Cleantech

The latest products, services and cleantech applications and how they are tackling some of our most pressing social and environmental issues.

Ford: A Measure of Progress

In Henry Ford’s day, there was no term for environmentalist. But he had a goal of zero waste to landfill, just as we do today, based on his belief that nothing should be wasted. Those values still hold true at Ford. Currently, conversation is underway on setting the near-term standards for fuel economy. It is a critical one for all of us who care about the environment and our customers, and we all need to work together to ensure there is a win on both fronts.

12 Asian Entrepreneurs Win $10K for Low-Carbon Mobility, Plastic Waste, Energy Ideas

UN Environment has awarded seed funding to twelve young people with business ideas on how to foster energy-efficient, low-waste and low-carbon lifestyles. Each of the winners of the Asia Pacific Low Carbon Lifestyles Challenge will receive US$10,000 and mentorship to help bring their ideas to fruition.

Middle School Students Are Saving Rainforests Using Old Smartphones

Hundreds of students from Los Angeles STEM programs will participate in one of the largest student-driven programs ever launched to protect the world’s rainforests. Rainforest Connection’s “Planet Guardians” program will guide middle schoolers in building solar-powered listening devices using old smartphones. These “Guardian” devices will be installed high in the trees of fragile rainforests to capture sounds of illegal logging and alerting forest rangers in real time.

Global Cities Committed to 100% Renewable Energy More Than Double in Two Years

Renewables are on the rise — according to new data published today by CDP, over 100 cities around the world are now getting at least 70 percent of their electricity from renewable sources such as hydro, geothermal, solar and wind. The list includes large cities such as Auckland, New Zealand; Nairobi, Kenya; Oslo, Norway; Seattle, USA; and Vancouver, Canada; and is more than double the 40 cities who reported that they were powered by at least 70 percent clean energy in 2015.

Trending: Big Boosts to Fuel Cell, Solar Technology

Clean, efficient electricity is essential for constructing a low-carbon future, but more advanced technologies are needed to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. Scientists around the world are rising to the challenge, delivering new energy solutions that could finally tip the scales in favor of sustainability.

AT&T Strikes Major Corporate Renewable Energy Deal

power through two agreements with subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Resources, the world’s largest operator of renewable energy projects. Together, these deals constitute one of the largest corporate renewable energy purchases in the US. The agreement will see 220 MW of power sourced from the Minco V Wind Farm in Caddo County, Oklahoma, with the remaining 300 MW coming from a wind farm in Webb and Duval Counties in Texas. The projects are expected to generate savings equivalent to taking 350,595 passenger vehicles off the road or providing electricity for a quarter million homes in a year.

Trending: CO2 Dyeing, Biosynthetics Driving Transition Towards New Textiles Economy

A new textiles economy is on the horizon as innovative textile and chemical firms develop new chemical- and petroleum-free processes to produce fabrics and materials.

FoodBytes! San Francisco to Showcase 20 Pioneering Ideas to Feed the World Sustainably

Dutch financial firm Rabobank has shared the names of the 20 startups to participate in the FoodBytes! event in San Francisco on 1 March 2018.

Nissan Vehicle-to-Grid Project to Accelerate Decarbonization of UK Energy System

Nissan is driving the future of mobility forward with a vehicle-to-grid (VG2) demonstrator project that could prove instrumental in helping the UK transition to low-carbon transportation and a smart energy system. The £9.8 million e4Futures project will allow drivers to feed energy back into the electricity grid during peak times.

Lack of Collaboration Leaving Companies Unprepared for New Energy Economy

As global business leaders gather at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos this week to discuss energy and environmental challenges, Schneider Electric has released a new study revealing that while most organizations feel prepared for a decentralized, decarbonized and digitized future, gaps remain between intention and action.

Q&A: How Schneider Electric’s NEO Network Is Shaping the Future of Renewables in Europe

Europe’s appetite for renewables is growing rapidly, and countries including Germany, Scotland and Denmark have already established themselves as leaders in renewable energy generation. However, the voluntary market for commercial and industrial participation has, as a whole, been slower to develop compared to the more aggressive US, Indian and Mexican markets.

Can Huawei Crack the US Market Without Environmental Credentials?

Your bus shelter and web browser may soon be blanketed with ads promoting “The best phone you’ve never heard of," heralding the arrival of a new smartphone that has finally come to town. Who is this mysterious “newcomer”? None other than Chinese IT giant Huawei. Huawei, which is already the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, announced this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas the arrival of its flagship smartphone, the Mate 10 Pro, to the US market.

Trending: Fossil Fuels Finally Taking a Back Seat to Wind

Wind’s potential to fuel the next economy is no longer speculation, but rather fact. According to new research by Research & Markets, energy statistics from Denmark and a pledge made by the UK government to phase out coal by 2025, fossil fuels are officially on the decline. The global market for wind turbines is rapidly expanding, as indicated by a new study from Research & Markets, which predicts annual industry growth of 6.7 percent to 2022. The report presents a comprehensive analysis of the current wind turbine market in four regions — North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW) — and its future direction.

Trending: Norway Driving Low-Carbon Mobility with Lighting Tech, Enticing Incentives

Norway is paving the way to a more energy-efficient, low-carbon future through new intelligent lighting technology and strong financial incentives.

Trending: New Initiatives, Innovations to Give Aviation Biofuels a Big Push

Air transport represents 2 percent to 3 percent of global man-made CO2 emissions. Sustainable aviation biofuel has been identified as one of the most promising ways to meet the ambitious targets of stabilizing emissions generated by global air transport as soon as 2020. A new initiative in France and a breakthrough discovery in Germany could just be the push the sustainable fuel source needs.

The ‘Smartest’ Cities Will Be Future-Proofed

In the wake of natural disasters, it can be easy to feel like there’s nothing we can do to prevent or minimize the damage they cause. However, often this is not the case. Some cities are already making changes to offset future crises, and it’s time we learn from their efforts. Similarly, we can look at urban planning mistakes in cities such as Houston, Texas, which exacerbated the effects of Hurricane Harvey, in order to identify potential weak points in other cities.

Trending: Scientists Uncover Unexpected Uses for Harmful Greenhouse Gases

Though harmful greenhouse gases are charged with driving unprecedented — and dangerous — climate change, they’re proving to be an unlikely ally to researchers working on solutions to treat African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and reduce the variability of renewable power.

Peace Boat's Ecoship to Bring Sustainability to the High Seas in 2020

Sustainable isn’t a word often used to describe the cruise industry, which has historically received less than stellar grades for its environmental performance (although there have been signs of improvement). But Peace Boat, an NGO working to promote peace, human rights, sustainable development and respect for the environment, has unveiled a new ship worthy of the descriptor.