How Electronic Circuits Are Contributing to the Renewable Energy Movement
When you think about renewable energy, what comes to mind? You likely think of being less dependent on fossil fuels, and moving towards more renewable sources of energy generation, like wind turbines. You probably don’t think of electronic circuits!
However, electronic circuits are a critical part of our lives, and they need to be an important part of the renewable energy movement. Here are just a few examples of where printed circuit boards (PCBs) are used:
- Machine tools and CAD/CAM systems
- Computers, smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology like fitness wristbands and watches
- Medical equipment, including diagnostic and surgical devices
- Consumer electronics, including everything from toys to drones
- Aircraft
- Renewable energy sources, including solar power and wind turbines
Below, we’ve outlined five ways that electronic circuits are helping contribute to the renewable energy movement. At Circuits Central, we are continually working on circuit development in Toronto to ensure we do our part to move towards a greener future.
1. Improvements in LED lighting
One of the biggest uses of energy is lighting, especially on a commercial level. LED lighting—whether used in residential or commercial lighting—has drastically cut down on the amount of energy needed to produce light.
Printed circuit boards can be applied in a wide variety of LED lighting panels—anything from scoreboards to commercial displays—to share information without using a lot of energy. So, we can all enjoy great light displays without wondering how much electricity is being used!
2. Printed circuit boards power global positioning systems
Chances are you haven’t used a paper map for quite a long time now. Instead, you just put the address of your destination into your phone or your global positioning system, which is commonly referred to as a GPS.
Using a GPS can help you find the most efficient route to your destination, thus cutting down the amount of gas you use and your vehicle emissions. And while this may seem like a small thing, it really adds up, especially if you consider the number of trucks on the road and the time and energy they save by using a GPS device.
None of this would be possible without advanced printed circuit boards, meaning that PCBs contribute to considerable energy savings via GPS technology!
3. The internet of things
If you’re not familiar with the term, the phrase Internet of Things (IoT) describes objects that connect and exchange data with each other using the Internet or other communications networks.
The IoT is helping transform the energy industry via a vast grid of new and connected products. Here are a few examples of how the IoT can help cut down on waste:
- Agricultural sensors can communicate with irrigation and fertilization systems, so they only operate as needed. For example, a sensor can tell when it has recently rained and instruct the irrigation system not to run.
- Heating and air conditioning systems can automatically respond to weather changes.
- Lights can turn off when they aren’t in use; this can be a huge energy saver for office buildings.
4. Printed circuit boards are getting greener
Printed circuit boards are the heart of so many electronic devices. While being extremely helpful, one thing that printed circuit boards traditionally haven’t been is “green.” They’ve often contained plastic and epoxy, neither of which can be reused or recycled.
Now, printed circuit boards are becoming greener in many different ways:
- They have cores made of copper, iron, or aluminum, which not only conduct electricity well, but are also recyclable.
- Some boards are now made with biodegradable materials.
- Manufacturers are modifying their processes to make printed circuit boards lead-free.
At Circuits Central, we pride ourselves on making our Toronto-based circuit development as environmentally friendly as possible!
5. Higher-quality printed circuit boards mean less waste
A final way that companies are helping contribute to the renewable energy industry is by developing and manufacturing higher-quality printed circuit boards. When electronics contain higher quality printed circuit boards, they are more reliable, last longer, and need to be replaced less often—all of which lead to less waste!
How can Circuits Central help me with circuit development?
When you come to Circuits Central for Toronto-based circuit development, you can rest assured you’ll be working with experts in electronics manufacturing and printed circuit board assembly.
We can offer you a flexible and reliable circuit development and production facility that easily handles a variety of production volumes and complexities. We take care of all aspects of manufacturing, including sourcing materials, assembling cables and printed circuit boards, and product testing.
We’re here to guide our customers through our end-to-end process, starting with purchasing all the necessary materials and ending with testing and rework as required. No matter what type of printed circuit board assembly you need, we’ll get the job done!
Every Bit Counts When Working Towards a Greener Future
We can all play our part when it comes to working towards a greener future, whether taking actions as small as turning off lights when they’re not in use or as large as installing solar panels on the roof of your house or factory.
Though printed circuit boards are small, manufacturers and users of the boards are doing their part to help contribute to the renewable energy movement. Here, we’ve covered five ways that printed circuits boards are making a difference:
- Improved LED lighting.
- Powering global positioning systems.
- Supporting the Internet of Things (IoT).
- Using recyclable or biodegradable materials in the manufacturing process.
- Helping cut down on waste.
With Circuits Central, you’ll get top-notch circuit development in Toronto. We have a state-of-the-art production facility that can handle high production volumes and all kinds of different printed circuit boards. We’re there for you every step of the way, from sourcing materials to assembling and testing printed circuit boards.
Contact Us About Circuit Development in Toronto
We’re here for all your printed circuit board needs! To learn more about how we can help you, give us a call at 1 (888) 602-7264, fill out our contact form, or email us at info@circuits-central.com.