GREEN POWER TO THE PEOPLE
In 2018, at least three global trends are driving the power business into a new direction. One that’s more green… more connected. A direction thatas the old saying goesputs power back into the hands of the people.
What sounds like an anarchists wet dream, is not as far out of reach as you might think.
This week, we talked to Philippe Dahmen, our German Project Lead for powerrelated projects in Munich, hometown of Creative Dock’s German headquarter.
Philippe will enlighten us about the future of electricity, the use of blockchain, and what you can learn from Breaking Bad’s Walter White when faced with a difficult decision.
PHILIPPE! SHALL POWER FINALLY RETURN TO US, THE PEOPLE?
Well, it might. Currently, most electricity is governed by central authorities. But that might change soon. More and more people source power out of sunlight. Solar panels are more affordable than ever. However, most only use around 30% of what they produce (without storing the other 70%).
AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SURPLUS?
That’s exactly the question to ask.
We think this surplus is destined to be shared amongst peers, rather than mindlessly fed into the grid (for a questionable benefit). We believe that people with solar panels can become integral components of a new powerregime. Right now, we are working on a solution that allows people to share the energy they createwith family, friends, and even people they don’t even know (yet).
SOUNDS GOOD IN THEORY, BUT HOW WILL THIS ACTUALLY WORK?
That’s where the blockchain technology comes in. You see, when you sell energy directly to family or friends, you are going to be fine. But if you sell it on the free market, you need some safety. With the blockchain, we can secure payments, tag the energy produced, and prevent fraud from happening. At the same time, we can reduce transaction costs. We can build trust between strangers and create safe, cheaper transactions WITHOUT an intermediary.
CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROJECT?
Yes. We are talking about several potential propositions right now. Besides a pure P2P energy trading platform, there are other ideas. For example, we are researching solutions in the field of emobility and ‘energy on the run’.
I can’t go into the specifics just yet. But I can say this:
All projects will deal with green energy, use the sharing economy, and involve the blockchain. The biggest challenge will be to create an unique ecosystem, that connects all the different propositions; an ecosystem fully based on locally sourced, green energy.
ANY IDEAS ON HOW TO DO THAT YET?
We are researching the development and offering of our own green token. We want to make the green energy transfer happen! The first “universal” green cryptocurrency for all green energyrelated projects can be the solution. Flexible consumption, decentralised energy production or (grid supportive) storage of green energy those are key challenges to finally transition into a future of pure green energy.
OKAY! WHAT’S YOUR VIEW ON THE FUTURE OF ELECTRICITY?
I think it might come down to the ‘Power to the People’ idea you mentioned earlier. My vision is to create a world in which electricity is free and available to everyone, just like air and water. Did you know that in just one day the sun gives us enough energy to supply the entire world with electricity for one year? Of course, that’s if we manage to capture, store, and/or adjust our demand to it.
I DID NOT KNOW THAT…
Most people don’t.
LAST QUESTION, WHY DO YOU HAVE SUCH COOL GLASSES?
They are inspired by Walter White aka Heisenberg from Breaking Bad. Except for the moment he totally lost control, he’s principally a great role model for outofthebox thinking and adhoc problem solving by unconventional means. Of course, I don’t endorse producing drugs, like he did, but I invite everybody to explore new paths and question the given...
Thanks, Philippe!