As tech becomes more advanced, we’re starting to bridge the gap between supply and demand in the renewable energy sector. Businesses and homeowners are investing in the sustainable industry to cut emissions, lower energy costs, and add to their eco-friendly image.
Most exciting is the incorporation of AI in the renewable energy realm. How is the field adapting for personal use? How is the area adapting to tech improvements on a broader scale? Let’s find out.
1. At Home or on the Road
Homeowners, nomads, RV road trippers, and the like have discovered that using a portable power station and solar panels cuts their utility costs and improves their carbon footprint.
With a portable power station, you can harvest, store and consume renewable energy on the move without being restricted to expensive installations. These aren’t tiny solar-powered devices like solar lights, either. Pair a high-capacity portable power station with solar panels, and you can generate enough electricity to run large appliances and power tools.
So, where does AI fit into all this? The latest power stations come with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability, meaning you can run everything from your smartphone. Dedicated apps let you monitor energy use, optimize battery levels, and more.
Like with all technology, advancements in improved power are also making these items more compact. Most power stations are light and convenient enough to be carried by hand. Some have extendable arms so that you can pull them like a trolley. They’re powerful and compact enough to use at home and on the road.
2. AI and Data
Artificial intelligence exists to imitate human functions so that software can make predictions and act upon tasks in a human-like way that mimics how our brains work. Machine learning is an exciting branch of AI.
You see the two working together in society, like when your favorite media subscription service can recommend shows you enjoy. Machine learning is a way to apply artificial intelligence that allows a machine to improve in a self-sufficient manner. The system acquires knowledge and appears to learn from experience.
How is AI improving the renewable landscape?
- Forecasting. AI allows us to forecast weather, which has presented challenges to renewable energy harvesting because weather is unpredictable. AI forecasts are far more reliable, analyzing weather through historical data banks and in real-time.
- Maintenance. Large-scale plants rely on regular maintenance to run efficiently. Rather than issuing large-scale maintenance, AI can tell us where specific faults lie, allowing us to spend time and money on where it matters, reducing energy waste.
3. Wind Power
Wind power is one of the oldest methods of sourcing energy. Advancements see plans for offshore and airborne turbines to lower the need to build wind power on land.
Improvements in turbine aerodynamics have made them more energy efficient. New materials are used that reduce the machinery’s weight, and newly designed blades reduce built-up pressure caused by the wind, referred to as the fatigue load.
Plus, the rotors are getting to around 180m in cases. The blades utilize softer, more flexible materials that the wind can manipulate rather than take full force.
An Exciting Future
Tech is constantly evolving. We bet that the renewable energy sector will only grow into even more exciting prospects as time goes on.
