Tag Archives: Future

Facing Troubles in Nevada, Solar Company Sunrun Nevertheless Shines Bright

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by Kevin Tidmarsh

The US-based solar energy company Sunrun, which claims to have “the second largest fleet of residential solar energy systems” in the country [http://fortune.com/2015/06/26/sunrun-ipo-solar-silicon-valley/], has announced that it has secured funding that points to a bright future for the company. While the market for solar energy is still nascent, Sunrun has done rather well for itself – especially given tighter state regulations and the financial difficulties of the renewable energy industry. But in spite of new regulations in the famously sunny state of Nevada that forced the company to withdraw operations from the state, the company is feeling good about its prospects and future – in no small part due to the company’s recent announcement that they have closed $250 million of senior secured credit facilities for its future growth [http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterdetwiler/2016/02/03/sunruns-250-million-in-financing-a-positive-sign-for-distributed-solar/#11aad2306cbc]. Continue reading →

Using Gaming to Reduce Energy Usage

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by Tyler Dean

Increased energy efficiency is a crucial factor of energy and climate strategies in our mission to reduce carbon emissions. While many efforts will resort from technological inventions and innovations, efforts in changing human behavior must compliment and match them. Reeves performed an experimental field test on the effects that media entertainment can have on energy efficiency. The reason for the study was energy information could have been too complex and uninteresting for consumers to assimilate. Media entertainments, such as video games, offer a compelling means of engagement with energy information and can help change consumers’ behaviors. Reeves built a social game about energy usage in a virtual home and designed an experiment around it. Continue reading →

Automated Electrified of Cars and Sustainability

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by Tyler Dean

Automated vehicles increase vehicle and change the economics of alternatively fueled vehicles. This makes them the cheapest transportation and manufacturing option in the long term. Through automated vehicle fleets used as “point-to-point on-demand car clubs”, we increase the total availability of transport services and make the benefits of alternative fuel and automated vehicles available to a larger potion of the global population. The downside to electrified vehicles and automated vehicles are range anxiety and the loss of the driving experience. With complete adaption, the range anxiety is concurred by specialized distance transportation and by the mass majority of society adapting to method because of the benefits of utilizing their time more efficiently while transporting. Continue reading →