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How EVs could aid the grid.

September 13, 2024 PRESENTED BY It's Friday. Today, we have the second installment in our series on how tech can help and/or hinder the electric grid. Tech Brew's Jordyn Grzelewski walks us through the EV landscape. What at first might seem like a huge power suck could actually be stabilizing for the grid—if the right tech is deployed. (Miss the first story? Get caught up.) In today's edition: Here's how EVs could actually make the US electric grid more resilient EVs boost August sales for automakers, even as electric retreat continues AI has become a key tool for Gen Z side hustles —Jordyn Grzelewski, Patrick Kulp, Annie Saunders CONNECTIVITY Calling in backup Amelia Kinsinger The fact that millions more EVs will be on the road in the coming years has stoked concerns about a US electric grid that is already overtaxed as the climate crisis exacerbates power reliability issues across the country. But what if EVs could actually make the grid more resilient and reliable? That's one of the multibillion-dollar questions shaping the transition away from fossil-fuel-powered vehicles to battery-powered ones. It's the subject of federal research and investment, pilot programs by utility companies, and interest among stakeholders looking to leverage EVs' mobile power storage—their batteries—to help shore up an already-stressed grid. "EVs could be a burden," Ryan Gallentine, managing director of Advanced Energy United (AEU), a trade group representing the advanced energy industry, told Tech Brew, "or they could be an additive resource, depending on how well we manage it." AEU has model policies and regulations it's pushing to get enacted. The group backed a bill in Maryland, the DRIVE Act, that will require utility companies to support vehicle-to-grid technologies. If millions of vehicles suddenly start plugging into the grid all at once, it could create additional capacity constraints. But industry stakeholders are optimistic about the opportunities around vehicle grid integration, or VGI, which encompasses policies and technologies that enable EV charging to benefit the grid. "Picture EVs as mobile battery-storage systems. EVs can absorb excess power when available and store that energy for future needs," Paul Gasper, a battery degradation scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, said in a statement. "There is potential to store renewable energy within the global EV fleet to improve the flexibility and resilience of our power grid." Keep reading here.—JG PRESENTED BY HOKA Weather-proof your wardrobe From commuting on a rainy day to trekking a final summer getaway, the shoes on your feet shouldn't enter uncomfy mode just because the journey is long. That's why HOKA's Transport Chukka GTX was built for everyday adventures, whether you're meeting at the office or the trailhead. It's a new waterproof, ankle-high, weather-ready style that amps up all the fave features on the original HOKA Transport. Protective deets include nubuck leather, a waterproof GORE-TEX invisible-fit membrane, and a soft engineered-knit collar. No matter the season, the Transport Chukka GTX can give you a reason to take the scenic route—rain or shine. Shop here. FUTURE OF TRAVEL Stops and starts Vm/Getty Images Electrified vehicle sales grew in August for numerous automakers—even as the trickiness of the electric transition prompted some companies to walk back their plug-in plans. Total new-vehicle sales in August were expected to be up 4.2% YoY, adjusting for this August having more selling days, according to a forecast by JD Power and GlobalData. Diving into sales data from the automakers that report on a monthly basis, sales of battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, and gas-electric hybrids were up across much of the industry. For example: Electrified vehicle sales helped boost American Honda's August sales 25% YoY. The month brought an all-time sales record for the Japanese automaker's hybrid and battery-electric models in the US, per a news release. The Honda brand offloaded 35,886 electrified vehicles, led by sales of hybrid versions of the CR-V and Accord. Its Prologue EV, meanwhile, had its best sales month since launching earlier this year. Keep reading here.—JG AI Every day I'm hustlin' Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images When young people aren't tapping AI on the job, they're using it to reel in extra income on the side. That's the takeaway of an Edelman report commissioned by Samsung that found that about 73% of around 2,000 Zoomers with side jobs surveyed across five countries were using AI in the course of those extra-occupational pursuits. The top three types of tasks include summarizing long documents or meeting notes, conducting research, and developing new written and visual content. A separate Morgan Stanley report last year predicted that side hustles—or "multi-earning"—could balloon into a $1.4 trillion market by 2030, with generative AI being responsible for $300 billion of that figure, per the report's most bullish scenario. Meanwhile, searches for AI-related gig work have flooded freelance platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, as longtime traditional freelancers have reportedly lost work opportunities. Meet the moonlighters: The Samsung report divided side hustlers into three major categories. The biggest archetype is the "AI super user," with 48% of respondents. These Zoomers, who skew toward the older end of the age bracket (between ages 25 and 27), tend to use AI across multiple tasks from content creation to web development. At the younger end of the generational spectrum, the "AI experimenter" (23%) is more focused on a single AI task, whether that's "investment, trading, or coaching." Then there's the "AI undecided" (29%) who focus more on offline income streams like arts and crafts and don't use AI at all. Keep reading here.—PK TOGETHER WITH ROKT It's a trillion-dollar season. With Rokt's Holiday Playbook, you'll get info on all the latest innovative technologies, hyper-relevant customer experiences, and nontraditional tactics you need to cater to evolving customer needs. Learn the five shifts happening in consumer shopping trends this holiday season by downloading the Holiday Playbook. BITS AND BYTES Stat: 22.6%. That was the share of women workers in high-tech roles in 2022, according to data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. That's "barely budged over the past two decades, even as the number of lucrative jobs in the field has soared in that time," the Washington Post reported. Quote: "Recently I was made aware that AI of 'me' falsely endorsing Donald Trump's presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth."—Taylor Swift, in a post on Instagram detailing her plans to vote for Kamala Harris for president Read: When self-driving cars don't actually drive themselves (the New York Times) Treat your feet: HOKA's Transport Chukka GTX is the new waterproof, ankle-high style that can weather any terrain and any season. Talk about putting an extra spring in your step. Check it out.* *A message from our sponsor. COOL CONSUMER TECH Picture Alliance/Getty Images Usually, we write about the business of tech. Here, we highlight the *tech* of tech. You probably don't need a new phone: Apple announced its iPhone 16 on Monday. It seems fine! But if you're hyped for Apple's AI, there's no need to schlep down to the Apple Store just yet. The Verge reported that "generative Apple Intelligence features won't be ready for the public launch of iOS 18 on September 16 or the new iPhones when they're released on September 20." In other Apple news, the chaos of having half your Apple devices charge with a Lightning cable and the other half requiring a USB-C is nearing its end. Wired tallied up that "only three lonely products" are still using a Lightning connector. On ad tech: One story you can't shake a stick without hitting this week? The Department of Justice's "attempt to show that Google, the world's biggest advertiser, has monopolized advertising technology," as Marketing Brew's Ryan Barwick reported. Have you somehow missed this story? Barwick's been covering the heck out of it. Get caught up with a primer and reports on the first few days of the trial. JOBS Break free from the job-board cycle. CollabWORK connects you with relevant job openings curated specifically for communities you're already part of—like Tech Brew. Find high-quality opportunities and land your next big break by joining CollabWORK today. Software Engineer (AI Tooling) at a stealth startup (in person) Senior AI Product Manager at an undisclosed organization (in person) Tech Lead at an undisclosed organization (hybrid) SHARE THE BREW Share Tech Brew with your coworkers, acquire free Brew swag, and then make new friends as a result of your fresh Brew swag. We're saying we'll give you free stuff and more friends if you share a link. One link. Your referral count: 0 Click to Share Or copy & paste your referral link to others: emergingtechbrew.com/r/?kid=b3968dba Written by Jordyn Grzelewski, Patrick Kulp, and Annie Saunders Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.   Guide → What is AI?   Guide → What is 5G? 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