Time travel has appeared in stories as far back as 400 BCE. In the Hindu text “The Mahabharata,” a king travels to another realm and returns to find that millions of years have passed on Earth.
Something similar seems to be happening when it comes to emerging technology. In “The New Space Race,” Jeff Beavers said that the 2020s “are on pace to bring more technological change to the electrical trade than the previous hundred years combined.” What do you hope the electrical construction industry looks like in the next decade? See Jeff’s predictions on page 58.
We also have an important story on thermal runaway on page 24. Susan DeGrane talked to experts about what electricians should look for on the job site when installing or using equipment or tools with lithium-ion batteries. And it can happen when you least expect it. Publisher Andrea Klee was heading to her flight at Dulles Airport when a security Segway’s batteries ignited right after passing her. Check out the above photo. As the article says, hissing and smoking is clear indication that thermal runaway is imminent. “Taking on Thermal Runaway” has tips to protect and train everyone on the job.
Electric heat pumps are getting a lot of press these days. ECs can get in the business in a variety of ways depending on the specific technology. Chuck Ross breaks it all down in “Pump Up the Heat” on page 36.
As demands for power increase, especially when it comes to data centers, could quantum computing be both a new source of demand and an answer? While still in its infancy, Susan DeGrane takes an exploratory look at quantum computing and its power needs in “Dawn of the Quantum Age” on page 46.
For our project profile this month, we travel (but no need for a time machine) to Clackamas, Ore., where M2 Integration designed and installed an electrical layout with phased delivery to ensure uninterrupted progress at Wild Mike’s Ultimate Pizza’s new facility. Take a bite out of “A Piece of the Pie” by Susan Bloom on page 72.
We’ll keep bringing you dispatches from the present and future of electrical contracting. Let us know if there is anything in particular you want to see in these pages at [email protected].
