Today, about 13% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. Most power is provided by the electricity grid, but this is expensive to install and maintain, and 50% of energy generation is lost in transmission (which goes onto your bill).
Wireless power is an affordable, reliable, and clean alternative. It can be installed anywhere – from crowded streets in major cities to the remotest areas of the world – to power infrastructure cost-effectively and environmentally-friendly. This will transform the way we power our businesses, homes, and critical infrastructure, in the same way that wireless technology cut the cord to the landline phone and usher in an era of innovation and incredible new applications.
It’s here and not science-fiction
Clear Blue Technologies is a pioneer in wirelessly powering critical infrastructure. It delivers energy-as-a-service using its Smart Off-Grid controllers, integrated communications and advanced cloud software to ensure these systems perform and stay up and running 24/7. This technology is already deployed in 35 countries worldwide.
According to the firm’s co-founder and CEO Miriam Tuerk, wireless power is already starting to replace “traditional” power infrastructures in both emerging and established markets.
In emerging markets, companies like Facebook, Telefónica, BRCK, and IDSUD Energies are using wireless power for telecom and street lighting infrastructure projects in remote communities. For instance, in Atalaya, Peru, Clear Blue is managing the power for Telefonica and Mayu Communications’ telecom systems to provide voice and data to people living in the Amazon rainforest.
In developed markets, Ms. Tuerk believes wireless power will be critical to power new infrastructure, including the replacement of aging electric grid infrastructure, Smart Cities, and 5G. In the case of the latter, 5G roll-out will require placing new systems 500 feet apart, which will be incredibly costly to wire via the grid and would limit coverage to high-population areas. Wireless power will democratize this infrastructure, making it available to a wider population living in rural areas.
Hot enabler for IoT and Smart Cities
The benefits of wireless power are that it is relatively cheap to install and maintain, reliable, and can be installed anywhere. Clear Blue’s patented technology provides predictive weather forecasting, energy demand management, and remote control to prevent outages, optimize power and resolve issues. This reduces maintenance and operational costs by up to 80 percent. In addition to powering lighting and telecom systems, this technology can power IoT devices, including Smart City systems, security cameras, Wi-Fi hotspots, and oil and gas pipeline sensors.
Clear Blue is a first mover in this space and the company is seeing rapid growth. Revenue for the Trailing Four Quarters (TFQ) ended in Q3 2018 was $4.46 million Canadian dollars, a 283% increase from TFQ Q3 2017, demonstrating significant demand for wireless power.
Wireless power will ultimately disrupt the power industry. Utility monopolies will see new competitors capable of providing power to its major customers – cities and businesses – at a fraction of the cost. End customers, including telecom companies and municipalities, will be empowered to go it alone rather than outsource power. This will benefit the consumer, who will pay less on their energy bills and will have better infrastructure access.
About Miriam Tuerk
Miriam is the CEO and co-founder of Clear Blue Technologies. She has over 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur and business visionary with a proven track record of creating, selling and delivering innovative products and services that have shaped the technology landscape. Miriam is responsible for operations, finance, and sales within the company.
Previous initiatives have been in the Big Data, Open Source, eCommerce and Cloud space. During her career, Miriam has advised a leading private equity firm, was an advisor in the Mars Innovation Center and sat on the board or advisory panel of a number of early-stage companies. Prior to joining Clear Blue, she held a number of leadership roles including CEO of Infobright and President, BCE Emergis e-business solutions.
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Photo credit: The feature image “wonderspaces” has been done by Israel Palacio. The photo “high voltage” has been taken by Sebastian Pociecha. The portrait photo of Miriam Tuerk is owned by herself and Clear Blue Technologies.
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