Advanced Energy Perspectives

It’s a new year and in the auto world, 2016 is off to an electrifying start. This week brought news that the electric vehicle market expects a big year, with automakers at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showing where EVs are going to go, with the Detroit Auto Show just around the corner.

Advanced energy makes news, and 2015 was proof of that. From American offshore wind finally breaking water to energy storage gigafactories to fundamental changes in the way utilities make money, businesses big and small had impact on the way the world generates and uses energy. In fact, it’s not easy to pick the top stories of the year. That said, here is the first five of our top 10 for 2015. Be sure to tune in next week for the other five. Then get ready for 2016, which we are sure will be another news-filled year for advanced energy!

All this year we’ve been seeing major advances in the solar industry, and this week is no different. Across the U.S. and around the world, major companies are choosing renewables, with many installing solar to power facilities. Meanwhile, the price of solar continues to fall even faster than predicted, making solar energy one of the most sought-after sources of generation for large and small consumers alike. This week, we bring you more dispatches from the sunny world of solar energy, but there may be clouds on the horizon if the industry fails to integrate with other advanced energy technologies.

The news this week saw major developments in the energy storage industry, starring AEE member company Invenergy. But when it comes to news to know, it’s hard to beat the latest dispatches on Pot Power and the unanticipated problem it presents to utilities in states where marijuana has been legalized: how to keep the lights on when those lights are growing weed.

High winds over ocean waves off the U.S. coast are a literal perfect storm of untapped potential for energy generation. Europe has taken advantage of this since 1991… before the fall of the Soviet Union. Here in the U.S., offshore wind has not yet become a reality. But that’s about to change. Hold onto your hats!