Half of all our electricity in the UK was generated from low carbon sources in 2019 - but what can we do to increase that?

In episode 2 Jack Sheeran takes a look at innovations that could change how we produce and consume electricity, including: decentralised energy grids, mini nuclear power stations, energy generating roads & nano generators. 

Get in touch by dropping us a voice message at: https://anchor.fm/the-optimist or send us an email via: [email protected].

Want to know more? Check out these sources we used to make this episode:

Invention of electricity: https://sciencestruck.com/history-when-was-electricity-invented

History of the water wheel: https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-waterwheel-4077881

WHat is electricity: https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-electricity-4019643

UK electricity in 2019: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/875400/Electricity_Q4_2019.pdf

100% renewable by 2050: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/09/countries-100-renewable-energy-by-2050

Pavegen: https://pavegen.com/about/

Energy generating pavement in london: https://futurism.com/energy-generating-pavement-just-became-a-reality-in-london

Developing roads that can generate power from passing traffic: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170918111830.htm

How Nanogenerators work: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/nanogenerator.htm

History of electricity: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/history-electricity/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/03/hinkley-point-c-is-22bn-over-budget-and-a-year-behind-schedule-edf-admits

Rolls-Royce plans mini nuclear reactors by 2029: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51233444

UK small modular reactors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnD4Js5m0pE&t=2s

Miniature Nuclear Power Plants in the US: https://www.sciencealert.com/miniature-modular-nuclear-power-plants-are-being-implemented-in-the-us

Democratisation of energy: https://medium.com/electron-blogchain/the-democratisation-of-energy-four-key-technologies-to-follow-it-through-d51eff224b7d

SOLshare: https://www.me-solshare.com/

Would you buy electricity from your neighbour (Australia): https://www.news.com.au/finance/would-you-buy-electricity-from-your-neighbour/news-story/31d16e54e7547db49f3d1042d4371d69

Can emerging economies leapfrog the energy transition: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/can-emerging-economies-leapfrog-the-energy-transition/

Trump on coal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnSlzBcLLGs

Trump on fossil fuels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo0yBzzX5Jg

Australia & fossil fuels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUrdBPnfhuA

Bernie sanders on fossil fuel companies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXIycmnWBZo

Air pollution in india: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E-aJeRLmW8

Electricity advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQe20w5cS3g

Pavegen promo brand video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIqceN3stQ&t

SOLshare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iATxyo-NQK8

NuScale Promo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LVLImWGCQQ

NuScale video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jt1UQggqA0