The future of clean energy: trends, challenges, and innovations

This is the first edition of our new Springwise Trends feature series. Through these deep dives, we will explore the key themes we are seeing through our innovation database, illustrating them with our editorial team’s selection of the most thought-provoking solutions from the past six months. We will also place them in a wider context through expert analysis and a round-up of key news stories impacting the innovation landscape.

The clean energy landscape is shifting, with terminology and priorities evolving. Nonetheless, solar and wind continue their steady rise, while geothermal energy gains traction in the US. Despite policy uncertainty, global renewable expansion remains strong. Innovation in grid expansion and decarbonisation is progressing, with IRENA reporting steady growth in renewables, just shy of the target of tripling capacity by 2030.  Amid this dynamic environment, startups and researchers are focused on tackling the difficult issues of energy systems decarbonisation, from permitting to grid capacity upgrades.

This report includes:

Key Takeaways:

  1. New tools are helping with the financing, permitting, and installation of clean energy projects
  2. As global grids are upgraded, innovators are helping to get more out of existing infrastructure
  3. AI is helping to find critical clean energy resources
  4. Innovators are investing in new battery materials
  5. New solutions are helping to streamline the maintenance of clean energy assets

Read the report

Click here to discover the latest clean energy innovations in the Springwise Database.