How Can Decentralized Energy Wastage Be Eliminated?

Energy Wastage — Part 4

In this series on energy wastage, the common thread throughout has remained the inability of the grid to absorb local renewable generation.

“Policy must always work in conjunction with technological intervention and innovation.”

While policy and regulatory change is required to make the grid more receptive to decentralized clean energy and further reduce fossil fuel-dependence, this can not be expected to work in isolation. The policy must always work in conjunction with technological intervention and innovation. The solution lies in adopting the requisite policy instruments coupled with the adoption and promotion of new technologies. An effective example of this is the Community Action Platform for Energy (CAPE) which is an online platform that was developed to allow citizens and businesses to work in conjunction with local government and authorities like district councils to develop energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for communities.

”Canadian policies have enabled the development of technology that nearly eliminates energy wastage and provides clean, low-cost, continuous, and reliable energy to communities.”

The answer to reducing energy losses at the source, during delivery, and at the destination lies in local generation, storage, and consumption. Canadian policies have enabled the development of technology that nearly eliminates energy wastage and provides clean, low-cost, continuous and reliable energy to communities irrespective of their geographical location and weather/climate conditions (especially areas devastated by natural disasters), while also fortifying the local distribution infrastructure and aiding the rapid proliferation of electric vehicles via the provision of universally supported software. Backed by an effective business model, this technology can be deployed at the touch of a button and minimal cost to users, and bring increased returns over a short period of time to all stakeholders.

Energy wastage is a combined result of a lack of technology, market, and policy. We are lucky enough to have access to technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence and the internet of things that can be leveraged to reduce this wastage and create a marketplace; however, at the same time, corresponding development and change in policy are required that will make sure that profitability of distribution utilities is not compromised in the process of eliminating energy wastage.