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. 

Hydropower is a mature technology that has tapped most of the resources available in developed countries, with the exception of Canada, which continues to eye large hydro projects. Despite this, there are still hydro opportunities available in the United States. An estimated $4 billion worth of orders were made over the past four years, mostly to repower and/or upgrade aging hydroelectric plants, develop small projects, and create energy storage (pumped hydro), totaling 618 MW of installed capacity.

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. 

Photo courtesy of AEE member Genze.

A generational shift in the United States is underway when it comes to car culture. While there are a number of contributing social and economic factors, over the last decade, the number of miles driven by the average American has been falling. At the same time, advanced mobility options, drive trains, and fuel sources have increased significantly. Growth in public transit options, car-sharing, and electric vehicles are all contributing to the transformation of personal mobility. Millennials in particular are seeking alternatives to car ownership while decreasing battery costs are making electric mobility products more affordable.

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. 

Photo courtesy of RES Americas. 

China continued to deploy wind power at a remarkable rate, installing an estimated 23.3 GW in 2014, a 45% increase over 2013. China accounted for 45% of the 51 GW installed globally in 2014, representing $94.6 billion in revenue. This is the most wind ever installed by a single country in a single year, bringing China’s cumulative wind capacity to over 114 GW. For comparison, all of Europe installed an estimated 12.8 GW last year, representing modest growth over the 12 GW installed in 2013. 

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. 

International marine construction companies are seeing a bonanza of new projects as countries around the world approve massive new terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) – for imports in most cases, and for exports from North America, Australia, and some Southeast Asian countries. Altogether, this frenzy of port building – at a price tag of around $10 billion apiece – could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars in investment over the next decade as seaborne trade in LNG climbs to meet rising demand, particularly in the energy-hungry countries of China, India, and other Asian nations.

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. 

Drivers searching for parking are estimated to be responsible for about 30% of traffic congestion in cities. Historically, cities, businesses, and property developers have tried to match parking supply to growing demand for parking spaces. It has become clear, though, that simply creating more parking spaces is not sufficient to address the problem of congestion. New approaches using smart parking systems look to provide a more balanced view of parking that better manages the relationship between supply and demand.