SEEING THE LIGHT
With the emergence of decentralised energy, such as wind, solar, or biomass, as a major source for power generation, renewables are becoming part of an integrated service solution. In this article, the authors show how innovation and unconventional ideas are paving the way to new frontiers of our energy systems, both in the industrialised world as well as in developing countries and emerging economies.
A decentralised energy revolution – one made possible by the liberalisation of the energy sector – creates opportunities for new players, new platforms, and new strategies for (literally and figuratively) powering the grid.
Much of the first phase of the energy transformation is complete. Globally, we have shifted our focus from a firm reliance on coal, nuclear, and natural gas to truly imagining a future fuelled by renewable energy sources. In countries such as Germany and Denmark, the first phase of the transformation, characterised by extensive subsidies for and surging private investment in renewables as a niche, has given way to Phase II, where power generation by renewables represented more than 30 and 40 percent of these countries’ energy supply, respectively, in 2017.
Civic power, especially, has become a significant market force, complementing and competing with
