What is the future of energy? Altogether, it’s a big question. But with the future of our planet looming, and two of every five people on earth living in either sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia — areas with severe energy shortages — it is imperative that we keep an eye on how to tackle this issue.
Here are some predictions for the future of energy:
In ten years there will be a global economic boom from technology such as 3D printers and autonomous drones that will reduce demand for fossil fuels dramatically. This kind of gigantism cannot occur without new breakthroughs in renewable technologies like solar power and wind turbines, which are becoming cheaper every day and creating a mobility revolution.
Energy distribution will rise to a critical mass thanks to the development of more efficient and reliable batteries, which allow us to store energy all day long. There is still a huge gap between supply and demand at the moment.
Electric Vehicles
These vehicles will not only be used for commuting but also for moving goods around. Electric cars are currently expensive and cannot travel very far, but new innovations in the battery industry are changing this picture.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels will continue to dominate the world’s energy markets in the next ten years. This is despite the fact that fossil fuels make up the majority of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. What fossil fuels have over renewables at this point in time is reliability: they are reliable and easy to access.
Energy Storage
As more renewable energy comes online, it has become increasingly important that we can store energy until it is needed. Large-scale batteries are leading this way and have already proven themselves as viable solutions for storing energy from a day or a week up to several days. In short, they will be capable of storing enough power to keep our cities running for days if necessary.
Energy Efficiency
In the next ten years, we will see a switch away from inefficient products and appliances to more efficient ones. This is thanks to the fact that alternative energy sources are starting to become affordable, while fossil fuels are becoming increasingly sparse and expensive. The largest benefit: we’re protecting our planet by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Future of Energy
The future of energy looks bleak at the moment, but with technological innovation and economies of scale leading the way for renewables, there is hope for the future. In time humanity will have no choice but to grapple with producing more sustainable forms of energy. We can only hope it’s not too late by then.
Solar power
Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electric current using the photovoltaic effect.
Solar Energy
Solar energy technologies include solar heating, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture and artificial photosynthesis. This technology is broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert, and distribute sunlight. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and Trombe walls to harness the energy.
Biofuel
Biofuels are hydrocarbon-based fuels created by biological means. Based on fuel processing techniques, biofuels can be categorized into various types, such as food or agricultural byproducts (ethanol), wood waste (bioethanol), or municipal solid wastes (bio-diesel). They are regarded as a valuable renewable energy source because the energy is captured from the sun through organic synthesis.
Wind power
This power is the use of air flow through wind turbines to mechanically power generators for electricity. Wind turbines are typically used for large-scale power generation, electricity is generated from multiple wind turbine generators in large wind farms. Lower costs and increased energy production make wind one of the most competitive, efficient, and fastest-growing renewable energy technologies in use today.
Electricity
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has the property of electric charge. Besides being a field that deals with an electrical charge, electricity is also a general term that can be used to describe electromagnetic phenomena (including light) as well as electromagnetic forces.
Hydropower
This power is the use of the natural force of gravity on the water to power turbines and generators for electricity. Hydropower is a renewable energy source, and harnessing hydropower does not create greenhouse gas emissions, because it does not burn any fuel. In essence, this kind of power is generated by water falling through a turbine that rotates a magnet inside a coil of wire, creating an electrical current.
Geothermal energy
High-temperature geothermal energy is energy that is generated by the heat stored and transported by geologic media. The most accessible of these are plutonic rocks, which include magma and igneous rocks. The two most common sources of geothermal heat in the world are hot springs and volcanic eruptions.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel, also known as vegetable oil diesel or B100, is a fuel oil derived from vegetable waxes and oils. The most common feedstock used to produce biodiesel is rapeseed oil. But jatropha seed oil and palm oil are also used.
New Technology
New types of homes that can effectively manage solar energy are being developed all over the world. It means that you can go back to some of your fondest childhood memories. Just by using a solarium as your home’s main source of heat and light.
The clean energy revolution is finally underway. The vast path of the digital economy will have a very large effect on our energy consumption. As well as on our lifestyle in general. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter are currently consuming a lot of energy around the world. But with the development of clean technology. It will become cheaper to run these digital hubs without any harmful side effects to our environment.
But there’s hope for all of us. We can’t deny that some areas are suffering. Will continue to suffer from a lack of energy. But recent technological advances mean that we simply cannot continue as we were up until now. Instead, we need to change our attitude and approach to this global problem.
The future energy is up to us. Tomorrow will be different from what we know today.
We’ve seen it in the past and we’ve seen it before. The future of energy is a huge question that needs to be answered so that we can:
Have a positive impact on our environment,
Take care of our Earth, and
Be the ones who are making changes in the world.
The future energy is up to us!