Virgin Galactic, Tesla, Space X, Solar City and Turner Renewable Energy
From the rollout of sexy new electric vehicles to technologies that convert turkey waste to electricity, green energy is the source of constant publicity.
Emerging industries are digressing toward greener technologies—breaking almost impossible barriers—and earmarking themselves within the marketplace. Companies are constantly on the lookout to capitalize on innovative opportunities; to include green manufacturing techniques that will aid in sustaining a niche market for their products and services. Likewise, emerging markets have the potential to tap, create and lead an innovative green-based revolution, in bringing beneficial value to the environment, businesses and consumers.
Attracting huge attention for innovation towards environmentally-friendly efforts in business and turning the impossible into a possibility, include the following companies discussed below.
Virgin Galactic: Your Flight to Space
Only a few hundred people have been to space. Now, Virgin Galactic is opening up this possibility to the rest of us.
Undeniably, Virgin Galactic is a trailblazer, embarking on the impossible mission of giving common people the opportunity to fly to space, without being a certified astronaut. Yes, it’s really happening and Virgin Galactic is likely the first to do it!
To successfully develop concepts into products that are commercially viable in industries with enormous barriers to entry, requires taking great risks. Virgin Galactic is relentless and so are its supporters. Despite the recent setback with their Spaceship 2 vehicle, the company is not allowing this to be a deterrent; but rather, a stepping stone to advance its technologies. Although, their forthcoming launch was initially scheduled for Q1 of 2015, Virgin Galactic is continuing its testing and refining its rocket planes, in order to provide the best customer experience into space. Spaceship 2 and Launcher 1 have already successfully completed several tests of their stability.
Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, anticipates this $250,000 per-person flight into space will launch its first commercial flight to the public by the end of 2015. About 700 people have already booked a flight into space onboard WhiteKnight 2 and Spaceship 2; including celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher, Russell Brand, Angelina Jolie, Leonardo DiCaprio and Stephen Hawking. The research program will continue primarily for WhiteKnight2 and Launcher 1. Want to book your flight into the cosmos? To learn more visit Virgin Galactic.
Tesla Green Vehicle and Gigafactory
A future where electric cars are universal cannot be built on one company alone. Although Tesla is at the forefront in developing modern green electric vehicles, the company is also collaborating with giant companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Nissan. Tesla’s pioneering vision is to continue designing superior electric cars and offer these companies its very own EV tech development.
The future of Tesla looks very bright, as a giant-sized ‘gigafactory’ will be established in 2017 for the manufacture of batteries that operate electric cars. Similarly, Tesla has plans to launch a third model of its own electric car, to coincide with its battery-making gigafactory. In addition to promoting energy cars, the launch of its battery-manufacturing plant will aid in reducing the cost of lithium-ion batteries.
Space X Reusable Theory
Space X reusable rocket test launch is considered an industry wide ‘revolutionary breakthrough.’ Established in 2002—and the leader in the private space industry—Space X designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecrafts.
Did you know that a majority of the cost for launching comes from building the rocket? A rocket only flies one time! Rockets are to spaceflight what the airplane is to commercial flying. Planes are able to fly multiple times a day, months and years, which makes flying cost effective.
Having full faith in developing a rapid reusable rocket, SpaceX is on track to reducing the cost toward gaining space access, hopefully making it more accessible in the future. Actually, no one has ever successfully created, launched and reused a rocket. According to SpaceX founder, Elon Musk, “What SpaceX has done so far is evolutionary, but not revolutionary, and I think if we can recover the stage intact and re-launch it, the potential is there for a truly revolutionary impact in space transport costs.”
The Falcon 9 is just one of its success stories associated with the reusable factor. The Falcon 9 reusable Development Program has been testing since March 2014 and approximately one month into testing, Space X successfully landed a Falcon 9 in the Atlantic Ocean—for the first time in history.
Space X is all about trend setting. As a matter of fact, Space X is currently testing technologies deemed necessary for retrieving a rocket back to the earth on a floating platform, in the middle of the ocean, so they can be reused.
Solar City’s Strategic Success
Solar City, America’s largest solar provider, has set itself apart from its competitors by designing, installing and maintaining solar-power systems for homes and businesses. Its unique strategy delivers the benefits of solar power at low cost, alongside sustaining an environmentally clean planet.
Solar City’s initiative on reducing upfront cost for homeowners and businesses, by leasing solar systems at little or no cost, as an alternative to purchasing the systems outright makes solar-power more accessible to everyone. Additionally, the company installs a power guide monitoring system, which allow customers to review their energy consumption online or on a mobile app. Ever wonder how much energy costs per appliance? Solar City shows power guides in real time. No more second guessing.
In collaboration with Elon Musk and New York State, Solar City is now initiating the establishment of a ‘gigafactory’ to manufacture solar PV modules. The idea is to reduce the costs of residential and commercial power, since Solar City will be able to build its own solar panels on a giant scale.
Turning Heads – Turner Renewable Energy
Committed to purifying the environment by substituting the use of fossil fuels for energy needs, Turner Renewable Energy has successfully acquired facilities and projects, in partnership with Southern Company, and other utility companies to generate solar power. The strategic alliance has primarily focused on developing and investing in large-scale solar PV projects in the Southwest, where solar resources are most available. Southern Company brands are known for energy innovation, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average.
Harry F. Banks said it best, “The secret of success is the consistency to pursue.”Virgin Galactic, Tesla, Space X, Solar City and Turner Renewable Energy are incredible companies, doing extraordinary things to impact our earth for the better. Pick up a copy of my newly published novel Project Odyssey to discover how these companies are creatively integrated into the plot, and how their advancements in technology and near future technology shape the narrative in a compelling story!