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Employees work on bitcoin mining computers at Bitminer Factory in Florence, Italy.

Alessandro Bianchi | Reuters

Software used in bitcoin mining just got its first upgrade since late 2012, and a coalition of companies including payments giant Block (formerly Square) is trying to help push the open-source protocol forward to become an industry standard.

The move could help open bitcoin mining to more participants by supporting lower-quality internet connections, as well as improving security so miners get properly compensated for their work.

Bitcoin operates on a proof-of-work mining model, meaning that miners around the world run high-powered computers to create new bitcoin and validate transactions. Mining requires professional-grade equipment, some technical know-how, a lot of electricity and a special kind of software. 

Rather than directly accessing the bitcoin protocol, the vast majority of miners today work through an intermediary protocol called Stratum, which facilitates communication between the bitcoin network, miners, and the mining pools that combine the hashing power of thousands of miners all over the world.

Miners use Stratum to submit their work and to collect a reward if they successfully complete a new block of transactions.

On Tuesday, a coalition of bitcoin developers is releasing version 2 of Stratum under an open-source license for the mining industry to evaluate and test.

It will take some work to convince the mining industry to adopt the new protocol, so Spiral — a subsidiary of Jack Dorsey’s payments company Block (formerly Square) — is teaming up with bitcoin mining company Braiins to launch a group to test and fine-tune the open-source software before they push mass adoption.

What the upgrade does

Steve Lee, the lead at Spiral, tells CNBC there are several significant benefits to the upgrade, including cutting down on the use of data.

Currently, it is common for each mining rig in a large farm to directly connect to a pool. This setup wastes a lot of energy. Lee says that Stratum V2 supports a proxy that aggregates all the connections and only establishes one connection with the pool.

The process of sending that data is also changing to a more efficient method.

“All told, much less data needs to be transmitted between miners and pools, and this could help miners in remote regions of the world with poor internet,” noted Lee.

The upgrade is designed to improve security, as well. Today, it is possible to steal hash rate from a miner, which can lead to some miners losing money. Hash rate is a term for the collective computing power of the bitcoin network. To resolve this, Lee says Stratum V2 introduces a standard security mechanism with authentication and encryption between miners and pools.

The version being released Tuesday is for initial testing, and in early November, a more robust version will come out that supports additional functionality, including job negotiation — a “feature that represents a historic shift in the censorship-resistant mechanics of bitcoin mining by replacing a pool’s responsibility of assigning work to miners with the ability for miners to select their own work,” according to a joint statement released by Spiral and Braiins.

There are orders of magnitude more miners than pools, so if miners select transactions it is far more decentralized than just a handful of pools, Lee explained.

“Working for industrywide adoption of the upgraded Stratum protocol is one of the most important developments in improving the decentralization and censorship resistance of bitcoin’s architecture,” Lee said.

As for timing, the pilot and integration testing will happen this fall, and next year, the upgraded protocol will likely see greater adoption once miners and pools are confident it is working well.

“I’d anticipate a gradual increase in hash rate in 2023,” Lee told CNBC. “Reaching 10% hash rate by the end of 2023 would be a great success,” continued Lee.

Lee added that it will likely take several years to see the latest version of Stratum replace the original.

“Miners know the benefits of upgrading to Stratum V2 very well, but pushing the entire mining industry over some of the remaining development and adoption hurdles is a big task,” said Jan Capek, co-founder of Braiins.

“Universal standards for running and building Stratum V2 and the efforts of this working group to push the industry forward will provide the momentum bitcoin needs to finally upgrade from a version of its mining protocol that was built a decade ago,” continued Capek.

Similar to the Lightning Network, which is a technology built on top of bitcoin’s base layer to make payments more efficient, there will be different implementations of Stratum V2. However, the open-source version released Tuesday will make it easier to collectively test out the technology. It will also ensure that the various projects can interact with one another.

Crypto Crackdown: Why federal charges over an alleged Ponzi scheme may only be the tip of the iceberg

Block jumping into mining

Tuesday’s announcement is part of Block’s larger push into the bitcoin mining industry.

On the sidelines of the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami in April, digital assets infrastructure company Blockstream and Block announced that they were breaking ground on a solar- and battery-powered bitcoin mine in Texas that uses solar and storage technology from Tesla.

Tesla’s 3.8 megawatt solar PV array and 12 megawatt-hour Megapack will power the facility.

Block is also independently working on a project to make bitcoin mining more distributed and efficient.

The idea of making the mining process more accessible has to do with more than just creating new bitcoin, according to Block’s general manager for hardware, Thomas Templeton. Instead, he says the company sees it as a long-term need for a future that is fully decentralized and permissionless.

“Mining needs to be more distributed,” Dorsey wrote in a tweet in October, when he first floated the idea. “The more decentralized this is, the more resilient the bitcoin network becomes.”

Toward that end, the company is solving one major barrier to entry: Mining rigs are hard to find, expensive and delivery can be unpredictable. Block says it is open to making a new ASIC, which is the specialized gear used to mine for bitcoin.

The project is being incubated within Block’s hardware team, which is beginning to build out a core engineering team of system, ASIC and software designers led by Afshin Rezayee.

Two crypto experts say the Ethereum network merge is critical for the future of the currency

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Honda Prologue sales drop 86% in November even with deep discounts

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December 2, 2025

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Honda Prologue sales drop 86% in November even with deep discounts

Honda-Prologue-EV-sales-November

The Honda Prologue was a top-selling EV, thanks in part to discounts that climbed over $20,000 at times. But after losing the $7,500 tax credit, sales of the electric SUV fell 86% in November.

Honda Prologue sales fall in November despite discounts

After launching the Prologue last March, the electric SUV quickly became one of the most popular EVs in the US, thanks to its competitive range, affordable price, and Honda’s trusted name.

By the second half of 2024, the Honda Prologue was the second-best-selling electric SUV, trailing only the Tesla Model Y.

The momentum carried into this year, with the Prologue consistently ranking among the most popular EVs alongside the Tesla Model Y, Model 3, Chevy Equinox EV, Hyundai IONIQ 5, and Ford Mustang Mach-E.

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Thanks to policy changes under the Trump administration, including the elimination of the $7,500 tax credit at the end of September, nearly every automaker reported significantly fewer EV sales in November. Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and Toyota all reported significant EV sales declines last month, and Honda was no exception.

Honda-Prologue-EV-sales-November
Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)

Honda sold just 903 Prologues in November, 86% fewer than the over 6,800 it sold the year prior. Through November, Honda sold 38,262 Prologues, which is still more than the roughly 33,000 it sold in all of 2024.

Despite the lower EV sales, Honda said “electrified” vehicles, which are mainly gas-powered hybrids, reached 30.9% of brand sales. With another 28,258 units sold last month, Honda’s electrified vehicle sales reached 385,453 through November, a new annual sales record.

Honda-Prologue-$20,000-off
The interior of the Honda Prologue (Source: Honda)

Although Honda confirmed the Acura ZDX will not return for a 2026 model year, the Prologue will remain on sale for at least another year.

The Prologue is built on GM’s Ultium platform, the same one that underpins all electric Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles.

Honda-Prologue-EV-sales-November
Honda Prologue at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Honda)

Honda has been offering some of the most significant discounts on the Prologue, with combined savings exceeding $20,000 in some months. Even after the tax credit expired, Honda is still offering nearly $17,000 off select Prologue models.

Next year, Honda will introduce its new 0 Series electric vehicles, based on a dedicated EV platform. The first vehicle based on the platform will be an SUV in 2026, followed shortly by a sedan.

Of the over 102,000 vehicles Honda sold in the US last month, only 925 were all-electric vehicles (including the Prologue and Acura ZDX), or less than 1%. Those 0-series EVs can’t come soon enough.

As most automakers agree, the policy changes under the Trump administration led to a rush of buyers ahead of the tax credit expiration at the end of September. Despite reports claiming the credit created false demand for EVs, the market is expected to reset over the next few months.

With nearly $17,000 in savings, the Prologue is still a great deal. If you’re looking to test drive one for yourself, we can help you get started. You can use our link to find the Honda Prologue in your area.


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EcoFlow Cyber Week Sale continues up to 80% power station discounts from $75 + exclusive DELTA 3 Ultra $879 low, Lectric, more

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December 2, 2025

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EcoFlow Cyber Week Sale continues up to 80% power station discounts from + exclusive DELTA 3 Ultra 9 low, Lectric, more


Cyber Monday may technically be over, but the savings aren’t slowing down, with today’s Green Deals being led by EcoFlow’s Cyber Week Sale that is continuing to take up to 80% off power stations, complete with extra savings and free gifts – all starting from $75. We also have Lectric’s Cyber Week e-bike sale with up to $893 savings starting from $999, which is donating $250 per order to foster children in need today, specifically, as well as an exclusive $1,620 savings on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Ultra Portable Power Station at a new $879 low, and a bunch of other extended/updated deals from Anker SOLIX, Autel, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals from the holiday event that are collected together in our Black Friday/Cyber Monday Green Deals hub, which we will continue to update through the rest of the week, like yesterday’s ongoing $13,289 exclusive savings across 20 different EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X power station-centric offers, 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.

The official dates for Black Friday and Cyber Monday may have passed, but that doesn’t mean the savings train has pulled out of the station, as EcoFlow has launched its Cyber Week Sale with up to 80% continued savings on power stations, alongside free gifts and bonus savings using the code 25EFBFAFF at checkout. Among the offers, you’ll find the brand’s latest DELTA 3 1000 Air Portable Power Station down at $309 shipped, which comes with a FREE waterproof bag ($99 value), but sadly isn’t eligible for the extra savings code. We saw this new model launch early last month during early Black Friday sales with $200 cut from its $499 full tag price. While it’s not returning to that launch rate, if you missed out, you’re still getting the next-best price that sits only $10 higher. Head below for more on this new backup power solution and browse the entire sale lineup while it lasts through the rest of the week.

We’re seeing some slightly changed promotions during EcoFlow’s Cyber Week Sale, starting with the continued 5% extra savings you can score on many units by using the code 25EFBFAFF at checkout. From there, you will get a FREE 45W portable solar panel after spending $500, which becomes 2x 160W Bifacial portable solar panels once your order reaches $2,500. The brand is also offering an additional 10% automatic savings when buying two eligible accessories in one order, as well as the continued chance at the Lucky Draw.

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As the name implies, EcoFlow’s new DELTA 3 1000 Air power station is a lighter and more compact solution for powering devices and small appliances. It houses a 960Wh LiFePO4 battery that EcoFlow boasts to “power 99% of home-essential appliances” with a 500W steady output that can climb to 1,000W at most. You’ll have a mix of AC, Type-C, and Type-A ports for connections, complete with indicator lights for grid status when tapped in and immediately switching over power supplies when any instability is detected.

It comes with four primary means to top its own battery off, starting with two hours of charging from an AC outlet. There’s also the option to utilize up to 500W of solar input or a gas generator, as well as the usual on-the-go solution from your car’s auxiliary port (with a 500W alternator charger ramping that rate up to much faster heights).

***Note: The prices below have not had the bonus 5% savings factored in, so be sure to use the promo code 25EFBFAFF at checkout to score the absolute best prices. Some offers may not be valid.

EcoFlow’s other Cyber Week DELTA 3 1000 Air offers:

EcoFlow Cyber Week website-only deals/bundles:

EcoFlow’s better Cyber Week Sale deals at Amazon:

EcoFlow’s best Cyber Week Sale picks:

EcoFlow’s 1-2kWh Black Friday deals:

EcoFlow’s 3-6kWh Black Friday deals:

EcoFlow’s outdoor adventure power deals:

EcoFlow solar panel deals:

EcoFlow’s other add-on accessory deals:

As I mentioned among the brackets, folks who want to pick up the DELTA Pro Ultra power station can do so much cheaper and with a FREE 400W solar panel at Wellbots for $3,449, while we’ve secured up to $13,289 in exclusive savings across 20 various DELTA Pro Ultra X power station offers to new low prices starting from $174.

Lectric Cyber Week e-bike Sale promotional banner

Lectric’s Cyber Week Sale continues with up to $893 holiday e-bike bundle savings from $999

Lectric is continuing its holiday savings event with a Cyber Week Sale that is taking up to $893 off its e-bike bundles, with today (Tuesday December 2, 2025) also being dubbed “Giving Tuesday,” where $250 from each purchase is donated to Arizona foster children. Among the lineup, the most children-focused (among other uses) is the Lectric XPedition 2.0 Cargo e-bikes that come in either a 13Ah single-battery configuration with $346 in FREE gear at $1,399 shipped, the 26Ah dual-battery configuration with $744 in FREE gear at $1,799 shipped, or the 35Ah dual-battery long-range configuration with $893 in FREE gear at $1,999 shipped. To get these e-bikes with these particular bundles would run you $1,745, $2,543, and $2,892 without the savings, which are continuing the largest bundle sizes to date for one week longer.

To check out the full lineup of Lectric’s Cyber Week e-bike deals, be sure to check out our original coverage of this sale here.

EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra power station sitting in grass in front of solar panels

Get $1,620 exclusive savings on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Ultra 3,072Wh power station at a new $879 low

Holiday savings are still running strong, as we have secured an exclusive deal from Wellbots on EcoFlow’s DELTA 3 Ultra Portable Power Station for $879 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5ECOCM120 at checkout, beating the brand’s current Cyber Week sale pricing by $220. Coming down from its $2,499 price tag, we saw this new model drop as low as $999 between its launch in late September and today. That rate is getting beaten out by the combined $1,620 exclusive markdown here, which lands it lower than ever for the best price we have tracked. You can also find new continuing lows on the DELTA Pro Ultra 400W solar bundle, as well as 20 various offers on the latest DELTA Pro Ultra X power station and bundles.

If you want to learn more about this station’s capabilities, be sure to check out our original coverage of this exclusive deal here.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra power station outside next to solar panels

Best Fall EV deals!

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.


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National Grid taps AI to combat rising wildfire risk in the Northeast

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4 hours ago

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December 2, 2025

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National Grid taps AI to combat rising wildfire risk in the Northeast

National Grid Rhizome AI

Image: National Grid

National Grid is rolling out new AI tools to get ahead of increasing wildfire risk across the Northeast. The utility is partnering with Washington DC-based Rhizome, a grid resilience planning company, to identify and prevent potential ignition threats across its transmission and distribution networks in Massachusetts, New York, and the UK.

Rhizome’s gridFIRM (Fire Ignition Reduction and Mitigation) platform launched in July 2024. It uses AI to calculate the likelihood that utility equipment could spark a wildfire and highlights the most cost-effective ways to mitigate those risks. The system builds on Rhizome’s existing weather-driven grid-failure modeling tools that utilities are already using.

Casey Kirkpatrick, director of strategic engineering at National Grid, said, “This groundbreaking new tool will allow us to pinpoint and address risks within our transmission and distribution systems while minimizing costs for customers.”

“As we’ve seen in both the data and the destruction in recent years, wildfire risk is not a regional problem but an increasingly global one,” said Mishal Thadani, cofounder and CEO of Rhizome. “Today’s partnership with National Grid is a significant step forward in our mission to shield society from the effects of climate change through intelligent planning.”

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National Grid says using the gridFIRM platform will help it identify high-risk areas where utility assets could spark wildfires, quantify and prioritize wildfire risks across its networks, develop cost-effective prevention and response strategies, and improve overall grid-resilience planning.

While wildfires have long been associated with the West Coast, the Northeast is increasingly feeling the heat. In 2024, New York and Massachusetts saw a combined 2,626 wildfires — more than double the number from the previous year. As both the human and financial tolls rise, National Grid says that comprehensive wildfire planning is becoming a necessity for utilities and the communities they serve.

Read more: A new AI-powered platform that helps utilities reduce wildfires just got a $1M injection

If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!

Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad


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