The Future of Energy #1

Energy is a basic human need but the way we currently produce and use it is environmentally unsustainable. Energy-related activities account for 80 % of total carbon emissions in the US and despite efficiency improvements global demand is increasing exponentially. No matter how many homes are insulated and low-carbon products developed, a sustainable future requires wholesale change in the way that we generate energy.

In a bid to fit into this future energy landscape all sorts of truly extraordinary technologies are being developed. Many 'traditional' low-carbon energy technologies generated from wind, water, and sunlight are being radically re-thought and altogether new technologies that generate power from trash, human movements, and gravity are being discovered, tested, and piloted.

The cutting-edge of this field is mind-boggling and provides a real reminder of how much scientist and entrepreneurs can do when they put their collective minds to something.

This week I will highlight just a few of these technologies and hopefully share some of the enthusiasm and awe that I experience when I read about them:

1) Ross Lovegrove's Solar Trees

While powering streetlights with solar panels is nothing new, Ross Lovegrove's Solar Trees beautifully unite form and function. The tree design allows each branch to capture the energy provided by the constantly changing sun and shadow patterns of a city environment. They in turn produce uniquely attractive nighttime lighting, reminiscent of a 'natural' environment, in crowded city centers. They are already being piloted in cities in Europe and have been met with enthusiasm.