Shaping the Future of the Energy sector – Emerging Innovators

In 2000, the global consumption of energy was 122,868 terawatt-hours (TWh). Last year in 2023, that number had risen to 183,230 TWh[1]. This represents an almost 50% increase in 23 years. The good news is that this growth is slowing slightly, to around 1-2% per year, the bad news is that the percentage of the energy produced from oil, coal and natural gas vs other cleaner energy sources has barely shifted in that time (76.8% in 2000 vs 76.5% in 2023). As populations increase and people get richer, it is unlikely that global consumption will decrease and therefore, the most effective way to reduce carbon emissions will be by using renewable energy sources.

We often see articles detailing innovative new methods for producing energy from novel sources. Examples include new ways to harness tidal energy, wind and even footfall on busy streets. However, these can sometimes feel anecdotal and mass adoption of these methods sometimes never happens. In this article, we look to see some examples of innovative ways that startups are looking to generate electricity, as well as understand barriers to their mainstream adoption.

Tidal power is not a new concept and offers multiple benefits compared with other renewable energy sources. Tides are more predictable than sources of energy such as the sun and wind, working by taking advantage of the constant gravitational pull of the moon. However, there are multiple shortcomings to the technology, including relatively high cost as well as difficulty to conduct maintenance. Currently, Europe’s lead in tidal power installations is eroding to countries like China and the US. WaveX is a recent startup that aims to address the high cost associated with the installation of large metallic supports required for conventional tide power infrastructures. Their technology uses flexible, embedded structures that sit just under the sand near coastlines to convert energy from the tide above into electricity. Furthermore, their technology can help slow coastal erosion, as the sand is not pulled out to sea as easily. Another benefit of being closer to land, as opposed to tidal generators out at sea, is that the electricity generated does not have to travel as far to reach the power grid, reducing the loss in power associated with resistance in the cables.

Solar power has seen growing adoption over the last 25+ years and in 2022 alone, 1.5 billion solar panels were manufactured worldwide, representing a 57% increase relative to the year before[2]. Solar panels come in a variety of forms and can be fitted to household, commercial and industrial properties as well as solar farms making them an excellent option for both individuals and businesses. The main hurdles faced by this technology are weather and location. Countries like Saudi Arabia have close to no cloud cover and benefit from good levels of sunlight throughout the year, making the installation of solar panels and solar farms a relatively straightforward choice. In 2021, they had an installed capacity of 389MW, compared to 59MW in 2020 (a 559% increase)[3]. Other countries with more seasonal weather and daylight hours do not have this benefit which, in part, explains why only 2.3% of global electricity consumption came from solar in 2023. However, a new solar age may be dawning which does not rely on weather or location. Space Solar plan to deploy satellites that feature lightweight solar panels (as well as mirrors to concentrate the sunlight onto the panels) in highly elliptical orbits in space. The electricity generated from these kilometer-sized solar farms will then be converted into radio waves that can be beamed down to receiving antennas on earth. This solution would provide continuous solar power for a stable electrical grid and with innovations in reusable rockets, launching new solar farms would be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than previously possible. The company hopes to have the technology rolled out by 2036.

Wind power has been used for centuries for the likes of windmills and sails for travel. Today, it is primarily harnessed for electricity generation using both on shore and offshore wind farms. On shore wind farms make up a larger portion of total wind turbines, while offshore wind farms have higher capacity factors and have less of a visual impact. Their mass adoption has been seen across the world, with China and the US installing the highest number in recent years. Furthermore, 30% of the UK’s electricity generation came from wind from July 2023-July 2024[4]. That said, in 2023, only 3.3% of the electricity consumed worldwide came from wind power as the technical difficulties of integrating it into the existing power grid, finding the ideal location and the upfront costs remain an issue. As well as using atmospheric wind, some companies are looking to harness the movement of air produced by humans. Treeva have developed turbines that can be installed on the sides of roads, which rotate using the turbulent airflow generated by passing cars. Unlike large scale wind turbines, these devices are easy to install and depending on the traffic on the road, can generate electricity constantly as a steady stream of cars go by. This technology can also be used at the side of train tracks and ships. The company is already in talks with a number of UK train, motorway and cruise companies including Network Rail, National Highways, as well as MSC cruises. If you would like to find out more about Treeva, you can read Strategic Allies Tech Spotlight on them here.

A newer approach

Footfall energy harvesting systems are a newer concept that can be used in built up areas to recover energy from walking or running. Furthermore, the technology can be used on roads, or in car park entrances as cars roll over the harvesting systems. Generation of electricity using these systems is achieved in a variety of ways, from using piezoelectric materials that generate electricity when an external force is applied, to transducers whereby pressure from footfall causes a magnetic element to interact with a conductive element, generating current[5]. Pavegen Systems was founded in 2009 and have been producing and innovating on their kinetic floor tile design ever since. To date, they have completed over 200 projects in 37 different countries with partners such as Lidl, Samsung, Siemens and the NFL. Pavegen Systems’ technology serves not only as a way to generate clean energy, but also to improve brand engagement and raise awareness through gamification of energy production. Past projects have seen their technology installed at sports stadiums, marathons and airports.

Conclusion

While innovation continues to flourish in the renewable energy sector and the demand for novel methods to harness renewable energy is there, cost, scalability of new technologies, grid integration and governmental policies remain obstacles to mass adoption. Furthermore, it can be difficult to choose which renewable energy solution is most adapted to your needs, depending on geography, weather conditions and power requirement.

How Strategic Allies can help

Strategic Allies is here to help you find sustainable innovation partners. Whether you are searching for ways to reduce energy wastage in your manufacturing process, reach Net Zero goals by partnering with renewable energy partners, or build onsite infrastructures to help decarbonise your processes/buildings. Strategic Allies will work with you to find optimal solutions.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help you to explore and exploit new technologies and/or offer opportunities to differentiate your offerings, please contact John Allies at john@strategicallies.co.uk

References

Shaping the Future of the Energy sector – Emerging Innovators

Reducing Water Usage in Industry

Circular economy innovation: pioneering sustainable solutions

AI in Chemistry: Transforming Molecule Discovery with Artificial Intelligence