The hottest Infrastructure Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The best argument against electric vehicles are electric vehicles

Tilting At Windmills • 176 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Electric Vehicles Batteries Infrastructure Government support
  1. Cold weather affects electric vehicles' performance, causing issues like dead batteries and long charging times.
  2. Investing in electric vehicles like buses can lead to costly repairs and maintenance, making them less viable than alternatives like biodiesel or hybrid buses.
  3. Pushing for widespread use of electric vehicles may not be practical due to their current limitations, despite government incentives to promote them.

🎮 How is Gen. AI Impacting the Gaming Sector?

Overlooked by Alexandre Dewez • 157 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Gaming Infrastructure
  1. The gaming industry is challenging for infrastructure startups due to various factors like the long tail of independent studios and project-based nature.
  2. Generative AI tools can automate up to 50% of the gaming value chain, accelerating game development and enhancing quality.
  3. Gaming companies are at varying stages in adopting AI tools, from experimenting with asset generation to integrating AI into core game development operations.

When Fill Fails

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 319 implied HN points • 17 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Urban planning Infrastructure Ecology Sustainability Urban Development
  1. Urban infrastructure, like the Light Rail tracks, can suffer from problems due to unstable ground and filling materials. Over time, these materials can sink or degrade, causing issues.
  2. Seattle's tideflats were completely filled by the 1920s to create new land, but this fill was often not properly stabilized. This can lead to things like subsidence during events like earthquakes.
  3. Sound Transit had extensive knowledge of the fill conditions before building the Light Rail but still faces criticism for the ongoing issues. People expect more from transit authorities regarding infrastructure stability.

5 Essays I'm Excited to Write This year

Exasperated Infrastructures • 9 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Infrastructure Public Policy Transportation Government spending Urban planning
  1. The writer plans to explore ways to spend federal transportation money more effectively. They want to understand past spending to improve future projects.
  2. There will be a focus on making air travel better by looking into its economics. The goal is to encourage airlines to adopt practices that benefit travelers and boost profits.
  3. The writer wants to investigate how municipal bonds can fund infrastructure projects. They aim to understand state spending behavior to create more resilient financial systems.
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Rethinking Public Procurement

Arpitrage • 574 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
💼 Business Procurement Costs Infrastructure Software Reform
  1. Government procurement often involves unnecessary costly requirements and limited bidder outreach, leading to high expenses and poor quality outcomes.
  2. High infrastructure costs in the US are exacerbated by procurement problems and a legal system that limits state power.
  3. Failure in government procurement, like outdated unemployment insurance systems, results in costly software upgrades and limited benefits for recipients.

The New Era of Efficient LLM Deployment

Gradient Flow • 299 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI ML Infrastructure Tools Computer Vision
  1. AI tools are becoming pervasive in tech with potential to increase productivity and contribute trillions annually to global productivity
  2. Efficient deployment of large language models (LLMs) is crucial for businesses to scale their AI initiatives and drive digital innovation
  3. Rethinking MLOps infrastructure is essential to accommodate the scale and complexity of LLMs, with a need for solutions addressing challenges in inference, serving, and deployment

Age of Invention: Freight Expectations

Age of Invention, by Anton Howes • 736 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Transportation Infrastructure Energy History Innovation
  1. Transport infrastructure plays a key role in boosting economic growth by providing access to energy and markets.
  2. Historically, the primary focus of early transport infrastructure like canals and railways was to transport goods, especially coal and grain.
  3. While passenger transportation is beneficial for connecting cities and improving labor market efficiency, access to energy and markets are more crucial for economic growth.

BREAKING: Norfolk Southern says it's willing to deal on the Red Line

The Charlotte Ledger • 275 implied HN points • 18 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Infrastructure Transportation Legislation Economy Government
  1. Norfolk Southern is now considering allowing commuter rail on its tracks in Mecklenburg after a 20-year impasse
  2. The change in Norfolk Southern's stance could give momentum to Charlotte's regional transit system plans
  3. The city leaders hope that a deal with Norfolk Southern for the Red Line could help secure support for a larger transit plan

Three percent more Monaco: Links in Progress, infrastructure edition

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 11 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Infrastructure Transportation Urban planning Construction Development
  1. A new airport opened in Nuuk, Greenland, making it easier for larger planes to land and boosting travel from locations like New Jersey.
  2. Vietnam is planning an impressive high-speed rail line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which will cost around $67 billion and open in 2035.
  3. Monaco is expanding its land area by reclaiming land from the sea to build a new district, highlighting its ambition to develop upscale real estate.

E-scooters are good and Britain should legalise them

Odds and Ends of History • 1072 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
💼 Business Transportation Urban planning Regulation Environment Infrastructure
  1. E-scooters can help reduce car usage and congestion in cities due to their compact design and ability to take up less space.
  2. Legalizing e-scooters can lead to positive downstream consequences, such as reducing car dependence, reshaping urban geography, and creating a more sustainable environment.
  3. Regulating e-scooters through legalization can improve safety standards, encourage responsible riding behavior, and prompt the development of infrastructure to accommodate different modes of transportation.

Age of Invention: The Industrial Romantics

Age of Invention, by Anton Howes • 752 implied HN points • 27 Apr 23
💾 History Industrialization Innovation Infrastructure Medicine
  1. Samuel More's passion for industry made him an industrial romantic who found awe in technological advancements.
  2. The West Midlands flourished and grew due to improvements in medicine, iron, ceramics, and new transportation infrastructure like roads, railways, and canals.
  3. Technology and infrastructure created an extraordinary boom in the West Midlands during a time of trade interruption from the American Revolution.

📝 Guest Post: LoRA Land: 25 Fine-Tuned Mistral-7b LLMs that Rival or Outperform GPT-4

TheSequence • 413 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Fine-tuning Models Efficiency Infrastructure
  1. Efficient fine-tuning with specialized models like Mistral-7b LLMs can outperform leading commercial models like GPT-4 while being cost-effective.
  2. Incorporating techniques like Parameter Efficient Fine-Tuning and serving models via platforms like LoRAX can significantly reduce GPU costs and make deployment scalable.
  3. Using smaller, task-specific fine-tuned models is a practical alternative to expensive, large-scale models, making AI deployment accessible and efficient for organizations with limited resources.

The Berlin Wall has fallen, but Germany remains divided

Back To Sifar • 59 implied HN points • 14 Apr 24
🌍 World Politics Germany Cold War Economics Ideology Infrastructure
  1. Western and Eastern Germany remain vastly different today due to historical events like the Cold War and post-World War 2 division.
  2. Significant disparities exist between Western and Eastern Germany in areas like religion, GDP per capita, and political tendencies, reflecting the lasting impact of past economic and political decisions.
  3. Investments in developing the Eastern part of Germany are ongoing, aiming to bridge the gap and achieve true unity in the country.

Should regulated utilities be prevented from owning EV charging assets?

Knowledge Problem • 196 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
💼 Business Regulation Competition Utilities Infrastructure Innovation
  1. The default presumption should be to quarantine the monopoly in regulated utilities owning EV charging assets to prevent anti-competitive practices.
  2. Regulated utilities entering competitive EV charging markets may have unfair advantages by leveraging their regulated status.
  3. Allowing regulated utilities to own EV charging assets could stifle innovation and competition in the market compared to independent firms.

GroupBy #29: Scaling AI/ML Infrastructure at Uber, The Sisyphean struggle and the new era of data infrastructure

VuTrinh. • 59 implied HN points • 02 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Data Engineering Machine Learning Infrastructure Software Development Cloud Computing
  1. Uber is focusing on building strong AI and machine learning infrastructure to keep up with the growing complexity of their models. This involves using both CPUs and GPUs for better efficiency.
  2. Data management is becoming crucial for companies like Netflix as they deal with massive amounts of production data. They are developing tools to effectively manage and optimize this data.
  3. The data streaming landscape is evolving, with new technologies emerging that make handling data easier and more efficient. This is changing how companies approach data infrastructure.

Kyiv Metro vs the World: An Exploration

S(ubstack)-Bahn • 341 implied HN points • 22 Sep 23
🌐 International Transportation Labor Infrastructure War Innovation
  1. Kyiv Metro managed to run high frequency trains during wartime, which was a challenge for other systems.
  2. The success of Kyiv Metro can be attributed to infrastructural choices, like station typology, and organizational practices, like a Soviet-era philosophy of train throughput.
  3. Kyiv Metro's ability to operate effectively and maintain high frequencies is also due to having a surplus of labor, contributing to its resilience.

Is America A Failed State?

Castalia • 219 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Consumer Rights Corporate Power Infrastructure Public Services
  1. Travel experiences highlight issues in customer service and corporate practices. Many people are frustrated with technology getting in the way and feeling ignored by automated systems.
  2. America's economic landscape is dominated by a few large corporations, leading to less competition and lower quality service. This shift has resulted in a sense of uniformity and dissatisfaction in many communities.
  3. People often accept the current system without questioning it, similar to the way citizens in a failing state might feel. There's a need for accountability and reform to improve the situation.

Is the Data Orchestration category going away?

The Orchestra Data Leadership Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 04 May 24
🕹 Technology Data Orchestration Software Infrastructure Control Management
  1. Data Teams still prefer classic open source tools over workflow orchestration functionality on Data and AI platforms.
  2. The Data Orchestration category might be fading as orchestration becomes embedded in other platforms and pricing becomes a concern.
  3. A robust system of control and management for data and AI pipelines is vital, encompassing aspects like alerting, lineage, metadata, infrastructure, and multi-tenancy support.

DePIN and DeREN: Toward a Better Classification of Decentralized Infrastructure Networks

Unsyndicated by Mason Nystrom • 137 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Infrastructure Marketplaces Hardware
  1. Decentralized infrastructure networks can be categorized into DePINs and DeRENs based on their unique properties.
  2. DePINs use non-fungible resources deployed in specific locations, while DeRENs use fungible resources that are location-independent.
  3. Successful networks in both categories unlock new demand or expand the market in unique ways, not just compete on price.

Next week: debating a $17 billion budget. This week: debating printing costs

City Hall Watcher • 78 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Budget Health Housing Infrastructure
  1. Toronto City Hall is facing a significant budget battle next week over a $17 billion budget.
  2. Council spent time debating printing costs, travel expenses, bus lanes, and shelters in their recent meetings.
  3. The Toronto Community Housing Board is tackling the issue of overhoused households, aiming to reallocate space for those on the waitlist.

Issue 17: No great stagnation in cruise ships

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Infrastructure Engineering Urbanism Biotechnology Data science Chemistry
  1. Cruise ships show that new ideas and growth are still possible in design and urban living, even as some land technologies seem to stall.
  2. Madrid has successfully built its metro system much faster and cheaper than cities like London and New York by using smart planning and incentives for local leaders.
  3. Many animals, like horses and crabs, are essential for creating life-saving chemicals, reminding us that we still rely on nature, even as technology advances.

Toronto Budget 2024 (Olivia's Version) drops next week

City Hall Watcher • 78 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policy Economy Infrastructure Housing
  1. Toronto City is seeing a trend where a few large corporations dominate the employment landscape, which could lead to political challenges.
  2. Toronto is working on improving housing development timelines and affordable housing projects to address the growing housing crisis.
  3. City Hall in Toronto is considering implementing new measures like a foreign buyer tax, revamping subsidy programs, and investing in dedicated bus lanes to improve transit infrastructure.

Grid Upgrade - Part 1: the reasons

GEM Energy Analytics • 139 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Policy Sustainability Renewable Energy Infrastructure Decarbonization
  1. We need to upgrade our electricity grid because electricity use is rising with new technology and applications. This includes electric cars and heating, which all require more power.
  2. The grid must handle a lot more energy generation from renewable sources like wind and solar. This means we need to build more infrastructure to support the increased output.
  3. Many new energy projects are located far from where the electricity is needed. To solve this, we must improve connections and cooperation between regions to reliably deliver energy where it’s required.

Grid Upgrade - Part 2: what lies ahead

GEM Energy Analytics • 139 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Policy Renewable Energy Infrastructure Environmental Impact
  1. The electricity grid is growing slowly and facing congestion. This means it may get overcrowded and not work as well as it should.
  2. Local opposition can delay grid projects, making them take longer and cost more. People sometimes do not want new lines near their homes, which leads to complications.
  3. Grid fees are likely to increase as upgrades are needed. As more money is spent on improving the grid, utility bills may go up for everyone.

Argentina's Energy Landscape from 2024 onwards

BowTiedMara - Geoarbitrage & Mobility Assets • 137 implied HN points • 28 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Energy Policy Infrastructure Industry Trade
  1. Argentina is likely to achieve energy independence in the near future.
  2. The current energy mix in Argentina relies heavily on fossil fuels, with plans for nuclear and hydroelectric expansion.
  3. Investments in pipelines and production in Vaca Muerta could lead Argentina to become a net exporter of energy by 2026.

The race to be the gateway to Eastern and Central Africa heats up

An Africanist Perspective • 158 implied HN points • 23 Jan 23
🌍 World Politics Infrastructure Economic Development Logistics
  1. The competition between Kenya and Tanzania as gateways to Eastern and Central Africa involves extensive infrastructure plans to link landlocked countries to the sea.
  2. The economic challenges of landlocked countries in the region show a need for improved transportation infrastructure to reduce costs and boost trade.
  3. While Kenya has a head start in infrastructure, Tanzania's cost-effective land acquisition and political stability position it to potentially surpass Kenya in the long run.

Overthinking Transportation Funding Reform & Policy: Steelmanning Reauthorization II(a)

Exasperated Infrastructures • 12 implied HN points • 25 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transportation Legislation Policy Analysis Infrastructure Federal Funding
  1. Reading transportation bills can be tricky because they are full of legal jargon. Most of the text isn't that important, so focus on the key sections that really change policies.
  2. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) play a crucial role in transportation planning. They help ensure local needs are considered when deciding how to spend federal money.
  3. Transportation laws evolve over time, reflecting changes in society and policies. It's important to stay updated on these changes to understand how they affect public transportation and infrastructure.

How to Introduce Electric Vehicles in Sub Saharan Africa

In Depth on Africa Fintech • 78 implied HN points • 28 Dec 23
💼 Business Electric Vehicles Infrastructure
  1. Focus on applications where you maximize benefits and minimize problems when introducing EVs in Sub Saharan Africa.
  2. Consider fleet vehicles like delivery trucks and buses for EV adoption in Africa; they fit within defined urban routes and offer operational savings.
  3. Relaxing import duties on EVs compared to IC vehicles and providing incentives can help jump start the EV industry in Africa.

Dubai's Planned $32 Billion Mega Airport Project

Tamer’s Substack • 25 HN points • 29 Apr 24
🌍 World Politics Infrastructure Development Economy
  1. Dubai plans to build new terminals at the Al Maktoum International Airport to become the largest airport in the world, with a capacity for over 260 million passengers.
  2. The project will cost around $34 billion and include 400 boarding gates, five parallel runways, and create a new city around the airport with housing for up to a million people.
  3. Dubai aims to transition air traffic from the current busiest airport in the world, Dubai International Airport, to Al Maktoum, ensuring continuous development for future generations.

Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)

Vasu’s Newsletter • 13 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Cloud Computing Networking Security Infrastructure Data Management
  1. A Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) helps businesses create a separate and secure online environment to manage their resources. This means they can control who has access to what information.
  2. With a VPC, administrators can set rules to protect incoming and outgoing internet traffic. It's like having a security system for their online resources.
  3. VPCs come with useful features like VPN connections and load balancers, which help improve communication and manage traffic effectively. This can make online services run more smoothly.

The Assassination of HS2 by the Coward Rishi Sunak

S(ubstack)-Bahn • 180 implied HN points • 08 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Infrastructure Transportation Government Costs Legislation
  1. HS2 was a major rail project in the UK, but was dramatically cancelled by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
  2. Political will is crucial in controlling the costs and completing high-speed rail projects.
  3. Comparison drawn between the cancelled HS2 project in the UK and the challenges faced by the California High-Speed Rail project.

Tool libraries are about repairing communities

Fight to Repair • 98 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Community Infrastructure Social Neoliberalism Sustainability
  1. Tool libraries offer a low-cost option for people to access tools, fostering repair and community building.
  2. Investing in social infrastructure like tool libraries can create more resilient, sustainable, and connected communities.
  3. Funding directly to support tool libraries can confirm their value to the community, rather than heavily relying on constant fundraising efforts.