More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this percentage will reach 80% by 2050. But have you ever wondered what it takes for a city to work?The last few decades have seen far-reaching social changes that have vastly increased the number of people living and working in large cities, some of which now have as many if not more inhabitants than some countries. This is how the word ‘citizen’ has gradually acquired greater significance and perhaps come to mean something more similar to what used to be commonly referred to as a ‘city dweller’. Today, half of the world's population lives in urban areas. Large cities such as Tokyo (Japan), with nearly 40 million inhabitants, or Canton (China), which has 33 million citizens, are examples of how cities require very careful management given their large populations and the potential for these populations to grow. Let's...
Year: 2020
Investment in Smart Cities will reach €114 billion in 2020
The global Smart Cities spending guide study estimates that global investment in Smart Cities increased by 18.9% compared to the previous yearInternational Data Corporation (IDC), a benchmark company dedicated to market research, has launched a predictive study on how the Smart Cities sector will behave, predicting an upward trend in investment which will reach €114 billion this year, an increase of 18.9% compared to 2019.The Top 100 cities investing in smart initiatives accounted for 29% of total spending around the world, with Tokyo, London, Singapore and New York leading the way with $1 billion in 2020, although the report points to smaller towns as a dispersed market where, on average, one-year, million-dollar projects will be developed.From a regional perspective, the United States, Western Europe, and China will account for nearly...
The wind is blowing in favour of wind power: 550 billion investment up to 2028
Installing wind power will represent investment of arround €550 billion over the next eight yearsWood Mackenzie, the energy, chemicals, renewable energy, metals and mining global research and consultancy group, has determined that investment in wind power –one of the pillars...
The U.S. will triple its energy storage capacity in three years
A new report puts the country´s energy storage capacity at 2.5 GW by 2023The United States, the world's largest economy and the second-largest consumer of electricity on the planet, is laying the foundations for a future in which its power grid will be increasingly connected to energy storage sources....
Main benefits of smart cities
One of the main benefits of Smart Cities is that their technology can help them operate more efficiently, improving the services they offer for citizens and businesses.Smart Cities harness information and communication technologies to improve the service they provide, the well-being of citizens, sustainability, and economic development. In short, technology...
Quantum dot solar cells, the latest revolution in solar energy
This nanoparticle technology, applied innovatively to solar cells, has set a new world record in recoverting solar energy into electricityWhile solar technology will once again be a safe bet in terms of investing in and installing renewable energy in 2020, innovation in this sector will not be far behind....
“The electrification as a recovery engine in the post-COVID era” by Jorge González, CEO at Ormazabal
The Commission and the European Parliament are sending undeniable Messages that the Green Deal and its key target of “green energy for all Europeans” is still in force. In addition, the Spanish Government has addressed to...
Do you know how Internet reaches your home?
There are over 4.3 billion Internet users around the world, over half the world´s population, but do we know how it works?It has been over 50 years since the Internet began to take its first steps –not even the people behind it were aware of the revolution it would bring–, and since then the global communications network has...
Do you know how an aeroplane´s jet engine works?
Over 30,000,000 planes take off around the world every year, and the number is still rising. But do you know how an aeroplane's jet engine works?Whether for a happy event, such as a dream holiday, or due to work commitments, everybody will take a plane at some point in their lives. You may be scared of flying, or you may...
The electric vehicle, a journey through almost 200 years of history
Did you know that the first electric car came before the first vehicle powered by a four-stroke engine? If there is one thing, we can all agree on, it is that electric vehicles exude an image of being both modern and futuristic. But is this completely true? The fact is that the electric...