style="font-size:15px;"> 10 10. @IBM; Twitter; https://twitter.com/ibm/status/877599373768630273?lang=en11 11. The future of blockchain and market disruptors; Deloitte; https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/understanding-blockchain-potential/global-blockchain-survey.html
12 12. First permitted 3D-printed house hits the market for $300k; Builder; https://www.builderonline.com/building/building-enclosure/first-permitted-3d-printed-house-hits-the-market-for-300k_o
13 13. He Jiankui: Baby gene experiment “foolish and dangerous”; BBC News; https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48496652
14 14. Cocoa CRISPR: Gene editing shows promise for improving the “chocolate tree”; Penn State University; https://news.psu.edu/story/521154/2018/05/09/research/cocoa-crispr-gene-editing-shows-promise-improving-chocolate-tree
15 15. Newlight Technologies; https://www.newlight.com/
16 16. In possible climate breakthrough, Israel scientists engineer bacteria to eat CO2; Times of Israel; https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-possible-climate-breakthrough-israel-scientists-engineer-bacteria-to-eat-co%E2%82%82/#:~:text=Sue%20Surkes%20is%20The%20Times%20of%20Israel's%20environment%20reporter.&text=In%20a%20remarkable%20breakthrough%20that,carbon%20dioxide%20rather%20than%20sugar
17 17. We are witnessing a revolution in genomics – and it's only just begun; World Economic Forum; https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/06/today-you-can-have-your-genome-sequenced-at-the-supermarket/
18 18. Jenax J. Flex battery; https://jenaxinc.com/
19 19. Future batteries, coming soon: Charge in seconds, last months and charge over the air; Pocket-lint; https://www.pocket-lint.com/gadgets/news/130380-future-batteries-coming-soon-charge-in-seconds-last-months-and-power-over-the-air
20 20. 3 Major Materials Science Breakthroughs – and Why They Matter for the Future; Singularity hub; https://singularityhub.com/2020/05/21/3-major-materials-science-breakthroughs-and-why-they-matter-for-the-future/
21 21. Scientists just got closer to making nuclear fusion work; World Economic Forum; https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/05/nuclear-fusion-could-solve-the-world-s-energy-problems-and-scientists-just-got-closer-to-making-it-work/
22 22. Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2020; World Economic Forum; http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Top_10_Emerging_Technologies_2020.pdf
PART II RETHINKING KEY SECTORS
Building upon the global shifts and tech mega-trends outlined in Part I, in Part II we'll look at the implications for some key sectors, including opportunities, challenges, and some brief examples of exciting projects and initiatives. (You'll find many more real-world examples across Parts III and IV.)
I could write a whole book on the changes taking place in these sectors, so each chapter provides an overview and highlights some of the dramatic shifts taking place. And, of course, I wasn't able to include every possible sector or industry facing change. I wanted to highlight those sectors that touch all of our lives to ensure everyone can relate to them. Some sectors are deliberately not included here, because they're referred to so frequently across Parts III and IV. Retail is a prime example.
Bottom line, if your sector isn't explicitly mentioned in this Part, don't worry; many of the same challenges, trends, and transformations will be applicable to your organization, and there are many lessons to be learned from the changes taking place in these industries.
CHAPTER 3 HOW WE GENERATE ENERGY: The Three Trends Transforming the Energy Sector
Our traditional ways of generating energy are exploitative, unsustainable, and designed for the world of the past (making the name “fossil fuels” particularly apt). Then there's the problem that energy producers who are reliant on fossil fuels aren't held accountable for the true external costs, particularly the cost to the environment and people's health. Coal, for example, is only considered cheap because coal-fueled power stations don't have to pay for the environmental and social costs associated with burning coal. In some parts of the world, this will no doubt have contributed to the reliance on fossil fuels continuing far longer than it should have.
Now that we understand the impact of fossil fuels, it's time to start approaching energy production differently. And it couldn't be more urgent because some of the emerging alternatives being mooted have a long lead time, meaning we need to start investing in these technologies now if we're to reap the benefits by, say, 2050.
It's no exaggeration to say that I consider transforming the energy sector to be one of the most important challenges we face in the world. But there are exciting and encouraging signs of change. In particular, three key trends are promising to overhaul how we produce energy:
Decarbonization refers to the transition toward a clean, carbon-free world, largely by increasing the use of renewables. Increasing
