In the market for a new MacOS-based desktop, but don’t have a lot of space to spare? Amazon is currently offering discounts on both the 256GB and 512GB model of the late 2024 Apple Mac Mini (8/10, WIRED Recommends) with the M4 chip.

Apple’s M4 CPU is at the heart of both versions of this miniaturized desktop, with 10 cores each for the CPU and GPU. Our reviewer Brenda Stolyar had no complaints about the performance, noting that it handled multiple browser tabs, chat programs, and other apps without lagging or slowing down. That’s good news, because the memory isn’t upgradeable by the user later.

Of course the main selling point with the Mac Mini is its tiny footprint. This model has slimmed down from the previous generation’s 2.6 pounds to just 1.5 pounds, and has only a 5×5″ body. That’s not just small enough to squeeze onto basically any desk or cabinet, but could even sneak into a bag if you need to take it with you to work or on a trip. The only real question mark here is the power button, which is mysteriously underneath the system, so you need to pick it up to turn it on.

You’ll have to make some compromises when it comes to ports, but it’s probably not nearly as bad as you’re thinking. The front has two USB-C ports with USB 3.0 support, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack for easy access. Around back you’ll find three Thunderbolt 4 ports, plus an HDMI connection for your monitor, Ethernet, and power, with USB-A now totally removed from the equation. If you leverage all the ports, you can connect up to three external displays, with support for resolutions up to 6K, depending on your configuration.

There are two discounted models, but there’s really only a minor SSD storage size difference between the two. The 256GB model is marked down from $599 to $499, and the 512GB model is discounted from $799 to $689. We think either one is a great option for casual computer users looking for a lightweight and compact option, but make sure to check out our full roundup of the best Apple Desktop computers if you think an iMac might be more your speed.

A future where all homes and vehicles in the U.S. are fully electrified could overwhelm power supply and risk outages unless key upgrades are made, says a new study conducted by Purdue University engineers. But a few strategies could cut two-thirds of the potential costs of reinforcing the nation’s distribution grid to handle this demand.

Electrifying would mean switching a home’s heating system from a boiler to a heat pump and transitioning from gas- or diesel-fueled vehicles to electric vehicles.

“If we install a whole bunch of new electric heating systems for homes and use more electric vehicles and electric water heaters, then we’re going to increase electricity demand a lot. And that’s basically going to require putting in thicker wires, bigger transformers and other infrastructure into the power grid,” said Kevin Kircher, a Purdue assistant professor of mechanical engineering and faculty member in the university’s Ray W. Herrick Laboratories. “And if that happens, utilities will pass the cost of those upgrades to us, the customers.”

The study, published in Cell Reports Sustainability on Sept. 16, found that reinforcing the U.S. distribution grid, which provides power to residential areas, could cost $350–$790 billion—about $2,000–$6,400 total per household between now and 2050. Much of this cost would be due to increased electric space heating, with the coldest regions of the U.S. experiencing electricity demand peaks up to five times higher than today’s peaks.

But taking measures such as installing better insulation and air sealing, improving equipment efficiency, and coordinating the operation of the home’s electric devices could mitigate the costs of upgrading the grid.

An example of boosting the efficiency of a home’s electrical equipment would be using ground-source heat pumps instead of air-source heat pumps, because the constant ground temperature reduces the energy needed to heat and cool homes. Coordinating the home’s electrical device operation could mean adjusting when the home’s electric vehicle charges so that it doesn’t happen at the same time as the heat pump is in use.

“If electric vehicles could communicate with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning units that we install in the house, and if they can coordinate when they have to charge or when they have to heat or precool the homes, this strategy could contribute to a 40% decrease in grid reinforcement costs,” said Priyadarshan, a Ph.D. student in Purdue’s School of Mechanical Engineering and the first author of this paper.

“Let’s say there’s a cold snap coming. The heat pump could preheat the house, and the home’s electric vehicles could be charged at a different time to reduce strain on the grid.”

The study focused on each county of the Lower 48 U.S. states. The researchers modeled the grid impacts of fully electrifying homes and vehicles using public surveys of home electricity usage and electric vehicle travel where available for each county, specifications from equipment manufacturers, building code guidelines, and weather data. The team also calibrated the home data against a fully electrified test house in West Lafayette called the DC Nanogrid House.

After analyzing the impact of full electrification on the distribution grid, the researchers adjusted the parameters of their model to include the home weatherization and equipment efficiency strategies they were proposing to cut grid upgrade costs. For their strategy to coordinate electric device operation, they used an optimization algorithm to take into consideration heating, electricity demand and electric vehicle usage and devise an optimal solution for when to charge the vehicles and how hard to run the heat pumps.

Other studies have investigated the future of increased home and vehicle electrification in the U.S. but not on the scale of residential areas by county nationwide.

“On the one hand, it’s kind of scary—if we electrify everything, we might have a crazy expensive future. But on the other hand, if we electrify in a smart way, then we don’t have nearly as many of those problems,” Kircher said.

Europe accounts for about 25% of global electric vehicle sales. Despite the high demand, only around 6.8% of the energy required for cell production is currently supplied in Europe. Most of the energy is imported in the form of materials and battery cells.

A team led by Prof Simon Lux (University of Münster and Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production) has now analyzed the future energy requirements associated with the European Union’s (EU) goal of strengthening European battery supply chains. The study is published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.

In order to achieve self-sufficiency by 2050, the researchers predict the EU will have to meet an annual increase in energy demand for local battery cell production from the current level of around 3.5 terawatt hours (TWh) per year to 250 TWh annually. This would only be possible if a well-developed recycling infrastructure were in place by then.

In addition, Europe would need 200 to 250 TWh to charge electric vehicles and compensate for efficiency losses when discharging batteries for electric vehicles and stationary storage systems. Nevertheless, the increasing energy demand for lithium- and sodium-ion batteries would be offset by 90 TWh of upstream fossil fuel energy.

“Strengthening local battery supply chains is crucial to reducing energy dependence,” says Lux. “However, it also requires the supply of significant amounts of energy in Europe.” Battery-based electricity demand is growing disproportionately compared to total electricity demand, which will require major investments in renewable electricity generation and the corresponding infrastructure.

It will also be crucial for Europe to maximize battery recycling rates and recycling efficiency to reduce import dependency and future energy demand. The researchers assume that there will be significant recycling capacity in Europe (approx. 800 gigawatt hours of battery capacity are expected to be recycled annually from 2050 onwards). This could reduce the energy required for battery production in Europe by 33 to 46%.

However, the current recycling infrastructure is still in its early stages of development. The researchers therefore conclude that European policymakers need to implement effective regulations that enable companies to develop viable and sustainable recycling capabilities.

The study is based on a life-cycle assessment analysis utilizing data from recent research studies and the ecoinvent database. In addition, the research team performed the energy demand analysis using a simulation model, developed by the Institute of Business Administration at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Münster, which represents a simplified battery circular economy.