Will technology innovation save the planet? As the climate crisis continues and target years loom, scientists and engineers are working together to bring new solutions for energy storage and usage while contributing to a circular economy.
Here are 10 green technology innovations that leverage natural resources in a circular fashion and pull together the research and development to bring actionable solutions to the world.
1. Biomimicry
Mimicking plants and the natural environment is a method of sustainability that is only dreamt of. Scientists are working to capture the regenerative functions of plants and animals, similar to healing a wound or sealing a cut made when pruning a plant. This technology could be used in fibres to enable cuts to patch up minor holes and tears.
3. Artificial photosynthesis
Speaking of mimicking plants, scientists and technologists are working together to mimic the effects of photosynthesis through technology. The solutions are expected to amalgamate both sunlight and carbon dioxide to create usable energy a form of carbon capture that will provide further resources.
2. Molten salt energy storage
Heat is one way in which energy can be stored, meeting a gap in the energy sector that must be filled to reach a renewable energy future. It has been noticed that salt has particularly good characteristics for heat storage, making it a great base for capturing and holding energy.
5.Carbon capture and storage
One of the most innovative solutions for eliminating atmospheric carbon dioxide, carbon sequestration, is going beyond human efforts to plant more trees and reduce carbon output. New technologies will be leveraged in years to come to actively remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere. However, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), current carbon capture alone will not be enough to deliver the 1.7 billion tonnes of activity required.
4. Smart meters
While they don’t actively reduce emissions, smart meters installed in homes allowed consumers to reduce their energy consumption, which is an indirect way of reducing overall housing emissions. Individuals are able to save on their household bills while companies have more energy in the pipeline to supply to other buildings.
Reference: https://sustainabilitymag.com/top10/top-10-green-technology-innovations
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