Sustainable products and technologies have never been in higher demand. As we approach a turning moment in the fight against climate change, many innovators and corporations are treading up to build a greener future.
This is a list of what I think are the most interesting sustainable innovations happening in 2022. With these inventions, we can experience a better and more comfortable future. And our planet will surely thank us!
Most Innovative Sustainable Technologies
Green Building Initiative
The Green Building Initiative (GBI) is a global initiative aimed at constructing environmentally friendly, resource-efficient structures. They provide a certification program for commercial buildings that comply with their environmentally-friendly objective. Its mission is to develop a global standard of best practices for green buildings and provide third-party evaluation tools for meeting sustainability criteria in construction.
Green and sustainable building initiatives are gaining popularity around the world. However, these building initiatives are not always quickly adopted by businesses and homeowners. Many find the high costs of green technologies to be prohibitive. But as they gain more traction through time, the more this initiative will become more accessible.
Groasis Waterboxx – Trees in Deserts
Pieter Hoff, a Dutch flower exporter, came up with the idea for the Groasis Waterboxx. The Groasis is a crop-planting technology that makes it feasible to produce crops in the desert while conserving water and other resources. It consists of an “intelligent bucket” made of recycled paper, which may germinate seeds, incubate saplings, and water plants, among other things. Compared to standard growth methods, it uses 90 percent less water and can be employed in some of its harshest regions.
It also takes up less space, as plots can have up to four crops, thanks to vertical “multiplexing,” which uses less water per plant than traditional farming methods.
Solar Glass That Powers Any Home
Solar glass can revolutionize the way we design and construct homes and commercial buildings. Renewable energy researchers at the University of Michigan are working on developing solar glass, a sustainable engineering project that has gained considerable attention in recent years. The solar glass would be capable of capturing and storing solar energy, among other things.
They can install this on the facade of a home or office building, where they would collect and store energy generated by natural sunlight. The panels could supply power to an entire building or its main façade and provide energy-generating services. Some researchers estimate that these panels could save up to 30 percent of the energy consumed by a typical home in an area with moderate climate conditions.
While the prices for solar glass are still rising, it’s just a matter of time before they become cheaper and as the production process becomes more widespread. This could also be a game-changer for renewable energy in low-income countries across the globe, where millions live without electricity.
The Veganbottle
The Veganbottle, developed by Lyspackaging, composed entirely of natural bioplastic, has the potential to replace plastic bottles completely. Everything in the Veganbottle, from the top to the wrapper, is made entirely of biodegradable materials, even plastic. The bottle is made of sugar cane extracts, which are environmentally friendly.
Sugar cane takes far less water than other crops, and the bottle’s production consumes significantly less energy than standard manufacturing techniques. The shelf life of the Veganbottle is also longer than ordinary plastic bottles. If you put it in a freezer, it can last for four years. The Veganbottle has unique eco-friendly properties that are healthier for the environment and cheaper to produce and sell.
Solar Powered Roadways
Could roadways be powered entirely by solar energy? Yes.
Imagine roads that receive ample sunlight during the day and night, even in cloudy weather. The energy produced will then be stored back into the grid to power buildings and lighting throughout the night or even during high demand. In this way, surplus energy is created, making operations more efficient.
This solar road in France, which is made up of approximately 2,880 m2 of solar panels, was one of the world’s first. It was constructed using Colas’ Wattway technology and ran for one kilometer through Tourouvre-au-Perche.
The solar highways generate enough electricity to power the street lights within the small community. It was built at approximately 5 million Euros, and around 2,000 motorists use it every day.
Reedi – Solar-Powered Battery
Around 85 million Nigerians are projected to be living without access to grid power (energy poverty), the planet’s largest energy access deficit. Olubenga Olubnajo, a Nigerian native, strives to fix this situation using Reedi. This tiny solar-powered battery can charge electronics and is available for rent for 50 cents per day. The battery produces 200 watts of electricity each hour and is available at corner shops. After consumers return it, they can recharge the battery.
Solar-powered batteries are very convenient and have a very low cost. The principle of operation is the same as for solar power systems. The battery holds several lithium-ion or other metal oxides. They then charged the components with sunlight, which is converted into electricity. For the owner, the battery is a source of revenue. For electricity consumers, it’s a way to pay at least partially for their energy consumption.
Robotic Bees
B-Droid is only one of the numerous projects to develop robotic bees capable of pollinating crops as successfully as biological bees. B-Droid’s objective is to assist raise the wild bee population by assigning robotic bees pollination jobs that need little sustenance and little work.
B-Droid, developed by academics at the University of Warsaw, envisions a management platform and swarms of autonomous and semi-autonomous robots capable of successfully identifying and pollinating crops. Hopefully, this sustainable invention does not turn into one of Black Mirror’s episodes.
Sundrop Farms
Sundrop Farms is well-known for establishing a range of sustainable agricultural technologies that use fewer scarce resources than traditional farming methods, such as organic farming. Using concentrated solar power and thermal desalination is essential to the success of this sustainable technology.
In Port Augusta, South Australia, they irrigate their crops with water from the Spencer Gulf, which is desalinated before being used to irrigate their fields. Sunlight provides all the energy needed for this desalination process and the other functions on the farm.
Gum Wheels
Hugo Maupetit and Vivian Fischer, design students from Nancy, France, came up with a creative solution to collect wasted chewing gum by encouraging people to attach their old gum to a notice board rather than dropping it on the floor. Once a sufficient number of used gums had been collected, they were melted down and formed into wheels. Vivian said: “The idea was to combine environmental awareness with a fun and engaging way of collecting gum.”
Author’s Note
The future of sustainability is looking brighter than ever… if we keep inventing!
The switch to sustainable energy resources is far from a simple task. The process involves many complex factors, such as environmental considerations and industrial realities, which are often difficult to balance against one another.
However, many organizations and countries worldwide are making great strides toward making the world a better place for future generations. Below are some articles that will make you realize how happy and peaceful you can be if you live a green lifestyle.
- Why Going Green Makes You Feel Happier in Life
- Money and Health
- Everyday Habits For A More Sustainable Lifestyle
We hope that this list will motivate you to use more sustainable technologies. Thank you for reading!
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