The Future Is Already Here, It's Just Unevenly Distributed - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica explores the idea that the future of clean energy technologies is already present but unevenly distributed across different regions and sectors. Using Burnaby, a city in a province with 98% non-emitting electricity and a hub for clean energy and hydrogen startups, as a case study, the author emphasizes that pockets of the future are not experimental projects but commercially operating systems delivering measurable value and expanding due to economic and operational viability. The uneven spread of these technologies is attributed less to technical limitations and more to regulatory, institutional, and planning barriers. The article identifies several repeatable patterns explaining how clean energy technologies scale differently depending on local conditions. Modular systems like rooftop solar and electric motorcycles spread rapidly in areas with weak or misaligned institutions because they require minimal coordination or upfront investment. Electrification thrives in predictable, high-usage sectors such as transportation and industry due to efficiency and operational savings. Centralized planning enables large-scale storage and grid improvements, while heat decarbonization advances fastest where