The term “cleantech” gets thrown around a lot these days – ever since coming into the mainstream spotlight in the early-to-mid 2000’s. Unfortunately, however, many people either still have not heard about the developments being made in the cleantech field, others just plain don’t know what it is. With that in mind, it is important to formulate a clear picture of what cleantech actually refers to before going into why it is so potentially life changing.

What Exactly is “Cleantech”?

Cleantech is short for “clean technology”. It is essentially the technological advances that are being made which are allowing us to become more energy efficient, less damaging to the environment, and better at managing our resources.

Any major advances in the cleantech field could have unbelievable effects on both our day-to-day lives as well as positive outcomes for milestones of humanity. To illustrate this, imagine that one day someone comes up with a light bulb which is so energy-efficient that it produces almost no heat and can run for around 100-years before burning out. Now, that seems unimaginable to most people, however, this is certainly not impossible within the realms of cleantech advancement.

Another way in which cleantech could theoretically help humanity, on a larger scale, is in space travel. Imagine cleantech scientists came up with a way in which to maximize the energy output of space shuttles so that one pound of solid fuel combined with the solar energy of the sun could get humans to the planet Mars. This is a more extreme example of how cleantech could benefit us if it were to really take off, it’s worth noting though that feats like this certainly are not impossible with future technological advances.

So How Will Cleantech Affect My Future?

While the cleantech field may not be on everyone’s mind at the moment, it is certainly starting to pick up steam. Many larger organizations, law firms like Goodwin and energy management firms like Schneider Electric, are even beginning to dedicate genuine professional services to cleantech matters – some might say they are getting into the game early.

With large companies and corporations closing in on the cleantech field, it is certainly worth thinking about how cleantech may affect our future as normal everyday people. Below we’ll explore some of the ways in which this might manifest itself.

1. Sustainable Energy for Everyone

While perhaps not as flashy and exciting as other proposed future cleantech advancements, sustainable energy to power our homes is one of the most important possible future milestones that cleantech may make. In an ideal world, Gone could be the days of paying for electricity alongside polluting the environment with the fumes of burning fossil fuels.

Free power could help in the fight of closing the gap between rich and poor in modern-day societies as well as allowing developing countries to further flourish. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what freedom of clean energy could do for the world en masse, really this achievement would change the world like never before if handled correctly.

2. Solar-Powered Roads

Now, this is certainly a cleantech milestone which will change our lives and get us excited at the exact same time. Solar-powered roads have already been trialled on a small scale in both The Netherlands and France and offer a whole new way of driving as well as an ingenious way of generating renewable energy passively.

These roads, while currently only being floor solar panels which are sturdy enough to handle the weight of traffic, could actually become extremely complex and convenient one day. LED lighting has even been proposed for lighting up road lines, giving hazard signs, and even highlighting real-time blockages and potential problems. It is safe to say that a road with advanced features like this paired with the potential for generating even more renewable energy is something we should all be looking forward to.

3. Processors Made for Supercomputers

Now, the idea of processors so powerful and well-engineered that they can run all of our favorite electronics without using as much electricity or without losing as much energy through heat dissipation doesn’t usually strike most people as a part of cleantech. This is understandable; however, consider the fact that this would allow us to do so much more every single day without using anywhere near as much energy.

Consider all of the people working on computers all day around the clock in offices. Think about all those large buildings containing servers with hard drives running 24/7. Look at all those computers running at high tension mining cryptocurrencies and expending so much heat. When you consider all of these factors, and many more we don’t have time to talk about, processors built for supercomputers could save human so much time and energy which would ultimately help in saving the environment.

Where Will Cleantech Go Next?

It can be hard to say where cleantech will take us next; one thing we can be sure of though is that we can see positive outcomes on the horizon. Keep an eye out for the next big breakthrough in cleantech which may just change the way we live forever.