Electricity has come a long way since Benjamin Franklin flew his kite in a storm to catch lightning. Today, we’re making energy from the sun and wind, and it’s changing everything.
But using energy from the sun and wind can be tricky because the sun doesn’t always shine.
This makes it hard to always have enough power when we need it. That’s why smart systems and new ways to store energy, like the sand battery from Finland, are so important.
Renewable energy & storing energy
In the 2000s, things really started to change when we began using more solar panels and wind turbines. You can see these panels and turbines almost everywhere—on big open fields, on top of houses, and along coastlines. They stand tall, showing us that we’re serious about cutting down the smoke and gases that dirty our air.1 However, the growth of renewable energy and increase in electric devices put a strain on current electrical grids across the world.
Harnessing electricity and making it more efficient
Thomas Edison and Nicola Tesla revolutionized the way we can use electricity. Edison started with a lamp that was burning for 13 hours, today lamp can burn up to 50000 hours (that is five years), using only 1 watt.2
We still use Tesla’s discovery of Direct Current (DC) today, it allows electricity to travel long distances to your house. This has to be used immediately. Sometimes, when there is too much supply, electrical companies ask greenhouse businesses to use additional electricity to stabilize the grid.
This new battery “Sand Battery” is a big step in storing electricity. This innovative method captures and retains heat in the sand, making energy available for later use. The sand can be heated using renewable energy sources. The more we improve innovations like solar panels, wind turbines, and sand batteries, the closer we get to a future where all our power comes from clean and endless sources.3
Smart Grid
The growth in solar and wind power capacity brings with it greater variability in power supply. A smart grid can help manage this variability by using advanced technology to monitor energy flows and automatically adjust both supply and demand. This system allows for more efficient distribution of electricity, particularly when integrating unstable renewable energy sources. By balancing energy loads and redistributing electricity during peak times or when disruptions occur. Additionally, it can help reduce energy waste, lower costs, and improve the overall sustainability of the power system4. What do you think the next innovation in renewable energy will be?
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