When it comes to renewable energy, we have a long way ahead of us, but that’s not to say we have not already made impressive strides. The renewable energy sector continues to grow as more people invest and buy into renewable options. As more widespread adoption and resources become available, we will continue to see rapid growth. Within the last few years, there are been enormous breakthroughs in the renewable world. Here are a few things to celebrate.

Offshore Wind Power

A few companies are constructing massive wind turbines offshore. With the turbines being away from people, buildings, and most wildlife, offshore wind turbines can have blades as large as a commercial plane. These massive turbines generate a ton of power in a minimally intrusive way. It’s interesting to watch the world of wind energy evolve. There are even more innovations on the horizon.

Energy Storage

Tesla and Solarcity are currently leading the pack in energy storage. The powerwall batteries now allow people to complete come off the grid. Before, you would not always be able to run off of the solar panels on your roof. If it was cloudy or at night, you’d have to rely on the grid for power. Then Tesla’s powerwall showed up to the party. Your panels now have a place to store energy when more solar energy is coming in than what you’re consuming. The powerwall batteries allow people to be completely energy independent. One household sustaining all on its own. It’s pretty exciting stuff.

Solar Efficiency

Believe it or not, the efficiency of solar panels was not always what it is today. Panels continue to get thinner, sleeker and possess the ability to capture a lot more solar energy than we ever thought possible. Elon Musk’s Solarcity just launched a new version of solar shingles that will replace an entire roof worth of traditional shingles, with high efficiency, discreet solar shingles. They even come in different styles!

Robotic Installation

As more people are in demand for solar panels, companies are looking to innovate the installation process. A few companies have built robots that can successfully install a solar panel all on its own. This type of innovation will be extremely useful as the renewable market begins to expand.

Solar Financing

Finally, one of the most innovative renewable initiatives is solar financing. Thanks to government subsidies, solar companies are able to provide homeowners with free solar panels. The homeowners, of course, do not own any of the panels, but they get to reap all the benefits. Hopefully, we begin to see more government officials get involved and start a push for clean energy.