⚡️ Energy
Energy production and consumption is becoming cleaner, cheaper and decentralized. With connected devices you as a consumer can take control of your energy consumption. Here you will also find content about batteries, smart grids, nuclear and other innovation in the energy field.
⚡ Ukraine builds renewable energy during war: "Difficult to destroy"
Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, has rebuilt solar power plants in seven days after Russian attacks, compared to three to four months for thermal power plants. Decentralized power generation is much more resistant and difficult to destroy, than centralized.
🚜 Solar cells transform agriculture in Pakistan
Pakistani farmers reduce their energy costs by up to 80 percent by installing solar panels for irrigation. 95 percent of farmland in the Lahore area has switched to solar power.
🔋 Stores are starting to profit from EV charging stations
A new study shows that stores within 200 meters of charging stations get 4 percent more visitors and 5 percent increased sales. Over 200,000 public chargers are now deployed at approximately 74,000 stations in the USA.
📉 Deaths from air pollution decrease globally
Deaths caused by air pollution from fossil fuels decreased by 7 percent between 2016 and 2021.
⚡ 550% increase in data centers led to only 6% higher electricity consumption
More efficient computer chips have reduced energy intensity by 99 percent since 2008. IEA predicts that data centers will account for only 3 percent of increased electricity consumption by 2030.
🌏 The best things happening to humanity right now
It is easy to think of bad things happening right now, but what are the best ones? The list can be made very long, but here are my favorites.
🔋 The U.S. has installed batteries equivalent to 20 nuclear power plants in four years
The US has installed batteries with a capacity of over 20 gigawatts to the power grid, of which 5 gigawatts were added during the first seven months of this year. The batteries have already proven effective in preventing power outages in states like California during intense heat waves.
⚡ New drilling technology from the oil industry provides fossil-free electricity around the clock
The cost of drilling geothermal wells has decreased by 80%. Cold water is pumped down four kilometers into the ground through a hockey stick-shaped borehole and heated to steam by the heat down there. The steam returns through a parallel borehole and drives turbines that produce electricity.
🌡️ Heat pumps reduce energy use by 40 percent, according to a new study
A new study shows that heat pumps significantly reduce household energy consumption. Household carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 36 percent. Time-of-use electricity tariffs caused households to more than double their electricity consumption during off-peak hours and halve it during peak hours.