around modern mobility through the tactical benefits delivered by its propulsion system, including its ability to address the power gap in the formation … we encourage customers to test drive it so that we can get these capabilities fielded immediately.”

GM Defense is also showing its new Stable Tactical Expeditionary Electric Power solution, which delivers tactical microgrid capabilities, and its Infantry Utility Vehicle, packaged with a Silent Tactical Energy Enhanced Dismount and Squad Maneuver Equipment Transport to represent an element of the Army’s Human-Machine Integration – Formation initiative.

Electrek’s Take

GM Defense’s Next Gen tactical vehicle; via GM.

The new GM Defense Next Gen tactical vehicle isn’t built on the same all-electric chassis as the GMC Hummer EV-based eMCV shown last year. That vehicle featured a 200 kWh and about 300 miles of range with no onboard ICE generator.

That vehicle is still officially in testing with the US Army. The Next Gen diesel EREV however, seems ready for sale now.

SOURCE | IMAGES: GM Defense.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending