GreenTech: Innovation Forces, Trends and Themes - Part II

Dec 18, 2023

A. The Technological Trends behind Green-Tech

This is Part 2 of 3 in a series looking at technological trends that are driving the adoption of sustainable and green-technology across various industries.

We delved into the first 12 technological trends shaping the Green-Tech/Sustainability sector. This second part will deal with the next set of 12 technological factors, that I think will impact different industry segments/categories through innovations furthering sustainability. Let’s jump in.

Atmospheric water generation against water scarcity

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Passive Atmospheric Water Generation
Passive condensation of ambient humidity for Atmospheric Water Generation (“AWG”) is a novel approach, involving hierarchically structured surfaces inspired by natural organisms. Drawing from the idea of biomimetics, research explores bionic approaches that emulate natural condensation processes, drawing inspiration from surfaces and meshes that various organisms utilize for dew and humidity collection.
The use of hierarchically structured surfaces holds great promise in enhancing passive AWG methods, potentially offering efficient and sustainable solutions.
However, the efficacy is under question. For example, active AWG systems operate similarly to air conditioners, requiring a substantial energy input, making them less economical, especially in saltwater desalinization applications. Despite these challenges though, active AWG systems based on renewable energy sources present an intriguing avenue, potentially addressing economic concerns associated with conventional active systems.
The quest for effective AWG methods involves striking a balance between passive approaches inspired by nature and active systems powered by renewable energy, paving the way for sustainable and economically viable solutions in water generation.1

Ecosystem engineering for more efficiency and increased resilience

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Gene-engineering
Ecosystem engineering involves the deliberate selection and manipulation of plants, animals, and microorganisms, including potential genetic engineering, to enhance the efficient production of food, materials, and energy.2
The primary objectives of ecosystem engineering include reducing resource consumption and enhancing resilience, especially in challenging environments.
Ecological engineering finds applications in various contexts3, from revitalizing depleted farm fields to potentially terraforming extraterrestrial surfaces like Mars.
Genetic modifications, including those of plants, animals, and microorganisms, show promise, particularly in areas facing challenges / that were previously unsuitable like saltwater incursion on historically infertile land.
While offering significant benefits, the application of genetic modifications introduces risks, including increased pressure on ecosystems, displacement of native flora and fauna, and potential unintended impacts on consumer health.
The utilization of ecosystem engineering and genetic modifications necessitates careful consideration of ethical, environmental, and health implications to ensure responsible and sustainable practices.

Genetically modified organisms beyond productivity gains

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Gene-engineering
Beyond the oft-cited productivity gains, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) offer potential advantages in reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing farming sustainability, through efficient use of scarce resources like water and land, along with a reduction in pesticide usage.

The effects of GMOs on communities and habitats are diverse, contingent on factors such as species, location, and cultural context. A particular research by Jacquelina Garcia-Yi (who currently works with the UN Environment Programme) actually prescribes an interesting systematic map to assess the impact.
While unlikely to incite political upheaval, the transformation brought about by GMOs in food and agriculture production can elicit both support and resistance within local communities.
The integration of modern technologies, including GMOs, in rural farming in Africa is viewed by some experts as a catalyst for increased output and the engagement of tech-savvy youth in community activities.
Instances of sporadic illness in factory-farmed fish (for example in the USA) and concerns regarding the perceived negative impacts of herbicide-tolerant GMO crops have contributed to public opposition.
The use of GMOs necessitates a careful balance between the potential benefits for productivity and sustainability4 and the concerns related to environmental and public health, recognizing that the acceptance of these technologies can vary widely across different regions and communities.
An exciting avenue would be to see the kind of ‘snowball’ effects that supporting the development of GMOs with allied advancements in technology like CRISPR can achieve.

Green funerals to reduce carbon footprint

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Alternative decomposition
Yeah, we have kind of traversed into the ‘darker’ territory here, but hear me out. A cremation using a conventional gas-fired heated chamber gives on average about 180kg-200kg of CO2 without coffin according to estimates from multiple sources.
Green funerals are embracing alternative decomposition technologies, such as mushroom suits, alkaline hydrolysis, and burial in composting compounds.5 These technologies prioritize natural decomposition of bodies, offering environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional methods.
Green burials only requires the fuel of transporting the corpse, does not indirectly emit carbon through the creation of a concrete vault, casket, and headstone and the graves minimally disturb the surrounding environment and require no upkeep.
One key aspect is the neutralization of toxins generated by decay6, contributing to the ecological sustainability of the process.
The adoption of these technologies has the potential to reshape societal perspectives on death by introducing more environmentally conscious practices.7 Andrea N Nebhut from Trinity University offers a very unique perspective from the lens of cultural acceptability and resistance.

Red bricks as supercapacitors

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Supercapacitor(s)
Red bricks, a common and affordable building material, are being explored as potential supercapacitors by scientists at Washington University in St Louis.

Researchers claim that walls constructed from these adapted bricks could store a significant amount of energy and be recharged hundreds of thousands of times within an hour.
The method involves coating red brick samples with a conducting substance called ‘Pedot’, which permeates the porous structure of fired bricks, transforming them into electrodes capable of storing energy.
Iron oxide, responsible for the red color of the bricks, plays a crucial role in the process, aiding in the conversion of bricks into energy-storing electrodes.
Other solutions are also being explored, such as using a concoction of cement, carbon black, and water to build a device that can provide cheap and scalable energy storage for renewable energy sources. However, most of this research is in the proof-of-concept stage, indicating that while the idea is promising, practical applications and scalability are yet to be fully explored and implemented.

Bio-concrete to heal its own cracks

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Bio-engineered Concrete
Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a unique form of 'living concrete' composed of sand, gel, and bacteria.
This bio-concrete not only serves as a structural, load-bearing material but also possesses the remarkable ability to heal its own cracks; also is more environmentally friendly than traditional concrete, addressing concerns associated with the environmental impact of widespread concrete use.
The self-healing property of bio-concrete minimizes the carbon impact of repair interventions in the future, contributing to sustainable and eco-friendly construction practices.
In addition, it is also envisioned that it could be capable of not only self-healing but also absorbing toxins from the air or even exhibiting luminescence on command.

Green hydrogen could help reduce carbon footprint in energy and agriculture

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Green Hydrogen
Green hydrogen, produced through water splitting using renewable energy, emerges as a pivotal solution in reducing carbon footprint, particularly in energy and agriculture sectors. It offers a multifaceted approach by minimizing emissions during production, enhancing purity, and potentially revolutionizing catalyst development in various industrial applications, particularly in agriculture and energy.
As renewable energy sources become more prevalent, green hydrogen is projected to become economically feasible, serving as a fuel devoid of carbon-based fuels in its production.
The process of green hydrogen production eliminates carbon emissions and results in a purer end product. Unlike hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, it lacks chemicals like sulphur and arsenic that can hinder catalyst performance.
Cleaner hydrogen allows for the development of superior catalysts since they no longer need to withstand or counteract the adverse effects of toxic chemicals found in fossil fuels.
The adoption of green hydrogen production methods could extend to the production of green ammonia, consequently reducing the CO2 footprint associated with fertilizer production.

Blue hydrogen obtained through carbon capture

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: (1) Blue Hydrogen and (2) Alternative Synthetic Fuels
Hydrogen's potential as a near-zero emission energy source can be realized through the process of carbon capture and storage, known as blue hydrogen.
The captured CO2 can also serve a dual purpose, not only preventing atmospheric emissions but also being used as feedstock in the production of alternative synthetic fuels, enhancing economic viability.
The true sustainability of blue hydrogen is a subject of debate, as it involves carbon capture and storage, which has its own set of challenges and considerations.
Blue hydrogen, while not entirely carbon-neutral, is less carbon-intensive than grey hydrogen (a by-product of industrial processes) and more cost-effective than green hydrogen (produced entirely from renewable sources). However, it does cause higher fugitive methane emissions when comapred to grey hydrogen.

Growth and diversification of artificial meat, dairy and oils

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Artificial Dairy Products, Artificial Meat, Artificial Oils
The promise of artificial meat, dairy, and oils, offers something that is a potent elixir for reducing the carbon footprint entrenched in traditional farming practices.
Considering the fact that 37% of methane emissions from human activity are the direct result of our livestock and agricultural practices, the rise of protein substitutes, exemplified by titans like Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat, beckons as key players begin to undertake the mission to mitigate this.
Enterprising new processes, epitomized by precision fermentation through the orchestration of genome sequencing and gene editing, present new possibilities of microbial engineering. These bespoke microbes, birthed for a singular purpose, stand ready to march into fermenters, weaving their magic to craft artificial dairy products like cheese, alongside the metamorphosis of coconut oil and palm oil.

Artificial leaves transformable into organic fertilizers and enhance bio-sequestration

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Carbon capture
Artificial leaves mimic real trees, absorbing CO2 in a quest to lock away carbon and potentially transform into organic fertilizers.
At Arizona State University, researchers under Professor Klaus Lackner have crafted plastic-like discs that mirror natural leaves, delicately capturing CO2 in a ritual reminiscent of foliage. The captured carbon transforms into liquid, finding diverse uses, from carbonated drinks to becoming part of industrial use-cases like carbon nanofibers.
Harvard has determined a use-case for artificial leaves which goes beyond carbon absorption, becoming solar virtuosos. Teaming up with bacteria, they convert CO2 and nitrogen into life-enriching sustenance for plants. Researchers including Kelsey Sakimoto, Daniel Nocera & Pamela Silver merged the artificial leaf with genetically engineered bacteria that eats hydrogen gas, the pair produced the “bionic leaf,” which creates liquid fuels such as isobutanol.

Greener Fashion

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Synthetic Fabrics & Artificial Leather
The fashion industry casts a sizable shadow, contributing to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and guzzling significant amounts of water. Certain fabrics, like polyester, add to the woe by polluting oceans with microfibers, while unsold clothing heaps up as waste annually. And the impact of this is more pertinent for the non-Western geographies than others: Asia, with its abundance of raw materials such as cotton, produces more than half of the world’s fabrics and textiles. China produces more than a quarter of these textiles.
A large part of this trend of destroying clothes versus repurposing them, is due to the cost-inefficiency of recycling clothes, for both fast fashion & luxury brands.
Amidst this environmental reckoning, there are some technologies that can (pun intended) paint the fashion industry green. Biofoundries hold promise for growing microfibers engineered from natural materials, like spider DNA, potentially quelling the microfiber ocean pollution.
There is also the advent of artificial leather, engineered from materials that foster fungi growth. Beyond reducing the environmental toll of farming, this innovation addresses ethical concerns related to animal use and hastens material production.
This can have the potential for a paradigm shift as fibers transition from being harvested to being designed and grown. This evolution opens doors to efficiency, like utilizing bio-based pigments that demand less ink and water, presenting a fully biodegradable alternative.
Some bonus links on Greener Fashion:
- A recent study has indicated that globally, there is a shift from consumerism and value-orientation to frugality: 55% aren't interested in brands anymore, 67% want repairable goods & not replaceable ones, & 62% have no interest in fashion trends;
- As an example, Biolive, a Turkish startup, has developed a lightweight polymer made of olive oil production waste - not only less carbon-intensive compared to fossil fuel-based plastics but also decomposes within a year. Using an innovative method, around 5 tonnes of olive seeds can be turned into 3.5 tonnes of bioplastics.
- Given how tech is being interwoven into fashion, I envision a change in the entire value chain of the fashion industry:

In addition to Biolive, my personal picks for companies that are building the future of sustainable fashion?
- ‘Ananas Anam’ repurposes pineapple leaves into the sustainable vegan textiles Piñatex and Piñayarn.
- ‘Fruitleather Rotterdam’, which is transforming leftover fruits into durable, leather-like material.
- ‘Bolt Threads’, which is developing bio-based leather from mushrooms.
- ‘MycoWorks’, which is also developing bio-based leather from fine mycelium.

Beer made from waste products (doesn’t sound very appetizing now, does it?)

Key technologies / innovations driving the trend: Food From Waste
Waste from the food chain, including peels and expired products like fruits, vegetables, and bread, along with bio waste like animal droppings, finds a second act as ingredients in new beverages, notably beer.
- For example, Tristram Stuart has developed a way to utilize leftover bread into ale (called ‘Toast Ale’).
While the repurposing of waste in the food chain is not novel, a Finnish microbrewery, Ant Brew, takes it a step further. Their craft beer line, 'Wasted Potential,' showcases a circular economy approach, using waste from Lahti, the European Green Capital for 2021. The pinnacle of their unconventional brewing is the Imperial Stout, a beer crafted using goose droppings collected from parks and public spaces in Lahti. These droppings not only contribute to the brewing process but also play a distinctive role in smoking the malt.
This foray into unconventional brewing not only challenges traditional norms but also signals a new era where waste becomes a valued resource, contributing to the circular economy ethos. However, queries around taste and its environmental value notwithstanding, I think the bigger challenge for them may be passing the ‘psychological’ hurdle of getting consumers to adopt this on a large scale. What if a product like this triggers our inherent feeling of disgust at the mention of certain things. Some evolutionary triggers can be extremely difficult to override, even with the best of intentions. Will this be one of them?

C. The Research Sources

This section contains a list of the different reports, research studies, and articles that were taken into account for curating the set of technological trends covered under the GreenTech sector: