Technologies

White House outlines plan for solar to make up almost half of US electricity by 2050

By midcentury, 45% of electricity in the country could come from solar energy, according to a new government report.

The White House on Wednesday published the Solar Futures Study, a new report that details ambitious plans to shift US energy reliance on fossil fuels to solar power. According to the study, 3% of the country’s electricity came from solar panels as of 2020. The new plan proposes a dramatic jump to 40% solar energy by 2035 — and 45% by 2050.

The report arrives as the US deals with damage from Hurricane Ida that caused over a million people to lose power. Hundreds of thousands of homes still don’t have power following the high winds and flooding that first hit Louisiana on Aug. 29. Extreme weather events like these are exacerbated by human-caused climate change.

The study, created by the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, further outlines what would need to happen in order to meet these long term goals. Solar panel usage would have to increase by 30 gigawatts per year on average until 2025, by 60 GW per year from 2025 to 2030 in order to reach 1,000 GW by 2035 and, ultimately, 1,600 GW by 2050.

For reference, there are 1 billion watts in 1 gigawatt. An iPhone charger uses 20 watts; microwaves typically range from about 600 to over 1,000 watts. One gigawatt of power is equivalent to that of 110 million LED bulbs, over 3 million solar panels or 1.3 million horses.

A standard American home needs between 20-25 solar panels to run entirely on solar energy. If 1 GW is equal to roughly 3 million solar panels, 1 GW could theoretically power over 100,000 homes. We’re going to need a lot of solar panels: enough to cover 0.5% of the land surface area of the contiguous US, according to the report. Many of these will go on roofs, but others could be on «disturbed or contaminated lands unsuitable for other uses.»

«The study illuminates the fact that solar, our cheapest and fastest-growing source of clean energy, could produce enough electricity to power all of the homes in the US by 2035 and employ as many as 1.5 million people in the process,» Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the announcement.

The Solar Futures Study is just one element of the Biden administration’s sustainability plan. On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to rejoin the Paris Climate accord, a multilateral agreement to limit global temperature increases and reduce the impacts of climate change. The administration has also signed executive orders related to the climate crisis and announced plans for half of all new car sales to come from electric vehicles by 2030.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im