Storing the Future for Today
The future. It is human nature to wonder what is going to happen in the future, however, it is something that is hard to predict. Nonetheless, predictions can be made. For the future in the case of Earth, we have many insights into a climate disaster that is approaching humanity. We need solutions that are feasible for all and that can be used today. This is why I am discussing and promoting the use of sustainable battery storage for the generation of clean and renewable energy.
Over the course of the past decade, many solutions have been coming about to solve the world’s most pressing problems relating to climate change. This entails the topics of clean energy generation, pollution, and creating a closed loop for renewables where we can have constant power from potentially spotty sources of energy. One of the more recent developments in the world of sustainability came from Elon Musk. This idea is seemingly simple, hence why it can be used throughout the world on any applicable size. The idea is this: Generate energy from a clean source, such as solar power, wind, etc, and use that energy to simultaneously charge a battery, or multiple, for energy use later or for when the energy source cannot be used, such as solar at night time. This battery is then filled with clean energy from the day, and can be tapped at any time of need. For example, a house at night can be running off of self-generated solar power by using the battery, or an electric car parked at home can be charged off of the sun at night. This solution is key for use throughout the future because it can be scaled to any necessary size. Need more storage? Just add more batteries. This infinitely scalable design makes it the key application for humanity to use for a complete clean energy future. Currently, the use of fossil fuels is the main source of energy, not just in our country, but throughout our world. This is a problem for many reasons, but mainly, the use of these fuels creates harmful emissions which lead to global warming, pollution, and many other negative effects for humans and the earth. Also, these fuels are not renewable, meaning they cannot be used forever, hence another reason to transition to a clean energy system utilized with battery storage. For this writing, I had the pleasure of interviewing Adam Plumpton, a previous, respected employee at Tesla who had first hand experience with the development and implementation of solar and especially battery storage throughout the world. During the interview, Adam made a standout point; “This technology can be used by anyone, anywhere. There is no limitation on the size and scale of these systems. It can be used for an individual home for a single family up to an entire country if they so desire.” Real world applications are key to the future of solving our climate crisis, and having an application that can be utilized by anyone, anywhere is necessary for humanities’ success in the fight against climate change.
For a solution to be ideal for use, it needs to work with a wide audience. This is a turn off for the topic of climate change, as people think of corporations, oil tycoons, and unreachable solutions. The average family in a single house does not think there is much they can do for this looming problem. However, this is where battery storage for clean energy generation comes to play. It is the perfect fit. Tesla, a popular company in this sector, has a well-developed solution for homeowners looking to get partially or fully off the grid in a clean manner. They add solar power to the roof of the home, in the form of panels or tiles, and put one to three batteries on the side of the house depending on the energy needs of that home. As stated before, the solar energy from the roof charges the batteries during the day, and the batteries are used at night when the sun is no longer shining. This loop is infinite and creates a fully off the grid home. Even though this is good, it gets better. While the home is generating 100% clean energy, homeowners are able to sell any excess energy generated back to the grid, for a profit that goes right to the owner. This is because the utility company can sell the cleanly generated energy to other homes for use. Another pro of this system is that if there is ever a power outage, your home will always be powered, as it is not reliant on the broken grid. As Adam said in the interview; “This system will be able to be used at all homes at all times in the near future. The future for households to be a key role-player in the fight against climate change is now. Standard utility power from the grid is out, battery storage is in.”
The outcome of the future is dependent on everyone, big and small. While individual households play a key role in the fight against climate change, sizable businesses and cities are an important factor as well, due to their sheer size. One of the most valuable assets with a battery storage system linked to clean energy generation is the feature of scalability. Massive storage solutions are possible when scaling this application. To see a real world application, let’s turn to Tesla. In 2017, Tesla implemented a mass-scale battery storage system linked to a field of solar panels on the island of Kauai. This system includes a 52 Megawatt battery installation and a 13 Megawatt solar panel installation on the island. When looking for more information on the topic, an article written from The Verge came to notice, stating; “Tesla and the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, the power company that ordered the project, believe the project will reduce fossil fuel usage by 1.6 million gallons per year.” This is only one example of a large-scale installation of one of these systems. Other additions have been installed in Australia to help with their unstable, coal-reliant grid and the frequent blackouts that occur, as well as backing up utility stations throughout the U.S for backup power if the grid has a failure. In another interview I had to gather more information for this writing, I talked to Eric Christensen, who is the Vice President at WSP, a company combating climate change by helping businesses convert their current operations to more efficient and sustainable options. Eric and I were talking on the topic of efficiency and business applications for clean energy battery storage. Eric agreed with the idea saying; “Yes, battery storage is a great step for companies and businesses to use to achieve their sustainability goals and lower their emissions. Battery storage can go far for businesses, essentially making every business a net-zero company.” Eric also talked on the importance of the introduction of battery storage for city-wide applications, referencing Tesla’s projects and how it can be used for any size application necessary.
“Corporations and individuals are going to be the key to solving this climate crisis. Battery storage together with clean energy generation is going to go far in the fight against climate change and it will protect the future for Earth.” This is one of Eric’s final remarks in the interview that struck me as inspirational. As Eric said, this is one of the keys to the future, and this application needs to be utilized for a successful future. Without it, humanity will most likely face unprecedented problems. This application is already being used today with popular names such as Tesla (an electric car manufacturer and battery developer), Bloom Energy (a company that manufactures solid fuel cell batteries for on-site energy use), solar companies pairing with battery companies, utilities using batteries for backup power, and more. Yes, this is great that it is being used, however, the use of this application needs to be used and promoted more, as it is a solution that can work for nearly any application needed. This can come from promotions from companies who have a lot of weight and influence throughout industries, as well as the use of government-backed incentives for people to be persuaded to add clean energy and battery storage to their homes, businesses, or cities. Add just a little wind in these sails, and this ship can sail far. Exposure to the public is essential to get this application used in a broader market.
All in all, the future is in our hands. We have the power to alter the course through meaningful action. Clean energy generation paired with battery storage has an essential role in the fight against our pressing climate problems. This is how we can store the future, today. The use of sustainable storage for clean energy generation is the world’s solution that is all for one, and one for all.
