Idea

The Way Forward: Energy

"The power plant of the past was a smokestack on the horizon. The power plant of the future is the solar panel on your roof, the battery in your garage, and the intelligent software that connects them all." - Futurist Jim Carroll

the-way-forwardhistorical-foresight

Publish Date	2025-09-25
Updated Date	2026-09-18
Maturity	proven

This idea comes from Decoding Tomorrow: The Way Forward: #3 Energy: ""The power plant of the past was a smokestack on the horizon. The power plant of the future is the solar panel on your roof, the battery in your garage, and the intelligent software that connects them all.”, published September 25, 2025.

“The power plant of the past was a smokestack on the horizon. The power plant of the future is the solar panel on your roof, the battery in your garage, and the intelligent software that connects them all.” - Futurist Jim Carroll

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Domains

Domains Connectivity & Digital Experience
Domains Energy & Environment
Domains Cities & Infrastructure

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Industries

Industries Energy & Utilities
Industries Technology & Telecom
Industries Automotive & Transportation

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Sources

Sources Decoding Tomorrow: The Way Forward: #3 Energy: ""The power plant of the past was a smokestack on the horizon. The power plant of the future is the solar panel on your roof, the battery in your garage, and the intelligent software that connects them all."

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Related ideas, trends and context

IndustriesEnergy & UtilitiesThe grid is shifting from centralized delivery toward a distributed, storage-rich, software-defined energy platform.IndustriesTechnology & TelecomConnectivity is becoming ubiquitous while intelligence moves everywhere: cloud, edge, devices, networks and autonomous systems increasingly operate as one fabric.IndustriesAutomotive & TransportationThe vehicle is becoming a computer, a battery, a data platform and an increasingly autonomous node inside a larger mobility system.DomainsConnectivity & Digital ExperiencePervasive connectivity, immersive interfaces and the blending of physical and digital experiences.DomainsEnergy & EnvironmentElectrification, storage, renewables, grid reinvention and technologies reshaping the economics of energy and climate response.DomainsCities & InfrastructureSmart infrastructure, urban reinvention, resilient systems and the technology reshaping how places are built and operated.

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ARTICLE · Wed Sep 24Decoding Tomorrow: The Way Forward: #3 Energy: ""The power plant of the past was a smokestack on the horizon. The power plant of the future is the solar panel on your roof, the battery in your garage, and the intelligent software that connects them all."