In the final installment of our three-part series focused on the energy transition trends we are following for 2H 2023, we discuss why we are excited about the rise of new distributed energy technologies.

The development of new distributed energy technologies

Successful growth of the energy transition industry is highly dependent upon the effectiveness and affordability of various technologies. In this regard, it’s an exciting, pivotal time for our industry with distributed solutions that were previously out of reach—such as fuel cells, carbon capture, and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure— becoming more accessible. As with community solar and energy storage featured earlier in this blog series, funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has propelled research, development, and activation across these technologies. At Calibrant, we are excited to help our partners take advantage of the power of these technologies to drive wholistic decarbonization strategies.

• Fuel Cells: The IRA included several clean energy tax credits to increase domestic renewable energy production through provisions for clean hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

• Carbon Capture: While it has yet to reach scale, carbon capture is a solution in the toolbox of distributed energy solutions available today. Carbon capture has been bolstered by IRA tax incentives and frequently cited by companies and politicians alike as an important pathway toward a net zero future. Thanks to increased funding and tax incentives, we are excited about the growth of smaller scale projects in this field.

• EV Charging Infrastructure: As we’ve outlined previously, we believe EV charging stations can become a standard offering for retailers, helping attract and retain new customers and create new sources of revenue.  Consumer adoption is helping to accelerate the shift toward electric vehicles and energy-as-a-service can help businesses to meet growing customer demand for EV charging infrastructure

As the range of energy transition technologies grows—and adoption follows—businesses need to carefully consider which solution will best help them to meet their long-term energy transition goals. By leveraging an energy-as-a-service partner like Calibrant, organizations can have confidence in their ability to take advantage of the technologies available today while keeping an eye on the horizon for technologies and solutions that are still being developed.

Thomas Biddinger is the Director of Business Development & Partnerships at Calibrant Energy.