Want to understand the future? It’s all about the batteries!
My attention was reminded of this fact last week with an article that appeared on Bloomberg, “Tech Guru Bill Joy Unveils a Battery to Rival Lithium-Ion,” which brought me back to a series of Twitter posts I did a few months back about trends involving batteries.
Thread on #batteries 1) My post this AM about #selfdrivingcars had reference to fast advances in battery science https://t.co/yyyjSeJZ2X
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
The thread is worth revisiting, since what is happening with battery technology today will impact dozens of industries into the future! Often, entire industries will be changed and disrupted by the most innocuous of trends.
Obviously, the energy, hi-tech and automotive sectors will be transformed by the acceleration of battery innovation. But so will other industries, such as healthcare, aerospace, and agriculture. Everywhere I look, I see big changes and opportunities that come from the acceleration of battery science.
With that, I’m pretty convinced that in the future, people will come to realize that one of the most transformative trends of our time had to do with the acceleration of the science of battery technology. To understand why the acceleration of battery science, and innovation around battery concepts is so important, let’s replay the Twitter thread here, with some added commentary.
First off, battery technology is being subjected to the acceleration of basic science, with I have been speaking on stage about for many years. Specifically, the key point being that “we’re going from 19 million known chemical substances today, to 80 million by 2025, and 5 billion by 2100. Any new substance can lead to the emergence of a billion dollar market.”
That’s the acceleration of battery science in a nutshell.
2) The rate of scientific advance with battery tech is fast furious ; as I wrote in 2007, science is exponentiating https://t.co/CR41RIUafo
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
The key concepts accelerating concepts with batteries involve how to improve longevity, weight, and innovate with battery concepts to ride this pace of scientific discovery. Simply put, there are big opportunities that come from making batteries lighter, that last longer, and which are based on new concepts and scientific ideas, not to mention innovate methods of utilizing them.
3) Innovation with batteries involves longer storage, innovative ideas, lighter weight, new science #disruption in #energy #auto #utiltiies
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
Where is the basic science innovation occurring? With drones!
What sparked my original Twitter thread was an article I came across which focused on the unique research occurring with drone batteries. Drones have quickly become a part of many industries, yet have been limited in terms of how long and how far they can fly. The article took a look look at the many new types of batteries – beyond the common lithium-ion batteries – which are under development. If you want to understand what’s really happening with the science of batteries, read the article.
4) Much innovation in #drone space with #batteries – fly longer, get lighter, Read this post to get excited https://t.co/JLHoyrWP5j
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
As a futurist, I track dozens of topics in order to keep up with trends, and last month, this article below caught my attention. It’s another example that there is a lot of innovation occurring with different concepts in battery science, another barometer for fast innovation.
5) Lots of innovation with new types – i.e. “redox flow #batteries in underground salt caverns” – power 75,000 homes https://t.co/alE5De47DL
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
And the disruption from batteries? It’s huge in every industry. In the energy sector, for example, it will allow people to store energy from their own backyard energy sources, to be reused later. Then they’ll connect to their neighbours, leading to the emergence of little local energy micro-grids. People will disrupt the utility industry just as they they disrupted the music industry!
6) Battery tech will disrupt #utiltiies by permitting rapid evolution of micro-grids https://t.co/DlIqwYjDMs
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
Since industries understand that batteries really define their future, the pace of innovation is moving from fast to furious.
7) Obviously #Tesla at forefront of battery tech but GM and others innovation not far behind https://t.co/QD7jLtCIxO
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
And then, while writing may Twitter thread, another article about battery science innovation caught my attention!
8) Innovation also occurring with lithium-ion #batteries – with dendrite innovation – maybe 3x longer charge https://t.co/FWh89ChfHx
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
And another…. the key thing is, take a look around, and there is just an amazing level of science innovation with battery tech – just as there was with ‘plastics’ in the 1960’s!
9) Or how about #batteries that run on seawater? Get your head into batteries and innovation is everywhere! https://t.co/NSWuOIyizV
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
Often, to think about the future, you need to stretch your mind well into the future, and think big and bold. Folks are doing that in the battery space:
10) How about #batteries that charge in seconds, last for months, and provide power over the air https://t.co/q5ymsfUETd
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
Add it all up, and something transformative is happening!
11) When we look back 10-20 years from now, we’ll realize that #battery innovation was a major disruptor that no one was talking about
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
I’ve been speaking about the impact of battery science on industries for many ears, including in the energy sector; in 2012, I keynoted a global energy event for Accenture, and spoke about how battery technology was leading to fascinating concepts — such as a 24 hour solar power plant!
12) I am: As in 24 hour solar power plants? Duh! The sun goes down – but #battery storage changes the math – see https://t.co/BeKBZ476T7
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
I’ve also written about the topic for many organizations, such as this article I wrote for GE, distributed to their clients worldwide.
13) I’m talking fast battery tech in local neighbourhoods with microgrids = #napsterization of energy utilities https://t.co/T3EZ9KSSnn
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
Of course, the thing about innovation is this: there are often people who discount the speed of trends which are occurring, or simply can’t conceive of how massive change comes into play.
14) Then again, some #harvard dude that doesn’t get it: such as this fellow suggesting ‘immature technology’ https://t.co/HjFhBUIWrq
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
Back to the fact that it is all about accelerating science. (I repeat myself!)
15) Fact is, batteries=science. Science is exponentiating – see this post on fast growth of #chemistry https://t.co/CR41RIUafo
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
And so, it’s all about the batteries!
What should you think about next? Maybe penguins!
16) So today think batteries! But also spend time to think #penguins https://t.co/imu2UaiMKR & spatial data bubbles! https://t.co/q1fiUNXoBJ
— Mastodon @jimcarroll@futurist.info (@jimcarroll) July 17, 2017
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