Scientists and political pundits have long predicted an energy crisis to hit the world in the next few decades, but will 2017 be the year where renewable energy truly takes off and saves our bacon? It’s too early to tell right now, but several developments in the sector indicate we may finally be turning a corner and making renewable fuels a widely adopted reality worldwide. Read on to find out all about the renewable energies that will be on the pundits’ lips in 2017.
Renewable Jet Fuel
Aviation is one of the leading causes of carbon footprints in the modern world, which has continually shaken airline companies as they attempt to make their business cleaner and greener. They know consumers are more environmentally conscious these days, and it could affect their profit margins if they resist a change towards renewables. Starting in 2017, more major airlines are going to be jumping onboard for renewable engines and fuels as we aim for a future where flying is cheaper and cleaner than ever before.
Solar Power in Africa
Most of Africa is off the electric grid but are desperate to have constant, steady access to electricity. Adding these millions of people to the global carbon footprint would be a massive disaster, but what if we cut out fossil fuels entirely and skipped most of Africa straight to solar power? After all, the sun is not a resource that is lacking on the African continent.
Many pop-up solar power firms are making themselves known in the further reaches of rural African communities. Thanks to the simple installation process and how a solar network doesn’t need to be connected to a larger power grid, small African villages can now have access to electricity no matter how remotely situated they are.
Energy Storage
Thanks for renewables entering into the power ecosystems of many developed nations, some countries are finding themselves with a surplus of electricity. This excess can be stored either for later use from the nation it was generated by, or sold off to another country in the same way they would buy fossil fuels for their own power plants.
Either way, it works out as a net benefit thanks to the surplus generated by renewables preventing a nation having to use more fossil fuels to meet requirements. You may see the energy market explode over the next few years, as countries who wisely invested in renewables early on will find themselves in a dominant position to sell clean energy to those who ignorantly continued focussing on fossil fuels.
Offshore Wind
Wind power has long been developing across the globe, but one of the major sticking points has been that they are considered eyesores when put on land and neighboring communities. While there is certainly still a place for onshore wind power, offshore seems to be the sector where the technology is developing most rapidly.
Vast offshore wind farms are being strategically placed on coasts across many nations of the world, in places where statistically the winds are at their fiercest. On a national level, it could help lessen the amount of fossil fuels required, but on a local level it can have significant benefits too, thanks to bringing jobs to the area. Many coastal localities and principalities are lobbying their central Governments to invest in this technology, which could see it become one of the dominant forces in the renewables sector.
Article originally posted on the Renewable Energy World website.
