Innovation Solves Energy Issues

Innovation is one of those things that is going to take many forms as we move into the heart of a cleantech revolution, and not all of them are going to command big IPOs and such. But that, really, is going to be the strength of such a movement, the flexibility of the potential range of solutions. Unlike, for instance, information technology which simply needs to keep pushing the envelope technologically, in cleantech and green building and related movements there are a plethora of cheap, easy means of improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, or becoming energy independent available to those serious about making the change.British Columbia is aggressively pursuing the use of biomass in electricity production, on which they hope to be entirely self-reliant by 2016. To that end, the province is seeking $25 million to establish a Bioenergy Network which would “encourage the development of pilot and demonstration projects with industries and communities in key biomass resource areas.” One of the examples given in the article is harvesting waste from an insect infestation to work as biomass stock for heating and energy generation.Such out-of-the-box examples show how unconventional approaches can net very conventional gains; another example would be the dramatic success of the use of green roofs on commercial buildings. As with waste biomass reclamation, green roofs provide a ready solution that does not require major infrastructure changes or dramatic alterations in how people go about their lives. For the consumer and voter, these are the most palatable–and thus likely to be voted upon or otherwise approved–types of changes.And BC’s strategy is clearly quite sound. With an aggressive goal electricity self-sufficiency and a host of other milestones, the province needs to seek out as many options as are ready and waiting, the so-called low-hanging fruit. Biomass fits the bill perfectly and should provide the province a strong means to their progressive ends.From the opposite side of the energy self-sufficiency coin, New Zealanders will be able to pick up a unqiue device this week that allows them to monitor their home energy usage in realtime. Coming on the heels of concern over energy shortages in NZ, the local development of the Centameter, sensitive enough to detect the impact of a single 25W light bulb being turned on and off, provides an answer for the critical question of just how much electricity homeowners are using.This kind of ability to monitor electricity consumption is critical to the execution of smart grids, which could help consumers save by turning down energy usage during peak pricing hours and likewise allowing power companies to shutter inefficient plants that they need only for peak demand. Every little step is nonetheless a step forward, and this kind of innovation and lateral thinking ensure that we will continue to step forward.

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