The Future of Renewable Energy

What’s Next for Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is still a fairly young industry, but if the trends keep going in the same direction, it’s only going to get bigger as the years go by. Here are some exciting new advances in renewable energy technology we have to look forward to.

U.S. Offshore Wind

Offshore wind has been a renewable energy practice around the world for years and it is now finally becoming more popular off the coast of the United States as well. The Block Islands Wind Farm on the East coast recently turned on the connection to Rhode Island’s mainland power grid which supplied enough power to the Island to shut down its only other electricity source, which was a small diesel-fueled power plant.

Renewable Jet Fuel

Major airlines, including jetBlue and United, have both made commitments to integrate renewable jet fuel into their regular operations. Other governments from around the world have also come up with an agreement that’s part of a larger plan to increase renewable fuel use and reduce carbon emissions that the airline industry is responsible for. We should be looking out for even more announcements from airlines about committing to renewable jet fuel and what kinds of infrastructure will be built to produce the fuel.

Drones

Drones have been popping up in all kinds of different industries and for all different purposes. They can be for strictly entertainment purposes or for personal use, but they can have a business function as well. This is what the renewable energy industry is interested in exploring. They want to see what kinds of new ways drones can be used to streamline project development and reduce the costs of operations and maintenance on their various development projects.

Keep Creating Jobs

The renewable energy industry is already providing nearly 770,000 jobs in the United States, and the solar industry alone is employing more people than both the oil and natural gas extraction industries. Sustainable energy has proven that it has the staying power to be a strong player in the United States’ economy. Job growth in solar and wind power, energy storage, green buildings, and more will all sustain a healthy amount of growth in the years to come.

Corporate Commitment to Renewable Energy

Google is leading the way with corporations making a commitment to using renewable energy. More than half of their power is from solar and wind farms, and they have stated that 100% of their energy will be purchased from renewable sources by the end of 2017. Other major companies like Apple, Facebook, and Starbucks are also following Google’s lead and committing to making the shift to focus on clean energy.

Sun Powered Communities

The government is making grants available to local officials for sustainable power projects in their towns and communities. They will be encouraged to start solar projects and install panels to capture solar energy and convert it to electricity to be used throughout the community. These projects are a costly investment at first, but once everyone is up and running it is well worth the initial cost.