Despite public concern about automation and its role in the workforce, its benefits have been well documented. Along with lower operating costs, more efficient output, and greater worker safety, it can also improve energy efficiency. Automation has proven to be a great asset to world threats like climate change and diminishing resources.

At the very least, automated machines distribute energy more wisely. They tend to waste less by performing with peak precision, therefore saving time and power. Some of them are designed to require a renewable form of power to operate as well. This is partly why renewable energy use has increased to 18% in the U.S., and this number will only increase over time. Automated technology is becoming a common trend in newer home appliances and workplace equipment.

The sustainability benefits of automation are clear, and there is now a movement of people recognizing this and trying to utilize it for those purposes. For instance, plant operators are actively seeking the balance for efficient workloads without expending excess energy. 

However, there needs to be a larger societal movement against nonrenewable energy if a true difference is to be made. This widespread shift may start with incorporating automated technology into our daily routines.

Home and Work Roles

We are currently seeing automated appliances and machinery become commonplace in many sectors of life, such as homes and work spaces. Many of these inventions were previously controlled manually, but they are now self-regulating. Some are even programmed to turn on and off themselves to avoid wasted energy.

Beyond the benefits of self-regulation, these items may also be solar powered or designed with an efficient energy-saving power system. Some examples of energy-saving automation include:

• Solar-powered security monitors
• Smart thermostats
• Home energy dashboards
• Refrigerators and ovens that self-adjust temperature
• Automatically dimming lights
• Self-regulating manufacturing equipment

The more that homes and businesses utilize technological innovation, the more that sustainable technology will thrive. While past widespread green initiatives, such as pushes for recycling and LED lighting, have had an effect, the battle is far from over. Automation is an effective tool in the fight to save our planet, and it is not limited to appliances and work equipment either. 

Automated Transportation

Modern transportation is harsh on our environment. It predominantly thrives off of nonrenewable resources which are easy to overuse. In fact, 22% of global CO2 emissions come from transportation. However, there is hope for change in vehicle automation. 

While fully self-driving vehicles at large have not yet been widely used by the public, there is still a variety of automated vehicle functions that save energy. While we await the days of driverless automobiles, several advancements have been setting the stage for what is to come. Among them are:

• Cylinder deactivation and valve timing
• Dual-clutch transmissions
• Start-stop systems (as seen in hybrids)
• Additional gears and continuous variable transmissions

These automated systems are precursors to self-driving vehicles. In the meantime, electric cars and those that use the aforementioned sustainable functions are making a positive environmental impact. There will not be peak fuel efficiency until all cars become self-driving, but this is certainly a start. In the meantime, it might be wise to cut down on your driving when possible.

How to Create a Sustainably Automated Future

With the connection between automation and energy efficiency being very clear, the only way to go is forward. This means recognizing the sustainable benefits of technology and using them in a manner that helps our planet. But what will this do to the future?

We may begin seeing this by the growth of smart homes and businesses. If this trend continues, a large amount of responsibility will fall on businesses to analyze their equipment and practices in terms of corporate social responsibility. This will further require them to ensure their practices are as sustainable as possible. Additionally, we may see commercially available self-driving cars in the near future . In fact, some people believe this will happen as soon as next year!

But what is equally important is that sustainably automated technology becomes popularized so that people see its full benefits.And rather than simply talking about how automation is destroying jobs, we need to be talking about how it is creating jobs as well. Without knowing the pros, people will only see the cons.

There is a massive opportunity for positive environmental impact if we use automation accordingly. From home appliances and workplace machinery to self-driving vehicles, some of our damage to the planet could be reversed. In order to do so, we need to properly communicate the benefits of automation and why it is so necessary to humanity’s survival. If we do not act fast, it may be too late.