Today I saw this article on MSNBC about solar-powered stuff, and thought about the issue of predicting trends. We're a fickle bunch, we Americans. Earlier this year, everything was about energy costs. With fuel exceeding $4 per gallon, and everything in our economy connected to fuel in some way, the issue was seriously top-of-mind. So we started seeing solar stuff and wind-powered stuff pop-up everywhere. Today, astonishingly, with gas back below $2, people are even talking about the return of the SUV, only months after it was declared dead. And in the past month, stocks of solar companies are getting hammered.
I think we'll find that the long-term trend toward more expensive carbon energy, and more viable renewable energy, will prevail. Most agree, yet here we are witnessing renewable energy projects in jeopardy due to lower fuel prices. Can't we use just a little more forsight?
There certainly is plenty of interesting solar and piezoelectric stuff being developed and introduced. This is a jacket with a solar-powered collar (photo credited to E. Zegna in this MSNBC article on the subject). It charges your mobile devices while you ski. Although this one is a little silly, its just one of dozens of solar devices popping up, feeding what is (or was?) an emerging consumer interest.Piezoelectric products, which produce power by capturing the force from movement, have been much talked about this year. Check out this page full of articles on Engadget discussing the topic. Dance floors, subway floors, roadways, umbrellas (!), clothing (!), and other products are being envisioned, or even prototyped, which generate electricity by capturing the force of applied pressure or movement.
An emerging product that really caught my eye recently is called Windspire. It is a new design of windmill that is vertical, and much more appropriate for suburban settings. At 30' tall, it fits the restrictions of many suburban communities. It is also apparently very quiet, answering a common complaint of wind power. At my home in the greater Seattle area, we get more consistent breeze than sun, so the idea of Windspire (vs. solar panels) is very appealing to me.
Take a look at this YouTube video (above), which gives the basic overview. There are a number of these vertical turbine designs being talked about, and I really like the idea. The company claims that with a consitent breeze, averaging 12mph annually, Windspire can produce up to 2000 kwh, or about a quarter of a typical household's energy.
Another idea if find really appealing is integrated solar shingles, where the photovoltaic cells are built right into the roofing material, rather than being installed separately. As long as people are installing roofs, why shouldn't they be made of materials that would produce energy? I haven't stumbled upon a solution yet that really looks great, but the concepts are definitely out there. In this Bob Villa video, individual shingles are shown being installed. I think it would look much better if the entire roof was done in matching material, even if some shingles were dummies. You can jump around the video by sliding the timer bar at the bottom of it, if you are impatient like me. Or, check out a different approach in the video below:
This method caught my eye because it is made of such a thin film, it can actually be integrated onto shingle tiles (or in this case, metal roof panels). There must be so many different possible applications for thin material like this. The mind reels. Again, this isn't a great-looking roof, but the concept is emerging and I think we should keep our eye on the technology.
So what does all of this have to do with great consumer products? The most successful products play to the trends, and the trends can be particularly hard to read. As product developers, we place bets, and usually well before the situation is clear. In this case, the "SUV's-are-back" crowd are simply wrong and short-sighted. The long-term trend is toward high fuel prices, and renewable energy. I'm anxious to see what the Obama Administration does to further the trend. The companies that saw the trend coming have interesting renewable energy solutions already on the market today. They started development projects some time ago, and will have an early advantage to capitalize on the trend. What did they see back then, that others missed? What should we all be seeing today, to build the next great products?
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