Author: WeWorldMedia-admin

Nearly $48 Million Approved to Support Disaster Recovery

Published: 22 September 2025
Categories: FEMA News

RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – FEMA announced nearly $48 million in additional funding for 46 North Carolina Tropical Storm Helene and other disaster recovery projects. 

This includes 31 newly approved projects, as well as 18 large projects, each over $1 million that the Department of Homeland Security has advanced and will be available to communities. 

Here are some of the grants approved for the state and communities:

$10.9 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for road repairs.$3.7 million to Buncombe County for architectural and engineering services.$3.1 million to the North Carolina Forest Service for emergency protective measures. $2.7 million to the Buncombe County Board of Education for emergency protective measures.$2.1 million to the town of Beech Mountain for road repairs and management costs.$1.8 million to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for repairs to state park roads, culverts, bridges and facilities.$1.6 million to Appalachian State University for repairs to facilities including their New River Light and Power Oak Grove substation.

FEMA is reimbursing Helene costs at no less than a 90% federal share through its Public Assistance program which provides funds for state and local governments response and recovery work. Since Jan. 20, more than $510 million in reimbursements have been approved to support recovery. 

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Utility-scale batteries are more commonly used for price arbitrage

Published: 22 September 2025
Categories: US Energy Information Administration

RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

In-brief analysis

September 22, 2025

In our annual survey of power plant activity, we ask operators of utility-scale batteries how they are using their systems, and one use case is increasingly prevalent: price arbitrage. Arbitrage involves buying electricity when prices are relatively low and selling that electricity when prices are high.

Utility-scale battery systems can be used for many applications. In previous years, we asked operators to identify the ways they used their batteries. Common use cases included price arbitrage as well as frequency regulation, excess wind and solar generation, system peak shaving, load management, and more.

Beginning with the 2023 survey, we asked operators to identify the primary use case for their battery system. Last year, operators responded that 66% of all utility-scale battery capacity had arbitrage among its uses and that 41% of the

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Sneezing from cats or dust? Safe UV light may neutralize allergens in minutes

Published: 22 September 2025
Categories: Engineering News

RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

Sneezing from cats, dust mites, or mold may one day be preventable with a flip of a switch. Researchers at CU Boulder found that UV222 light can alter allergen proteins, reducing allergic reactions without dangerous side effects. Within 30 minutes, airborne allergens decreased by up to 25%. The team imagines portable devices that could shield people in homes, schools, and workplaces from harmful triggers.

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Tiny new lenses, smaller than a hair, could transform phone and drone cameras

Published: 21 September 2025
Categories: Engineering News

RSS feed source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

Scientists have developed a new multi-layered metalens design that could revolutionize portable optics in devices like phones, drones, and satellites. By stacking metamaterial layers instead of relying on a single one, the team overcame fundamental limits in focusing multiple wavelengths of light. Their algorithm-driven approach produced intricate nanostructures shaped like clovers, propellers, and squares, enabling improved performance, scalability, and polarization independence.

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