Energy & Design

Energy efficiency and sustainability are, or should be, at the heart of corporate strategies. Governments worldwide have committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. One of the top priorities is to electrically power the industrial sector, of which only 20% of industrial energy consumption is powered by renewable energy today. Another critical sector concerning consumption is that of data centers, which are constantly evolving and responsible for 2% of global CO2 emissions.

In addition to the construction of zero-consumption buildings, the de-carbonization of transport is a priority. The main alternative is electric vehicles, with a market of $170 billion in the first half of 2022.

There are many green sources used today, the main ones being photovoltaic, wind, and hydroelectric. Geothermal energy and biomass are also not to be overlooked. Wind energy is estimated to grow by 9% annually until 2030. Hydroelectric energy, the longest-lived form of energy, supplies 50% of total renewable sources.

Hydrogen production from renewable energy sources will be predominant in achieving the Net Zero Emissions target for 2050. In fact, in the five-year period of 2022-2027, hydrogen will represent 2% of the implementation of renewable sources.

In the field of biofuels, biodiesel is the most used in the European Union, and its market value is estimated to reach $70.7 billion in 2026.

Nuclear power, which contributes to the creation of 10% of global electricity, will increase to a total value of $49 billion in 2025.

The future also sees the use of artificial intelligence capable of optimizing the energy efficiency and range of vehicles, making them more performative and attractive to consumers. Future scenarios will feature not only innovative renewable sources but also greater attention spent on ecological disposal. The directives, for example, will oblige car manufacturers to ensure total recycling of batteries, currently at 5%.

The role of design is to propose materials and technologies with the least environmental impact in all sectors, search for solutions capable of reducing manufacturing, search for the processes and elements used, and search for the best energy efficiency with lighter and less bulky batteries.