Advanced Energy Perspectives

This post is one in a series of feature stories on trends shaping advanced energy markets in the U.S. and around the world, drawn from Advanced Energy Now 2015 Market Report, which was prepared for AEE by Navigant Research. 

Governments globally are keen to see wide-scale adoption of alternative fuel vehicle technologies as a solution to both environmental and energy security issues.  As such, national, state, and local governing bodies have provided a range of incentives to early adopters in efforts to jump-start the market. In the past year or two, market dynamics have taken a favorable turn, with rapid reductions in battery and natural gas prices. Electricity and natural gas have now taken center stage as near-term alternative fuel solutions, though for different reasons and for different vehicle applications. 

This post is one in a series of feature stories on trends shaping advanced energy markets in the U.S. and around the world, drawn from Advanced Energy Now 2015 Market Report, which was prepared for AEE by Navigant Research. 

The energy storage market is in a process of transition. It is going from a large infrastructure market focused on pumped hydro and underground compressed air projects to an advanced energy technologies market, fueled by technological innovation, liberalized market structures, and supportive policies. While the global market still revolves around pumped storage, energy storage in the United States is all about new batteries and other technologies. This distinction accounts for recent market dynamics.

This post is one in a series of feature stories on trends shaping advanced energy markets in the U.S. and around the world, drawn from Advanced Energy Now 2015 Market Report, which was prepared for AEE by Navigant Research. 

Monsanto's "Home of the Future," circa 1958. Not exactly a zero net energy building. Source. 

Globally, building energy has moved into the spotlight due to the associated greenhouse gas impacts and rising energy costs. Until recently, zero net energy buildings (ZNEBs) have existed mostly on a conceptual level, with a small number of highly innovative pilots exploring the process of planning and execution of this technology. However, ZNEBs made significant headway in late 2014 after the federal General Services Administration (GSA) approved a recommendation from an internal task force to upgrade at least 50% of the federal government’s building area to ZNEB — not a small number, considering that the GSA is the owner of more than 2% of all commercial buildings within the United States.

This post is one in a series of feature stories on trends shaping advanced energy markets in the U.S. and around the world, drawn from Advanced Energy Now 2015 Market Report, which was prepared for AEE by Navigant Research. 

The low cost of natural gas is boosting market acceptance of natural gas vehicles, trucks, and buses, which in turn is increasing demand for the fueling infrastructure to support the growing fleets that use cleaner burning — and increasingly cheaper – natural gas as a transportation fuel.

This post is one in a series of feature stories on trends shaping advanced energy markets in the U.S. and around the world, drawn from Advanced Energy Now 2015 Market Report, which was prepared for AEE by Navigant Research. 

Today’s consumers have more tools at their disposal than ever before – for reducing consumption, managing energy use, and generating power for their homes. New residential-focused technologies, cost reductions, and business models are creating opportunities for advanced energy companies while saving money for homeowners.