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Matt Crowley (CEO of Scintil Photonics) argues that co-packaged optics (CPO) is now required for AI datacenters and that physics — not manufacturing — forces the shift from copper to optics.

• Main announcement: Matt Crowley explains in Laser Focus World that co-packaged optics (CPO) is the architectural answer for scaling AI clusters toward million-GPU factories, confining copper to ultra-short chip-to-chip paths and moving the rest of the package to fiber to improve power, reach, and density.
• Background and technical details: He cites the physics driving the change: skin effect at ~53 GHz reduces conductive layer to ~0.3 micrometers, dielectric loss p

The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) reports multiple local actions: Greene County has begun updating its comprehensive plan; PEC and partners permanently protected a 274-acre farm; GO Virginia is advancing a U.S. Route 29 “Innovation Corridor”; and Greene County began initial construction phases of the White Run Reservoir in December 2025.

• Main announcement: PEC notes that Greene County has begun updating its comprehensive plan (completion expected 2028), and PEC will advocate for a purchase of development rights program, riparian buffer protections, and rural protections as part of the process. The update will guide **land use, infrastructure, housing, transportation

Google has announced a $1.5 billion investment to expand its Jackson County, Alabama data center campus for 2026 and 2027.

• $1.5 billion investment (2026-2027) to expand the Jackson County, Alabama data center; Google will fund 100% of its own power and infrastructure costs and the site has operated since 2019 on a repurposed former coal-plant site. The announcement also includes a $2 million Energy Impact Fund in partnership with TVA and CAANEAL to support local energy efficiency and weatherization programs.
• Community and complementary commitments:$550,000 donation to provide STEM kits for fourth-to-eighth graders; ongoing local initiatives inclu

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission announced a financing package to upgrade and expand Egypt’s electricity network.

• €600 million EIB Global loan + up to €90 million EU grants (total up to €690 million) to support a national programme led by Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC); the EIB-supported phase will be carried out between 2027 and 2030. The government will be borrower through the Central Bank of Egypt, while EETC will lead implementation.
• The programme aims to integrate 22 GW of renewable-energy capacity by 2030 (stated as enough to supply around 10 million households), including construction of **state-of-the-ar

atNorth discusses its partnership with Kesko at the FIN02 data centre in Finland to recycle excess heat to a neighbouring retail store; the article is an interview rather than a first-time corporate press announcement.

• Main announcement/action: atNorth describes the integration of heat reuse at the FIN02 data centre in Finland through a partnership with Kesko, where excess heat is recycled to heat a neighbouring retail store; atNorth says its modular design approach enables heat-reuse technology to be incorporated as standard while maintaining flexibility for AI-ready infrastructure.
• Background and other details: The interview frames data cent