Technology is changing our lives for the better — spend just a few hours at CES 2017 this week in Las Vegas, and you’ll see that for yourself.

Self-driving cars will offer remarkable independence to seniors and the visually-impaired. Drones will deliver medical supplies to disaster areas long before any roads are passable. Augmented reality will change the way we engage with our world and enhance our everyday experiences.

Along with connectivity — the fuel for anytime/anywhere access and information — all of these innovative technologies require a more literal fuel to deliver the amazing benefits they promise: Electricity. And while plug-in batteries take us far, clean energy — and solar energy in particular — can keep us powered up and connected no matter how far we are from the nearest electrical outlet. And the tech sector is seizing the opportunities that presents.

Facebook is testing solar-powered drones that may soon deliver internet access to hard-to-reach areas. This year, Apple announced that 93 percent of its facilities around the world rely solely on renewable energy — so much solar energy that the company now has U.S. approval to sell its excess solar-generated power. And Google plans to run its data centers entirely on energy sourced from wind farms and solar panels by 2017.

In his CES keynote address this week, Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn discussed Nissan’s vision of an emission-free future for automobiles — quite a commitment, considering the U.S. alone consumed more than 9 million barrels of gasoline a day last year.

This week at CES, we’re showcasing the benefits of technology teaming with the clean energy sector. In partnership with Solar Energy Trade Shows, we’ve established our first-ever Solar Energy Pavilion — featuring a working micro-grid that captures, stores, uses and measures solar energy. Grids such as this will one day be able to power our cities and communities.

Flexible photovoltaic solar cells can be rolled out on to roof tops, roof shingles, building sidings — even the tops of car. And solar-powered windows can turn the sunlight that passes through them into electricity. This makes the house — or, more properly, the consumer — the focal point of the power grid, which is a far more efficient way to distribute and use energy. According to an industry report, homes equipped with solar panels will save on average $20,000 over 20 years on their electricity bills.

The rise of “Internet of Things” technologies has helped to spur this process. The advent of “smart” technologies such as connected thermostats, home monitoring systems, smart lighting and locks give consumers an unprecedented level of control over their energy use and costs. Recent CTA research shows home automation technologies can cut total residential primary energy consumption by as much as 10 percent.

Our Solar Energy Pavilion may be the biggest example of the tech sector driving more sustainable practices, but innovative products that tap renewable energy abound at CES 2017.

These days, we need to be charged on the go. Solar- and kinetic-powered devices keep us powered up and connected whether we’re exploring the great outdoors or walking the show floor at CES. They’re also important for emergency preparedness and should be part of a basic emergency supply kit.

CES also champions green initiatives that reduce waste and give back to the local community. We work with our general contractor and vendors to make the CES production process more sustainable. We help build garden classrooms in Clark County schools and electrical vehicle charging stations on local college campuses. And CES attendees collectively avoid more than 3.5 million miles in business travel that they otherwise would have to take if not for CES.

Innovation is the fuel that powers our industry. At CES, we’re witnessing firsthand the building blocks of a better future — innovations that improve our health, devices and apps that make our homes smarter and more energy-efficient, and technologies that make driving safer and more enjoyable. CES is a showcase for technology companies to demonstrate their commitment to a cleaner, greener planet — and a more sustainable future.

Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™, the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,200 consumer technology companies, and author of the New York Times best-selling books, “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” and “The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream.” His views are his own. Connect with him on Twitter: @GaryShapiro