🔬 RESEARCH: Argonne National Laboratory is one of three national laboratories to receive a collective $13.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for research on innovations for capturing carbon dioxide directly from ambient air. The emerging technology has potential to help the environment while converting the captured carbon dioxide into energy.

🔋 BATTERIES: West River Electric Association in South Dakota is one of the four recipients of a combined $1.3 million in funding from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association for developing battery energy storage projects.

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🚚 EVs: Minnesota Power proposed a pilot project to use heavy-duty electric vehicles at iron and taconic mines to reduce its carbon emissions, reports the Energy News Network.

🚜 AGRICULTURE: Interest in agricultural “weed zapper” technologies is on the rise as farmers become more cognizant of concerns surrounding chemical herbicides, according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Electric weed killing also is reportedly more energy efficient than other non-chemical means, such as using steam, and it doesn’t require water. Minnesota-based Lasco was among the first to commercialize electric weed-killing technology.

🏙️ SMART CITIES: Chicago-based Cityzenith has been selected to develop a digital twin, or digital model, for a $500 million sports and entertainment complex in Orlando, reports GISuser. The design project aims to boost the complex’s smart technology use, efficiency, and sustainability.

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📈 INVESTMENT: Venture capital firm TitletownTech in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has invested in StormSensor, a climate tech startup that uses sensors, data, and software to manage stormwater and wastewater systems.

🏆 AWARDS: Ten finalists have been announced for the 2020 Wisconsin Innovation Awards. They include Safelumin, which develops LED light bulbs with battery backup; Abretech, which creates RFID-based horticultural inventory management solutions; Pyran, a renewable plastics and chemicals developer; and SafeLi, which develops graphene-based materials for lithium-ion batteries.