Clean energy

The concept of clean energy has been around for a long time.

From the earliest signs of concern for the environment and climate, the idea of transforming energy from sunlight, wind and water to produce electricity has gained momentum, resulting in a global consensus goal to ensure that at least a large part of the energy consumed by the planet every day is produced by clean, non-polluting methods.

The demand for energy is rising every year due to the increase in the world’s population and the fact that the automation of most processes requires electricity. A good example of those changes is the automotive sector, which is among the industries with remarkable changes in terms of energy consumption in this decade, triggering a rapid and promoted evolution. 

Nearly every vehicle brand has added electric or hybrid models to their lineups in the last 5 years. All big car designers and manufacturers are engaged in fierce competition to develop more efficient engines with batteries that allow them to travel long distances without needing to be recharged.

But the energy (electricity) needed to power all these electric vehicles also come from many different sources that result in increased pollution; like thermoelectric power plants which burn hydrocarbons to produce electricity. So the sources of electricity to charge car batteries must also be clean to achieve positive results in the near future. To make this possible, solar power is becoming the most reliable source of green energy.

Solar panels are being adapted and installed everywhere. Initially, these panels were reserved only for large spaces, located mainly in rural areas, where the availability of regular electric power was scarce and very expensive to include in the service plans of energy providers. But now, it is very common to see solar panels installed on residential homes and buildings in the very center of major capital cities.

Companies such as Solar Edge Technologies (NASDAQ : SEDG) are among those offering Smart Energy solutions, including the installation of rooftop solar panels, control modules and an electric vehicle charging system that allows quick charging at home. They even have an app for the user to know in real-time the energy production, consumption and CO2 savings for the environment. 

Here in Spain, the record electricity prices we have been facing since last year have boosted the trend to generate-your-own-energy. Neighbourhoods of houses are converted into mini-electricity companies, which not only produce the energy to cover their own demand but the extra Kilowatts can be delivered to the grid to be sold and used by other consumers.

Solar Edge Technologies (NASDAQ : SEDG) offers the next generation solar energy systems, adding the aesthetic approach for the solar panels when installed on home rooftops. The solar panels are connected to a Solar Edge Power Optimizer, which transforms it into a smart module. Working together with high-efficiency inverters, they collect the maximum amount of energy possible, regardless of shading, dirt, and other factors to provide the entire house with more electricity over the system’s lifetime.

So these types of solutions are poised for mass adoption in the coming years. The idea of being in control of the energy we produce ourselves at home instead of paying huge monthly bills for the service is also beneficial in terms of being aware of the value of our electricity in order to use only the amount of energy we actually need.