In today’s world, practically everyone is on board with the idea that humans need to make the transition away from the usage of fossil fuels in order to limit the harm that we are causing to our planet and the environment. As a result, numerous breakthroughs have occurred in the fields of science and industry as we look for new environmentally friendly or renewable substitutes for coal, oil, and gas.
Even while it would be wonderful to believe that everyone wants to do their share to rescue the earth, there are substantial financial incentives as well. By the year 2030, the value of the market for renewable energy is projected to have increased from $880 billion to over $2 trillion. And since people are becoming more aware of the significance of environmental and social governance (ESG) concerns, there are now enormous political incentives.
The transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources is expected to reach a magnitude never seen before in 2022, making that year a candidate for the title of “most environmentally significant year ever recorded.” It is also the year in which we will begin to witness previously unheard-of forms of energy emerge from the confines of laboratories and pilot projects and start to become a part of our daily lives. In light of this, let’s take a look at some of the trends that are anticipated to have the most significant influence on the new energy industry over the next few of months.
AI in the energy sector
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the energy and utility industries, as it has in every other industry. To make sure that electricity is supplied when and where it is required with the least amount of waste, it is used to estimate demand and manage resource distribution. This is especially critical in the renewable energy business, as energy is typically produced and consumed at the same time and in the same area.
According to the World Economic Forum, artificial intelligence (AI) will be critical in the global shift to renewable energy. Accurate supply and demand forecasts will be key to realizing these efficiency benefits. Decentralized models of power production and distribution are also becoming increasingly common, where more electricity is provided by smaller, localized power grids (such as solar farms) and advanced AI algorithms are required to coordinate the integration of these networks. “Intelligent coordinating layer” is the technique here, which stands between the power infrastructure and the homes and businesses where electricity is used.
A service called Optiwize from Likewatt in Germany calculates power consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in real-time, allowing customers in Germany and the United States to monitor the effects of their power consumption in real time and make more informed decisions about their own energy supplies in 2022. Predictive maintenance technology is being developed by several firms to improve the efficiency of renewable energy production processes.
Green hydrogen energy
Burning hydrogen results in almost no emissions of greenhouse gases, despite the fact that it is the most plentiful substance in the universe. These are two of the characteristics that give it the potential to become a really interesting source of energy. The problem, however, has always been that transforming it into a form that can be used as fuel requires the burning of fossil fuels and the release of carbon emissions. This makes the process prohibitively expensive. The production of brown hydrogen, for instance, begins with coal, while the production of gray hydrogen begins with natural gas.
The production of green carbon, on the other hand, is accomplished by an electrolysis and water-based process. If the needed energy is generated from renewable sources such as wind or solar power, then the process is practically free of carbon emissions. This year, a number of big European energy corporations, such as Shell and RWE, have committed to establishing the first significant green hydrogen pipeline across Europe, which will originate from offshore wind facilities in the North Sea. Even though it won’t be finished until 2035, the European Union has committed to smaller initiatives that seek to develop 40 gigawatts (GW) of renewable electricity by the year 2030. This power will be utilized for the creation of green hydrogen.
This means that we may expect a rise in the number of initiatives and developments related to this fuel source until 2022. Hydrogen fuel company LAVO in Australia and Dutch design studio Studio MOM in the Netherlands have built the world’s 1st hydrogen-powered electric bicycle as an illustration of this. The American company ElektrikGreen has created hydrogen fuel cell home charging solutions for electric automobiles.
The Internet of Energy
This aspect of the internet of things, also known as IoT, is focused with the production and delivery of electrical power. IoE is inextricably linked to the concept of energy decentralization, which may be defined as the progression toward a power infrastructure that is more environmentally friendly and in which energy is consumed as near as feasible to the time and place where it is produced.
In order to handle the new technological platforms and the financial framework needed by markets to support energy trading and distribution, this paradigm shift in energy infrastructure necessitates a high degree of automation. The “smart grid” is the name given to this brand-new energy infrastructure paradigm. There will be a key role for artificial intelligence and other new technical breakthroughs like blockchain, which will allow for open and trustworthy records of financial transactions, in this context (see the preceding section for more information).
In the same way as the Internet of Things uses edge and cloud architecture, the Internet of Everything uses sensors and scanners that process information near to the source (at the point where electricity is created or utilized) as well as through faraway data centers. Utility businesses will be able to undertake real-time, data-driven decision-making and predictive maintenance with the help of this technological layer, which will allow them to improve customer experience and happiness while also driving efficiency.
Advanced engineering in renewables
Because of the great amount of pressure to create electricity in a way that is more economically efficient, safely, and effectively, the technology that is utilized to generate renewable energy is always being improved. In the year 2022 and the years to come, we will witness additional advancements in engineering, which will bring us photovoltaic panels used for the development of solar power that are more powerful and adaptable, as well as turbine blades used for the generation of hydro and wind power. For instance, the blades developed by the United States-based company Helicoid make use of unconventional configurations of structural fibers. As a result, the turbines they produce are more resistant to damage caused by environmental erosion and are less affected by structural fatigue. This makes them less susceptible to downtime and reduces the frequency with which they need replacement and maintenance, all of which contribute to an increase in their overall efficiency.
In the field of solar energy, businesses such as the Dutch startup Lusoco are experimenting with novel approaches to the design of photovoltaic panels. These panels make use of a variety of materials, such as fluorescent ink, that reflect and refract light in order to concentrate it on solar cells, which results in a more effective collection of solar energy. This leads in panels that are not only cheaper but also lighter and need less energy to create and install than traditional panels. Additionally, the efficiency with which energy may be converted by newly discovered materials is being improved. These include the monocrystalline silicon ingots that Norwegian Crystals manufactures using a production method that involves very low levels of carbon dioxide emissions from hydropower. The year 2022 will see a significant trend that will drive higher efficiency and dependability across the renewable energy industry, and that trend is the improvement of engineering processes.
Neutrinovoltaic: The Key to an Energy-efficient and Sustainable Future
There is a new competitor in the realm of alternative and renewable energies that is quite different to any other kind of energy source that has ever been known to humankind. This is a technology known as neutrinovoltaic, and it enables a source of energy that is completely sustainable, one of a kind, and favourable to the environment.
The idea that neutrinos could be used to generate energy has been disregarded by scientists for a long time. However, the discovery in 2015 that neutrinos do, in fact, have mass has convinced some scientists that the generation of energy via neutrinos and other non-visible radiations is a possibility.
Scientists such as those working at the Neutrino Energy Group, which is a company focused on harnessing the power of neutrinos and other non-visible radiations. The company is actively hard at work improving their neutrinovoltaic technology. This innovative technology, in contrast to photovoltaic cells, does not need sunshine. This is a significant benefit, as it enables the technology to create electricity nonstop, around the clock, and throughout the whole year. Additionally, this technology will make it possible to manufacture completely eco-friendly devices that do not require an electrical outlet to function. Because of this, the devices will be able to function more independently and will have a greater potential for application in a wider variety of places and circumstances.
The groundbreaking engineering of neutrinovoltaic technology, in the opinion of the world’s best energy professionals and futurologists, will be a symbol of future peace and freedom, a long-awaited and trustworthy solution to today’s energy issue. This will assist future generations in meeting their energy demands without the need for expensive infrastructure, competition for finite natural resources, or a rise in environmental repercussions.