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  • Author Author: spannerspencer
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2016 Year in Preview: The Future of Power

spannerspencer

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Over the past few days we've built on our Awards poll about future tech predictions by discussing various electronics realms and how they might evolve over the next 12 months.


Most every other subject we've looked at is on the verge of being cracked (or, perhaps, on the verge of cracking). But power is, it seems to me, still a good way off from seeing a workable, available solution.


What's Going Down in Power Town?


There are no shortages of socio-political angles we could take when looking at power, but this isn't a discussion we want to be derailed by politics. Moreover, we're focusing on where the technology is going in order to power our wearables, our IoT solutions, our smartphones, tablets and computers, and every other piece of tech that we're inclined to surround ourselves with.


When getting a day's life out of a smartphone seems like a victory, it's clear that we've a long way to go before a solution arrives. But what shape will that take? Do you feel that sustainable energy is the way forward? Will smartphones soon contain fuel cells instead of batteries? And how will electric cars get you home safely if there's a traffic jam ahead?


What are the challenges and potential solutions that are on the horizon for the world of electronics power?


Tell us all about the future of Power below (and what you'd like to see, as much as what we will see), and we'll reconvene this time next year to see how close we got to the mark.

  • in reply to jw0752

    In China where electricity is expensive, stores are routinely cold in the winter and in the homes. I was there then and learned to wear long johns. LOLimage

    Clem

  • There is no single source that will supply the power needs of the future. We are already starting to see the diffusion of power sources in the wind, solar technologies and other sources. Economics and technological innovation will drive the direction of this trend. The role that conservation will and must contribute should not be underestimated. For example when I was young the houses we lived in possessed less than half the insulation value of our present housing. In addition back in the 1950s and 1960s it was normal to set the thermostats here in the Northern USA to 72 degrees F (22 C). Now we routinely live at 68 degrees F (20 C) and at night or if we are not at home the thermostat setting goes down to 62 degrees F (16 C). This change in the R value of the insulation combined in the life style change is really the equivalent of finding a new energy source. As energy gets more expensive we will value it more and use it in a more responsible fashion.

  • As the world continues to modernize, the need for more power generation will also increase.

     

    While renewable energy is desired, the cost/KWH numbers are still anemic.

     

    I also know that everyone is dreaming of inexpensive nuclear fusion power.  Unfortunately, my analysis has identified that there is no break even point for nuclear fusion.

     

    The only way to extract energy from atoms is via nuclear fission.

     

    DAB

  • I believe in harvestable energy is the future.

    Clem