Charles Darwin once noted, “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.”
Most of us know that we can’t keep powering our lives with nonrenewable energy sources, and at the same time, most of us can hardly imagine life without the myriad conveniences and creature comforts we rely on daily (just imagine 24 hours without electricity). Luckily, scientists and inventors across the globe are working on a variety of alternative ways to keep us powered up in the future.
Here’s how our world is changing and adapting in 2018.
Cleaner and Greener
At the top of the list is the continued improvement to our electric grid. Every year, we increase our reliance on renewable energy sources like wind and solar and rely less and less on fossil fuels that negatively affect our environment. The result is cleaner energy and fewer carbon emissions.
Looking ahead, we’ve managed to preserve tax credits for solar and wind energy, an encouraging step that will likely have a positive impact on future investments in these industries.
We’re also seeing increased commitment to sustainability on a local level and expect more small businesses, local governments, and communities to continue their commitment to sustainability and renewable energy.
Baby You Can Drive My (Electric) Car
One idea that’s been on the radar for decades but finally appears to be taking off? Electric vehicles. Some sources indicate that sales of electric cars are expected to climb 70% this year (current growth was, on average, 32% each year from 2012-2016 and 45% in 2017, according to Forbes).
What’s making the difference?
The driving range has improved, as has the battery technology. At the same time, the battery replacement cost has dropped, and the available styles have increased (nearly every major automobile manufacturer has an EV on their roster).
In short, these cars are more reliable and efficient than ever before, and the consumer has a wider range of options when selecting a vehicle.
Saving the Planet with Software?
When you think of Blockchain (if you think about it at all), you probably think about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. You might be surprised to know that this platform has become a major player in other industries, including clean energy.
In addition to enabling peer-to-peer energy transactions (sell your extra solar power directly to your neighbor!), Blockchain’s high levels of security and accountability appear to be making investors more comfortable allocating money towards renewable energy projects, which have struggled to woo financers in the past due to a history of being high-risk and low-performing.
Additional investments in clean energy could make a huge difference in getting important projects off the ground.
Human beings are excellent adaptors.
In just a few hundred years, we’ve become used to electricity in our homes, motorized vehicles, television, the internet, and tiny computers that we carry around in our pockets and feel absolutely naked without.
We’ve gone from burning through fossil fuels like nobody’s business to understanding both the environmental impact and the sustainability issues inherent with such wanton overuse. In addition to being a strong and smart species, we are indeed highly adaptable, as the innovations noted above indicate.
Here’s to our continued progress adapting the needs of our race to suit the needs of our planet and living together in comfort and synchronicity.