Five new energy technologies and their potential economic impact
By Ted Annis
With the one constant in the energy industry being change, innovation continues at a rapid pace with ever-evolving technology and environmental health becoming more of a priority.
Growing numbers of consumers and companies are considering the benefits of alternative, sustainable resources that are environmentally friendly. A Pew Research Center survey found that 65 percent of Americans give priority to developing alternative energy sources, compared with 27 percent who would emphasize expanded production of fossil fuel sources.
It’s becoming a new world with a lot of exciting, cutting-edge developments in energy that could benefit consumers and companies down the road. In the energy sector, there’s a shake-up going on necessitated by changing demands, the infrastructure, and the hard realities of the climate and economy. Many different innovations are supposed to be disruptive, but in a good way.
Here are five relatively new energy technologies and their potential economic impact.
Wind technology
A renewable energy source with zero emissions, this is projected to be the single fastest-growing energy source over the next 20 years. Wind energy has become a mainstream, reliable power technology in recent years. Technology improvements have continuously reduced energy costs.
Electrofuels
“Electrofuel” is an umbrella term for liquid or gaseous fuels that are produced using electricity. With fossil-fuel consumption expected to increase by 13 percent over the next 20 years, car manufacturers are looking for alternative energy solutions to help reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency. Audi is researching how synthetic technology can be used to improve gasoline, making it burn more cleanly.
Driverless vehicles
Vehicles that are capable of sensing their environment and navigating without human input could be the cars of the future. Technology is being developed on cars with internal combustion engines as well as electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles. Widespread use could lead to significant impacts on the liquid fuels and lubricants market. Service stations are already offering both gasoline and electric-charging points. Charging time will also be important as motorists may enter convenience stores while they wait.
Magnetic-powered devices
Magnets are at the core of numerous innovations and works in progress like fuel-less magnetic generators, which aim to produce electricity that could power a house, a car and anything else that requires electricity. The goal is for the generator never to wear out. In the transportation mode, magnets are being used to help power hoverboards — those “Back To The Future 2” skateboards that float over the ground — and as sensors implanted in streets to complement the advent of driverless vehicles. Volvo did a research project showing the advantages.
Fuel cells
Truck manufacturers Kenworth, Toyota, and UPS have begun investing in fuel-cell technologies that would allow transport vehicles to run on hydrogen and oxygen, releasing only heat and water as emissions. The process could soon be powered by renewable energies, making fuel cell vehicles extremely clean alternatives to current trucking solutions.
The interesting thing will be to see in 20 or 30 years from now how many of these new energy technologies, and others, will be mainstream. You can bet that most of them will be, and as much as we get caught up in technology, they will add more great stories of human innovation.
Ted Annis is the manager and co-founder of Transducing Energy Devices, LLC, which is engaged in the research and development of a fuel-less electricity energy device. He received a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in business administration at Xavier University. He was formerly with Ford Motor Company and was CEO and co-founder of SupplyTech, Inc.
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