< Back Florida has installed the second most solar power capacity in the country in 2024 by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix 11 Dec 2024 Nearly 30,000 Floridians have installed solar power this year, bringing the number of installations to over 253,000 according to a new report. The state as a whole has installed 3.1 gigawatts (GW) of solar-generation capacity through the first three quarters of this year, nearly matching the state’s record-setting amount of 3.2 GW installed last year. That’s the second most in the nation, ranking behind only Texas. That information comes from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and data analysis consultancy Wood Mackenzie’s U.S. Solar Market Insight Q4 2024 report. The price of solar power has gone down by 43% over the past decade. That’s a major factor in why Florida has ramped up production of solar in recent years, said Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE). “The technology price points are actually in the money compared to other generation technology, so it’s actually more cost effective to build a solar plus storage for a large utility than it is to build any other generation unit, when you look at the lifetime cost and the cost to get it up and get it operational quickly,” he said. Nearly a decade ago, SACE and other clean energy advocates in Florida were critical of the state’s investor-owned utilities for their lack of investment in solar power. That’s changed dramatically, Smith said, praising in particular NextEra’s Energy’s Florida Power & Light, the state’s largest regulated utility, serving more than 12 million people . FPL’s solar energy expansion is part of its “Real Zero” goal of eliminating carbon emissions from its power plant fleet — a plan that Smith calls one of “the most ambitious solar goals in the country.” As the Phoenix first reported in 2022, the Real Zero decarbonization plan pledges to cut NextEra’s own carbon emissions in the regions it serves by 70% by 2025, compared with its 2005 baseline; 82% by 2030; 87% by 2035; 94% by 2040; and 100% by 2045. The company say it will do so by expanding solar-power generation to 90,000 megawatts, adding 50,000 megawatts of battery storage, maintaining nuclear power generation, and converting 16,000 megawatts of natural gas units to run on green hydrogen. “The cost of producing electricity from new solar is around $60/MWh compared to $70MWh for new natural gas,” said Dawn Shirreffs, Florida director for the Environmental Defense Fund. “As a result, we see NextEra/FPL is now very focused on solar and storage to diversify their portfolio and lower costs in Florida, but other utilities continue to propose new natural gas plants.” ‘No surprise’ “The growth of solar in Florida and across the nation is no surprise,” added Susan Glickman, vice president for policy and partnerships with the CLEO Institute, a climate nonprofit. “Fossil fuel prices are climbing while the cost of solar has declined 43% in the last 10 years. Plus, using solar power reduces the climate pollution warming causing expensive unnatural disasters and extreme weather. Around 250,000 Floridians installed solar on their roofs in the latest reporting year. They will get to enjoy stability in their power bill while knowing they are protecting Florida’s natural environment.” Florida receives 8% of its existing electricity portfolio from solar, according to the SEIA . That figure is expected to increase over the next decade, with the total proportion of renewable energy in Florida expected to reach 28% by 2032, primarily from the addition of new solar generation, according to a report published earlier this year by the Florida Public Service Commission. Tthe state relies on natural gas for 75% of its energy needs, a larger proportion than in any other state). Florida is predicted to take over as the top-ranked residential solar state in 2028, according to the new SEIA report, although not all environmental advocates are convinced that is destined to occur. “If we’re talking about the cumulative number of households with solar, it’s possible but we’ll need a major uptick in installation to pass California,” Shirreffs said. California receives 31% of its energy portfolio from solar power. Previous Next

< Back A ‘new climate era’ – This Week in Cleantech John Engel This week’s episode features Izzy Ross from Grist , who wrote about how Michigan’s fast-tracking of renewable energy projects under a new law, Public Act 233, is facing legal pushback from about 80 townships and counties. This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Robert Wilson and Louisa Ziane , Co-Founders of Toast Brewing, which brews beer with the surplus of fresh bread from bakeries, reducing agricultural demand for barley and food waste. Every second loaf of bread is wasted in the UK, but since 2016, Toast Brewing has saved enough bread to stack more than four times the height of Mount Everest. Congratulations Robert and Louisa! 1. Utilities build flow batteries big enough to oust coal, gas power plants — The Washington Post Japan’s Hokkaido island has enough wind energy to power itself and export clean energy to the rest of the country, but not without battery storage. The island is looking to deploy a new generation of battery storage called flow batteries, which stores energy in large tanks of metallic liquid. Lithium-ion batteries only last about 10 years, whereas the vanadium in these flow batteries can be reused over and over again. Right now, the flow batteries can store energy for about 4 hours, approximately the same as a lithium-ion battery, but there are plans to double that duration. One major problem with these batteries is that they have double the upfront cost of lithium, skeptical financiers, and a market dominated by China and Russia. 2. Northvolt, Europe’s Hope for a Battery Champion, Files for Bankruptcy — The New York Times Northvolt, which makes lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, was viewed as Europe’s strongest competitor to Chinese battery manufacturers, filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. last Thursday. The company has been cutting jobs for months, and faced several challenges this year, including a plant accident and a loss of a contract with BMW worth $2.15 billion. The company plans to restructure its debt so it can continue operations in the future. Two planned factories in Germany and Canada are financed separately and will continue to operate, and the company’s factories in Sweden will continue to make deliveries and pay vendors and employees. 3. US Solar Installs Facing Flat Growth — and That’s Before Trump — Bloomberg In four of the last five years, we’ve seen double-digit growth for solar installations. But according to a SEIA and Woodmac report released Wednesday, solar installations will drop 1.8% in 2024. The pace of solar installations is expected to plateau through the end of the decade, and that’s without considering the potential changes from Trump. Over the next five years, average annual growth is expected to stay around 2%. Previous Next

< Back Woman loses £20k through AI investment scam New figures have revealed people were scammed out of £612m through investment fraud last year, with criminals now using famous faces to gain trust. Ann Jensen, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, fell victim to a fake investment opportunity she thought was being promoted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Once the fraudsters had persuaded Ms Jensen to take out a £20,000 loan to prove her financial fluidity, she never heard from them again. She described the realisation she had been scammed as having a "physical reaction" as though her "body had gone to liquid".Investment scammers trick people into thinking they are putting their money into a financial scheme that will grow, such as cryptocurrency, when they are just taking off with their cash. Ms Jensen told BBC Morning Live how she got hooked on one of these fraudulent schemes after scammers used deepfake technology to mimic the Prime Minister. “It was Keir Starmer talking about the benefit of this wonderful investment opportunity," she said. "That if you put in £200 you could start to make money on crypto trading. I clicked on it.” The fraudsters convinced Ms Jensen her initial investment had grown to more than £2,500 and persuaded her to take out a loan to prove she had enough funds to make more cryptocurrency, assuring her she would get this money back. But once the cooling-off period for the loan had passed Ms Jensen could no longer get in contact with the fraudsters. Previous Next

< Back BLM approves Lava Ridge; Idaho legislators still hope Trump kills it Paul Gerke The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has signed off on a neutered version of the Lava Ridge Wind project northeast of Twin Falls, Idaho that reduces the area it disturbs area by half and decreases the height and quantity of its turbines, but state legislators remain hellbent on stymying its construction. On Friday, BLM approved a plan for Magic Valley Energy’s Lava Ridge that drops its amount of proposed turbines from 400 to 241; 231 on BLM-managed lands and 10 on property owned by the state. The plan also imposes a maximum height limit of 660 feet for the turbines, which BLM asserts is consistent with public and community feedback regarding the protection of sensitive natural and cultural resources- namely the nearby Minidoka National Historic Site, where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during WWII. Under the approved plan, Lava Ridge’s closest turbine would be nine miles away. “The Department recognizes the deep history and significance of this landscape and appreciates the tremendous collaborative effort that went into minimizing the project’s impact on both the visual character of the area and the physical environment,” said principal deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management, Dr. Steve Feldgus. The BLM expects the wind turbines and related infrastructure to disturb 992 acres within a 38,535-acre area of BLM-managed public lands in Jerome, Lincoln, and Minidoka counties. Even in its scaled-down form, Lava Ridge would be the largest wind generation project in the state, providing power for up to 500,000 homes. “The BLM spent hundreds of hours in the field and in conference rooms talking with Native American leaders, Japanese American community members, cooperating agencies, ranchers, and a broad range of people with deep ties to the Magic Valley, who all helped shape the proposal,” explained BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “Those discussions led to a final decision that balances clean energy development that the country needs and the protection of resources that are vital to the natural and cultural history of the West.”   As part of the process, the BLM responded to a nomination for protection of the landscape’s importance to the Minidoka National Historic Site by enacting interim measures to limit additional development and protect cultural resources found in the former Minidoka War Relocation Center on approximately 15,000 acres of public lands. The interim measures will stay in place until the area is further considered for designation as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern during a formal planning process. The BLM’s record of decision also reduces potential impacts to sage grouse, large wildlife migration routes and winter concentration areas, cultural resources, Jerome County Airport and agricultural aviation uses, public land ranchers, and adjacent private landowners. The project, proposed by Magic Valley Energy, an affiliate of LS Power, would create up to 700 jobs during its three-year construction and 20 permanent jobs once it becomes operational. The project’s construction would generate an estimated $21.9 million in annual tax revenue and contribute $138.9 million in total economic output to local and regional economies. Once in operation, the labor, materials, and taxes are estimated to have a minimum economic output of $7.5 million annually, per BLM. A slap in the face? When BLM issued a final environmental impact statement on Lava Ridge Wind this summer, Idaho legislators vowed to continue their fight against the project; Congressman Mike Sampson (R-ID) called it “a slap in the face to Idahoans,” citing “widespread opposition at the local, state, and federal levels.” Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) has long maintained that Lava Ridge is “ill-begotten,” “unwanted,” and “unnecessary.” Risch was among the first to condemn BLM’s decision in June, and he was equally quick to fire both barrels against BLM’s final approval, spending part of his weekend voicing his disdain in the studio of Boise television station KTVB. “I made the promise that this wasn’t going to be built, and this promise is going to be a lot easier to keep with Donald Trump having been elected,” Risch told the NBC affiliate . Risch believes Trump, who is notoriously opposed to wind power ( particularly the offshore variety ), will sign an executive order once he returns to office to put a stop to Lava Ridge’s development. Attorney General Raul Labrador joined the chorus. “Idaho has spoken very clearly in opposition to this project,” he said in a statement. “The Lava Ridge project is a jewel in the Biden Administration’s Green New Deal crown and the Administration is moving ahead regardless of the damage to Idaho farms, ranches, rural communities, agricultural aviation, water supplies, wildlife, and historical sites. We will keep fighting this attempt to blatantly ignore the voice of Idahoans.” Little, Risch, and other legislators previously communicated their concerns with the proposal in a letter to the BLM Idaho State Director last year. Although the aforementioned elected officials seem steadfast in their hostility toward certain renewable energy projects, attitudes surrounding clean tech are clearly shifting in Idaho. In October, for the first time, the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners voted to approve a lease for a solar farm on state-owned property. The board agreed to lease more than 11,000 acres of state endowment land to a PacifiCorp wind and solar project in southeast Idaho, near Idaho Falls in Bingham County. Dubbed Arco Wind and Solar, the clean energy farm will be mostly constructed on private land, particularly the wind portion. The entire project spans more than 32,000 acres in Bingham and Fremont counties. NorthRenew Energy sold Arco Wind and Solar to PacifiCorp in February. Once finished, it will have more than 300 MW of combined wind, solar, and storage nameplate capacity. PacifiCorp is targeting late 2026 for commercial operations; construction on the land being used for solar is already underway. Previous Next

< Back Tiger Woods says he’s ‘got a long way to go’ before being ready to return to competitive golf Tiger Woods said that he’s “got a long way to go” before he can make a return to professional golf but insisted the “fire still burns to compete.” Woods was speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, a tournament he hosts. The 48-year-old is not playing this week as he continues to recover from a back surgery he underwent in September. The 15-time major winner has not played since The Open in July and the recent back problem continues Woods’ struggles with injuries, with the golf star saying that “the body just won’t recover like it used to.” Previous Next

< Back FedEx aims for ‘seamless’ customer transition with Freight spinoff The less-than-truckload unit aims to sustain or improve service levels while also bolstering its sales ranks. FedEx noted in its quarterly report that retaining existing relationships with customers is a risk factor of the spinoff, but Subramaniam vowed that “it’s business as usual” for shippers using FedEx Freight. The carrier will look to sustain or improve service to shippers while keeping FedEx Freight President Lance Moll at the helm. “We’re excited to create a leading LTL pure-play, the largest carrier by revenue with the broadest network and the fastest transit times,” Subramaniam said. “FedEx Freight has deep relationships with customers who turn to us for our reliability, simplicity and choice of services.” FedEx Freight will also begin hiring more than 300 LTL specialists on its sales force starting in January, which will result in better customer support, FedEx EVP and Chief Customer Officer Brie Carere said. The hires will add to the 75 sales reps FedEx currently employs to handle large accounts at Freight. Most of FedEx Freight’s volume from customers is tied to standalone LTL contracts, according to Carere. “Those contracts will be honored” as FedEx advances the spinoff process, she said. Despite various ties with FedEx’s other operations, FedEx Freight has long pushed to negotiate Freight contracts separately. This was the result of a pivot the company made several years ago to better compete in a fragmented market, according to Carere. However, most small customers using FedEx Freight have a bundled contract that also includes parcel shipping services, according to Carere. The company’s approach for these shippers amid the spinoff process “will be slightly nuanced,” she added, because FedEx’s earned discount program is prominently featured in small customer agreements. “The way the earned discount program works is that as they ship more FedEx Freight or more LTL, you actually get incremental benefit on your parcel side,” Carere said. “So there is some potential benefit from small customer improvement, too.” Previous Next

< Back The rise of cryptocurrency: How high could Bitcoin go in 2025? 2 Jan 2025 Bitcoin’s stunning gains this year have been attributed to optimism surrounding US regulatory developments. Analysts predict the cryptocurrency may have significantly more room for growth in 2025. Bitcoin experienced a 150% rally in 2024, positioning itself as one of the top market performers in the year. This can be attributed to three bullish factors - regulatory optimism, an improved macro environment, and mounting investor enthusiasm. Looking ahead, the world’s largest cryptocurrency is expected to extend its bullish trend in 2025, with analysts projecting it may reach a price range of between $200,000 (€193,000) and $250,000 (€241,000). The bullish Bitcoin cycle may continue Bitcoin has historically reached fresh highs every 4 years during its past two bullish cycles since 2017. Each cycle saw gains of 2300% and 1700% before setbacks of between 70% and 80%. Since its low of $16,000 (€15,500) two years ago, Bitcoin has surged approximately 600%, indicating substantial potential for further growth in the coming two years. Tom Lee from Fundstart Global Advisors predicts Bitcoin could reach $250, 000 in 2025. The Standard Chartered projects the price to hit $200,000 next year. Cryptocurrencies generally tend to move in a bullish trend during the easing monetary cycles of central banks. Investors’ appetite for risky assets typically grows in environments of increased liquidation and expanding money supply. With the world’s major central banks expected to continue cutting interest rates in 2025, prevailing risk-on sentiment is likely to support further gains for Bitcoin.Tom Lee from Fundstart Global Advisors predicts Bitcoin could reach $250, 000 in 2025. The Standard Chartered projects the price to hit $200,000 next year. Cryptocurrencies generally tend to move in a bullish trend during the easing monetary cycles of central banks. Investors’ appetite for risky assets typically grows in environments of increased liquidation and expanding money supply. With the world’s major central banks expected to continue cutting interest rates in 2025, prevailing risk-on sentiment is likely to support further gains for Bitcoin. Previous Next

AI vs. ML AI refers to developing computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. AI's inception coincided with the emergence of computers in the 1940s, and the first scholarly paper on neural networks, which form the basis of contemporary AI, was released in 1943. ML, on the other hand, is a subset of AI that focuses on the development of algorithms and statistical models that enable computers to perform tasks without being explicitly programmed but learned. The field of machine learning was founded by computer scientist Alan Turing in the 1950s. The Turing Test, proposed by him, assessed artificial intelligence by calculating its ability to mimic human behavior to the point where observers cannot distinguish between human and machine responses. Despite numerous attempts to develop an AI that passes the Turing Test, none has succeeded. However, Ray Kurzweil predicted that in 2029, we will pass the Turing test. Digital Transformation Digital transformation is more than just a buzzword. It’s a strategic imperative for organizations aiming to thrive in this century. At its core, digital transformation is about leveraging digital technologies to enhance or replace existing processes, systems, and improve customer experiences. It's a holistic approach that encompasses not only technology adoption but also cultural and operational shifts within an organization. AI in Digital Transformation Artificial Intelligence serves as the anchor in the digital transformation journey. Its ability to analyze vast datasets, derive meaningful insights, and automate complex tasks has elevated it to a key enabler of innovation. AI applications, such as machine learning and natural language processing, empower businesses to make data-driven decisions, automate routine processes, and enhance customer experiences. Data as the Fuel for AI The success of AI in digital transformation hinges on the quality and quantity of data available. As organizations accumulate data at an unprecedented rate, AI algorithms become more sophisticated, enabling deeper insights and predictive capabilities. Therefore, data becomes AI's lifeblood, fueling its ability to learn, adapt, and provide valuable outcomes. Enhancing Customer Experiences One of the most significant impacts of AI in digital transformation is its role in enhancing customer experiences. Through AI-powered chatbots, personalized recommendations, automated onboarding, and predictive analytics, businesses can offer tailored solutions, streamline interactions, and build stronger, more meaningful connections with their customers, and reduce churn. Automation with Generative AI Generative AI tools are leaving a notable impact across diverse industries, utilizing the capabilities of this technology to accomplish distinctive objectives, such as language translation, content creation, software development and testing, design and art, gaming, analyzing market trends and predicting stock movement, analyzing medical images and predicting patient outcomes. Top Generative AI Tools ChatGPT-4 by OpenAI Gemini by Google DeepMind GitHub Copilot by GitHub & OpenAI Claude by Anthropic LLaMA 2 by Meta Innovative Companies with AI-powered Testing Tools Tricentis Applitools AskUI mabl Testaify AI-driven automation is a game-changer for operational efficiency and effectiveness. The following tasks in assuring software quality can be delegated to AI systems, freeing up human resources to focus on more strategic, creative, and complex endeavors. Use generative AI to: Automatically generate test cases based on specifications, requirements, or historical data. This can help in rapidly creating diverse test scenarios, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Assist testers in exploratory testing by suggesting new test cases or generating variations of existing test cases using generative models. Generate realistic synthetic test data to ensure that your tests cover a wide range of scenarios, including edge cases and outliers. Leverage generative models to analyze code changes and predict potential defects before actual testing. This can help in prioritizing testing efforts and identifying high-risk areas. Develop adaptive self-healing test scripts that can evolve based on changes in the application's UI or functionality. Simulate real-world conditions, such as network fluctuations, device variations, sizes, or user interactions, to ensure your tests are robust and cover different scenarios. Utilize generative models to analyze code changes and automatically prioritize test cases based on the areas of the code that are most likely to be affected. Automatically document test cases, scenarios, and results reducing the manual effort required in test documentation. Employ generative models to assist in the triage process by automatically categorizing and prioritizing reported issues based on historical data, area of application, and the severity of the reported problems. Challenges and Considerations However, the integration of AI and digital transformation is not without its challenges. Ethical concerns, data privacy issues, and the need for skilled professionals capable of navigating this evolving landscape are just a few hurdles organizations must overcome. Striking the right balance between innovation and responsible AI usage is crucial. Looking Ahead As AI continues to evolve, its role in digital transformation will become even more pronounced. From autonomous systems to AI-driven decision-making, the future promises a seamless integration of AI technologies into the fabric of business operations. The Future is Now The synergy between AI and digital transformation represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of technology and business. Organizations that harness the power of AI strategically, aligning it with digital transformation goals, are poised to not only survive but thrive in the digital era. The journey towards a digitally transformed future is not a destination but an ongoing process of continuous learning, with AI as a steadfast companion in this exciting evolution.

< Back Biden Administration’s Launch of Section 301 Trade Investigation Related to China’s Targeting of the Semiconductor Industry for Dominance Semiconductor Industry Association 27 Dec 2024 WASHINGTON SIA President and CEO John Neuffer regarding the Biden administration’s decision to launch a Section 301 trade investigation “China is a major player in the global semiconductor industry, and Beijing is working to develop an ‘independent and controllable’ semiconductor industry in China through both supply-side and demand-side measures. Recent calls in China to limit procurement of U.S. chips and related claims that American chips are ‘no longer safe or reliable’ are particularly troubling. “Given the prevalence of semiconductors throughout our economy – from everyday consumer electronics and cars to military systems and AI data centers – we urge the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to proceed deliberately and to work closely with industry throughout the process. Leaders in Washington should also pursue a proactive and affirmative agenda that builds our domestic fabrication and packaging capacity, strengthens our research and design ecosystem, and creates new demand for Made-in-America chips at home and overseas. “For America to remain the world’s economic and technological leader, we must lead in semiconductor technology and build resilient supply chains for critical upstream materials used in chip production. We look forward to working with the incoming Trump administration and the new Congress to preserve America’s semiconductor supply chain resilience and ensure the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem is the global leader for many years to come.” Previous Next

< Back How technology can help curb attention disorders Sarah Jones 19 Mar 2023 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Previous Next

< Back Bitcoin surges past $100k for first time 2 Dec 2024 The price of Bitcoin has for the first time broken past the $100,000 mark, hitting a new record high. The value of the world's biggest cryptocurrency has been boosted by hopes US President-elect Donald Trump will adopt crypto-friendly policies. The milestone was reached hours after Trump said he would nominate former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) commissioner Paul Atkins to run the Wall Street regulator. Mr Atkins is seen as being far more pro-cryptocurrency than the current head of the SEC, Gary Gensler. The $100,000 milestone prompted celebrations from cryptocurrency fans around the world. Bitcoin's wildly fluctuating value has always attracted interest, with its backers reacting with delight when it has passed previous price thresholds - and defiance during its slumps . But this particular landmark has been especially keenly anticipated. For weeks charts, memes and predictions have swirled around social media about when the price would hit the figure thought to be one of the holy grails of the crypto world. Millions of viewers even tuned in to online watch parties as the price hovered close to $100k. The value of a single bitcoin is one of the barometers of optimism in the cryptocurrency industry which is now estimated to be worth $3.3tn, according to analysis firm Coin Market Cap. Trump's election victory last month was the catalyst for the latest surge. The president-elect has vowed to make the US "the crypto capital of the planet" - a remarkable turnaround given as recently as 2021 he was calling Bitcoin a "scam." Also remarkable is just how Bitcoin's price has rocketed. A valuation of $100k represents a 40% increase on election day in the U.S. and more than double the price it started the year at. But there's lots more to Bitcoin than the dizzying changes in its value. From its enigmatic inventor to the bringing down of the so-called Crypto King, it's a story with many twists and turns, which has seen the making - and losing - of huge fortunes. So here's the BBC's list of the seven wildest moments - so far - in Bitcoin's tumultuous history. 1. The mysterious creator of Bitcoin Despite its enormous profile, no-one actually knows for sure who invented Bitcoin. The idea for it was posted on internet forums in 2008 by someone calling themselves Satoshi Nakamoto. They explained how a peer-to-peer digital cash system could work to enable people to send virtual coins over the internet, just as easily as sending an email. Satoshi created a complex computer system that would process transactions and create new coins using a huge network of self-appointed volunteers around the world who used special software and powerful computers. But he - or they - never revealed their identity, and the world has never worked it out. In 2014, Japanese-American man Dorian Nakamoto was pursued by reporters who thought he was the elusive Bitcoin creator, but it proved to be a false lead caused by some mistranslated information. Australian computer scientist Craig Wright said it was him in 2016 - but after years of legal battles, a High Court judge concluded he was not Satoshi. Earlier this year, a Canadian Bitcoin expert called Peter Todd strongly denied being Satoshi , while in London this month a British man, Stephen Mollah, claimed he was - but no-one believed him . 2. Making history... with pizza Bitcoin now underpins a two trillion-dollar cryptocurrency industry - but the first recorded transaction using it was the purchase of pizza. On 22 May 2010, Lazlo Hanyecz, offered $41 worth of Bitcoin on a crypto forum in return for two pizzas. A 19-year-old student obliged and the day went down in history for fans of the currency as #BitcoinPizza day. A source of memes for those in crypto community, it also showcased the power of Bitcoin - an internet money that could genuinely buy items online. Criminals must have been watching too, because within a year the first darknet marketplace was launched selling drugs and other illegal goods in exchange for Bitcoin. The deal looks pretty bad for Lazlo now too. If he had held onto those coins they would now be worth hundreds of millions of dollars! 3. Becoming legal tender In September 2021, President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, central America, made Bitcoin legal tender. Hairdressers, supermarkets and other shops had to accept Bitcoin by law, alongside its main currency, the US dollar. Many Bitcoin enthusiasts and reporters visited the area, briefly boosting tourism to the country. While President Bukele hoped the move would increase investment in his country and cut costs for citizens exchanging money, it did not become as popular as he hoped. He is still hoping it will take off but for now the US dollar still remains king in the country. As well as the huge amount of public money President Bukele spent on trying to make people embrace Bitcoin he also, controversially, bought more than 6,000 bitcoins over the past few years. The president spent at least $120m buying up bitcoins at various prices in the hope of making a profit for his cash-strapped country. It started to look good for him in December 2023 when, for the first time, his stash skyrocketed in value. A website built by Dutch software engineer Elias Zerrouq is tracking the country's Bitcoin holdings and currently estimates that the coins have risen 98% in value. 4. Kazakhstan's crypto boom and bust In 2021, Kazakhstan became a hotspot for Bitcoin mining - the process of crunching through the complex calculations that underpin crypto transactions. These days it takes warehouses full of the latest computers running all day and all night, but the reward is brand new bitcoins for those companies that take part. Warehouses of computers require lots of power - and many businesses moved to Kazakhstan where electricity was abundant thanks to huge coal reserves. At first the government welcomed them with open arms as they brought investment. But too many miners arrived and put huge strain on the electricity grid, putting the country at risk of blackouts. Within a year, Kazakhstan's Bitcoin mining industry went from boom to bust as the government imposed restrictions and increased taxes to curb the growth. Around the world it is estimated that the Bitcoin network uses as much electricity as a small country, raising concerns about its environmental impact. 5. Bitcoins in the rubbish dump Imagine having a crypto wallet worth more than $100m (£78m) - and then accidentally throwing away a hard drive containing the login details. That's what James Howells, from south Wales, says happened to him The very nature of crypto means that recovery is not as easy as resetting your password. With no banks involved - there is no customer support helpline. Previous Next

Bitcoin is Just the Beginning: The Valuable Potential of Blockchain Technology While many have solely thought of Bitcoin when the term “cryptocurrency” is referenced, today it is the system they are built on that is disrupting many entities in the financial industry and beyond. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency are programmed on a system called blockchain. This system facilitates a peer-to-peer transaction network that operates directly between users without an intermediary. And even though Bitcoin and other types of cryptocurrency are a Soft Trend—one whose future is open to influence—the existence of the blockchain and the concept of cryptocurrency is definitely a Hard Trend. It is here to stay with abundant applications. The rapidly evolving technology of blockchain holds enormous promise for game-changing disruption across any number of industries and fields; it just takes some understanding to figure out how you and your organization can use my Anticipatory Organization Model to leverage this disruptive Hard Trend to your advantage. Blockchain Broken Down For those who may be unfamiliar with the term, the blockchain is made up of a system of decentralized transaction records called blocks used to create a transaction without any input from any sort of controlling entity. Banks and financial institutions are the most known examples of said controlling entities, especially given the common application of blockchain in the financial world. Currently, most people store their savings in a bank account at a bank, and said bank makes money by charging overdraft fees if need be and interest on loans. The blockchain effectively eliminates the need for the bank in this example by using peer-to-peer connectivity for a secure, direct connection between all involved parties. Many wonder just how secure peer-to-peer transactions could be, as I’m sure many are remembering the peer-to-peer networks of music sharing in the very early 2000s and the warnings of how it could make your computer susceptible to hacking. However, the blockchain is far more secure in that it utilizes cryptography to keep exchanges secure and a decentralized database of transactions, known as a “digital ledger,” that everyone on the network can see. Essentially, if someone tries to tamper with a ledger entry, the rest of the network will disagree on the integrity of that particular transaction and will not incorporate it into the larger blockchain. In and of itself, that’s a genuinely revolutionary form of security. Multiple Uses of Blockchain I have spoken at length about blockchain technology and how disruptive it can be in the financial industry; however, other applications of blockchain technology are ready and waiting to be leveraged by the right Anticipatory Organization or entrepreneur. Most are stuck in the current paradigm of cryptocurrency and even the future potential of digital currency implemented by the Federal Reserve. This is likely because, in their minds, a physical, tangible thing that blockchain facilitates is currency exchange, which they are already used to in some capacity with their banking apps or even Venmo. However, here are some new applications of blockchain technology that can and will significantly disrupt the associated industries: Communication – In early 2020, the world’s first blockchain-powered smartphone was debuted by a company called Pundi X. The beauty of this device is that all of the apps and services involved are decentralized on the blockchain, allowing users to switch to “blockchain mode” to control their own data usage. Food – During CES 2020, the IBM Food Trust was introduced by IBM to the food industry. This system was built to facilitate authentic records in the food supply chain, allowing companies to accurately trace the specific origin of ingredients. Imagine how this can scale to help those with very specific dietary needs and maybe even help identify areas where cross-contamination of allergens potentially occur. Healthcare – Whether it has to do with processing insurance or admitting patients to a hospital, blockchain technology can greatly improve antiquated processes in the healthcare industry. HIPAA laws are strict, so decentralizing data that only the patient and doctor can access is tremendously secure. Personal Identification – This goes hand in hand with voting and even paying taxes. If we have our height, weight, Social Security number, voter ID, or any other information on a decentralized network, imagine how easily we can authenticate who an individual is in any case and, likewise, prevent identity theft more quickly. This may even expedite the long process of legal immigration. Our Digital Footprint Given the fact that up until this point, the most notable use of blockchain technology has been in the financial industry with cryptocurrency and now digital currency specific to a country, one must use an Anticipatory mindset when considering other valuable applications of the software. Essentially, blockchain technology creates a virtually unhackable ledger of transactions; an undisturbed digital footprint in place for accountability. The debut of the Internet was similar to the Wild West; right away, parents and educators pleaded with children and young adults to “not believe everything they read on the Internet,” as it could so easily be altered and fabricated. The blockchain is what the Internet should be, and applied to the antiquated and dangerously unreliable systems of yesterday corrects much of society for the better. Understanding this simple concept, we can keep our disruptive opportunity antennas up while we look into how blockchain can positively disrupt a multitude of industries beyond the four previously mentioned. The blockchain is a definite Hard Trend; it is here to stay and will continue to disrupt. The question is, how will you or your organization leverage this profound Hard Trend while it is still in its infancy stage and either pre-solve any problems it will cause your industry or determine how it can fix problems your industry faces.