C3 Journal on
Essays, evidence, and original arguments from the writers shaping this conversation.
Infrastructure
Leveraging Xylem's 'smart sewer' technology, the community of South Bend, Indiana, was able to save around $400 million in planned infrastructure spending... roughly one billion gallons of polluted water are now prevented from contaminating the St. Joseph River every year.
The voices in this section
All essays
Infrastructure
Recent heatwaves across Western Europe are highlighting the growing need for reliable and efficient climate-control infrastructure. limate infrastructure firm Trane Technologies is helping address this challenge through its energy optimization services powered by artificial intelligence. A leading provider of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, Trane’s innovative roster of energy-efficient technologies reduce energy consumption, improve efficiency, and enhance operational resilience across a wide array of facilities, from data centers and hospitals to residential buildings.
Energy
The term “moon shot” was launched in the 1940s, according to research by the Oxford English Dictionary. “The real result of all the work which would have to go into the moon shot,” Rotarian magazine wrote in 1949, “would be the knowledge of how to build and operate rockets of such size.”
Infrastructure
Developing and commercializing new metal alloys is a slow and expensive process. As a result, companies in sectors such as aerospace, defense, and energy often rely on established materials, even when they lack the performance required to build next-generation products. To address this challenge, Foundation Alloy is developing a new class of advanced alloys based on metals.
Energy
The fallout in global energy markets from the ongoing conflict in Iran demonstrates the perils of overrelying on a single energy source like oil to meet America’s energy needs. As countries are forced to ration fuel and subsidize energy costs, sustainable alternatives like geothermal power are receiving renewed and well-deserved attention for their ability to deliver reliable, always-on power without the risks of price volatility or supply disruptions.
Agriculture
American agriculture is becoming increasingly reliant on technology. From precision agriculture to virtual fencing, farmers and ranchers are finding smarter ways to manage their operations, driving productivity and environmental gains at the same time. But most of these tools depend on one thing: reliable connectivity.
Science & Tech
In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court handed the oil and gas industry a significant procedural win in a decade-long legal fight over Louisiana's eroding coastline. The decision changes where some of the cases will be heard, but it does not resolve the larger legal and policy problems at the heart of the litigation.
Energy
Last November, President Donald Trump launched the Genesis Mission through an executive order (EO) that outlines 26 National Science and Technology Challenges, ranging from autonomous scientific labs to fusion energy to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven grid operations. Embedded in that order is a directive to use prize competitions to get there. This is a smart policy because prizes are a growing but still underutilized tool at the Department of Energy (DOE). Now the DOE needs to run with it.
Environment
ZymoChem, the San Leandro, California-based chemical biomanufacturer creating sustainable alternatives for everyday products, announced that its bio-based and biodegradable Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP), BAYSE, now matches or exceeds key performance metrics of conventional fossil-fuel based SAPs, according to company data.
Environment
First commercially introduced in the 1940s due to their water-, stain-, and grease-resistant properties, they are commonly found in clothing, non-stick cookware, and other everyday household items. Because they persist for long periods in the environment, PFAS have been found in drinking water across the country.
Agriculture
As the global population grows, bio-innovative solutions capable of meeting rising food demand will be critical to sustainably safeguarding the global food supply and mitigating environmental risks. Among the companies contributing to global crop protection efforts is Eden Research, a UK-based developer of sustainable fungicides.
