Nominated innovations
1000 innovative clean energy solutions and > 10 framework explorers with the potential to deliver close to three gigatonnes of avoided emissions by 2030
City-integrated bike sharing platform
Donkey Republic developed and deployed a hub-centric bike sharing platform. The hub-centric model uses designated parking locations for the pick-up and drop-off of rentable bikes. A hub is defined by the GPS coordinates of a point and a radius (e.g. 10 meters) around that point within which riders can drop off a bike. This allows local authorities to control the use of public space, easily monitor locations and influence fleet distribution and growth. Users can count on bikes being available at specific locations. The Donkey Republic system is enabled by the communication between a mobile app and an electronic ring lock placed on the bike, via a low energy Bluetooth connection.
Donkey Republic
Denmark
Currently unavailable
innovation: added 15th March, 2019
Donkey Republic
City-integrated bike sharing platform
Donkey Republic developed and deployed a hub-centric bike sharing platform. The hub-centric model uses designated parking locations for the pick-up and drop-off of rentable bikes. A hub is defined by the GPS coordinates of a point and a radius (e.g. 10 meters) around that point within which riders can drop off a bike. This allows local authorities to control the use of public space, easily monitor locations and influence fleet distribution and growth. Users can count on bikes being available at specific locations. The Donkey Republic system is enabled by the communication between a mobile app and an electronic ring lock placed on the bike, via a low energy Bluetooth connection.
2030 potential GHG reductions
Currently unavailable
Cold-rolled ribbed steel bar with high ductility
Anyang Heli Techtronic Metallurgy New Technology Co., Ltd have developed cold-rolled ribbed steel bar with high ductility. It combines the technology of cold plastic deformation and recrystallization heat treatment to enhance the strength of steel bar, and then improves its ductility with heat treatment process to eliminate residual stress and repair the microstructure defects. The company claims that, compared to traditional hot-rolled technique, their technology saves about 40% of energy, as well as alloy materials, such as vanadium nitrogen, manganese silicon. Furthermore, to produce a ton of steel with their technology could save 130 kwh of power, as well as 9.3 kg standard coal, and cost near zero amount of water.
Anyang Heli Techtronic Metallurgy New Technology Co., Ltd
China
Currently unavailable
innovation: added 20th February, 2019
Anyang Heli Techtronic Metallurgy New Technology Co., Ltd
Cold-rolled ribbed steel bar with high ductility
Anyang Heli Techtronic Metallurgy New Technology Co., Ltd have developed cold-rolled ribbed steel bar with high ductility. It combines the technology of cold plastic deformation and recrystallization heat treatment to enhance the strength of steel bar, and then improves its ductility with heat treatment process to eliminate residual stress and repair the microstructure defects. The company claims that, compared to traditional hot-rolled technique, their technology saves about 40% of energy, as well as alloy materials, such as vanadium nitrogen, manganese silicon. Furthermore, to produce a ton of steel with their technology could save 130 kwh of power, as well as 9.3 kg standard coal, and cost near zero amount of water.
2030 potential GHG reductions
Currently unavailable
Compact tokamak fusion power
Decades of government-funded research in fusion science have established the tokamak as the leading approach to confining fusion-grade plasmas with strong magnetic fields. Yet, in the past, even state-of-the art superconducting magnet technology required tokamaks to be enormous to produce net fusion energy.
Recently, a new superconductor technology has reached industrial maturity: Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO). The Commonwealth Fusion Systems company plans to engineer REBCO into high-field magnets, which enables much smaller tokamak-based fusion systems. Smaller means cheaper and faster development.
Commonwealth Fusion Systems
United States
Currently unavailable
innovation: added 15th March, 2019
Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Compact tokamak fusion power
Decades of government-funded research in fusion science have established the tokamak as the leading approach to confining fusion-grade plasmas with strong magnetic fields. Yet, in the past, even state-of-the art superconducting magnet technology required tokamaks to be enormous to produce net fusion energy.
Recently, a new superconductor technology has reached industrial maturity: Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO). The Commonwealth Fusion Systems company plans to engineer REBCO into high-field magnets, which enables much smaller tokamak-based fusion systems. Smaller means cheaper and faster development.
2030 potential GHG reductions
Currently unavailable
Converting desert to fertile soil
Through Desert Control’s patented mixing process, Liquid NanoClay (LNC) combines clay and water and is then spread onto sandy soil. It enables the soil to retain water, turning desert into fertile soil. Production of LNC happens on site. Cultivating sandy soil into fertile land normally takes from seven to fifteen years, whereas Desert Control’s LNC accomplishes that in just hours. One application of LNC lasts a minimum of five years and only natural products are used during production, without the use of chemicals.
Desert Control
Norway
26
innovation: added 20th February, 2019
Desert Control
Converting desert to fertile soil
Through Desert Control’s patented mixing process, Liquid NanoClay (LNC) combines clay and water and is then spread onto sandy soil. It enables the soil to retain water, turning desert into fertile soil. Production of LNC happens on site. Cultivating sandy soil into fertile land normally takes from seven to fifteen years, whereas Desert Control’s LNC accomplishes that in just hours. One application of LNC lasts a minimum of five years and only natural products are used during production, without the use of chemicals.
2030 potential GHG reductions
26t CO2e/year
Coolar refrigerator using solar heated warm water
Coolar has produced an electricity-independent medical refrigerator. The Coolar system uses warm water that is heated through solar energy and stored in a water tank. It does not use any moving parts, hazardous cooling fluids or lubricants. Thus, the Coolar system is a cheap, durable and sustainable solution for storage of vaccines, medicines and food in regions with unreliable or expensive electricity. The Coolar system runs independently from electricity by using solar heat, which makes it almost carbon neutral. Such a refrigerator can enable doctors and health professionals to preserve lifesaving medicine and vaccines in a reliable and eco-friendly way.
Coolar
Germany
Currently unavailable
innovation: added 21st December, 2018
Coolar
Coolar refrigerator using solar heated warm water
Coolar has produced an electricity-independent medical refrigerator. The Coolar system uses warm water that is heated through solar energy and stored in a water tank. It does not use any moving parts, hazardous cooling fluids or lubricants. Thus, the Coolar system is a cheap, durable and sustainable solution for storage of vaccines, medicines and food in regions with unreliable or expensive electricity. The Coolar system runs independently from electricity by using solar heat, which makes it almost carbon neutral. Such a refrigerator can enable doctors and health professionals to preserve lifesaving medicine and vaccines in a reliable and eco-friendly way.
2030 potential GHG reductions
Currently unavailable
Copper Restoration System
With 8 million tons of copper in use each year, a system that allows for repair of copper parts without the need for expensive and energy-intense remelting is sorely needed. The technique developed by Dong He uses electrochemistry to restore broken or damaged copper parts. Partial or whole surface re-manufacturing of parts can be achieved under normal temperatures and pressures, which results in significant energy savings. It is estimated that the electrochemical system uses as little as one tenth of the energy that would be required by a conventional remelting. The performance of the restored parts is also not compromised: testing has shown that the mechanical properties equal or surpass those of comparable materials from conventional production processes.
Dong He Advanced Material Technology Ltd.
China
Currently unavailable
innovation: added 15th March, 2019
Dong He Advanced Material Technology Ltd.
Copper Restoration System
With 8 million tons of copper in use each year, a system that allows for repair of copper parts without the need for expensive and energy-intense remelting is sorely needed. The technique developed by Dong He uses electrochemistry to restore broken or damaged copper parts. Partial or whole surface re-manufacturing of parts can be achieved under normal temperatures and pressures, which results in significant energy savings. It is estimated that the electrochemical system uses as little as one tenth of the energy that would be required by a conventional remelting. The performance of the restored parts is also not compromised: testing has shown that the mechanical properties equal or surpass those of comparable materials from conventional production processes.
2030 potential GHG reductions
Currently unavailable
Cost-competitive solar heat though optimised lenses
Heliac’s solar collectors produce utility-scale heat at unsubsidized costs they claim is below that of fossil fuels anywhere in the world. By using inexpensive lenses that work like magnifying glasses and generate temperatures up to 400 °C, Heliac targets process heat markets responsible for 15% of the global demand. These markets include desalination, district heating and cooling, and heat for numerous other standard industrial processes. Heliac believes their solution is scalable enough to meet any potential demand today. Their first 2 MW solar field is in operation in Denmark producing heat for district heating.
Heliac
Denmark
64
innovation: added 21st December, 2018
Heliac
Cost-competitive solar heat though optimised lenses
Heliac’s solar collectors produce utility-scale heat at unsubsidized costs they claim is below that of fossil fuels anywhere in the world. By using inexpensive lenses that work like magnifying glasses and generate temperatures up to 400 °C, Heliac targets process heat markets responsible for 15% of the global demand. These markets include desalination, district heating and cooling, and heat for numerous other standard industrial processes. Heliac believes their solution is scalable enough to meet any potential demand today. Their first 2 MW solar field is in operation in Denmark producing heat for district heating.
2030 potential GHG reductions
64t CO2e/year
Crop farming
Vultus offers a satellite system for precision farming. Their technology aims to combat the over-fertilization of the soils by analyzing the specific nutrient needs within the fields and providing farmers with detailed nitrogen recommendations. According to Vultus, these recommendations can save 30% of fertilizer usage, which significantly improves farmers profitability and drastically reduces waste in farming.
Vultus
Sweden
Currently unavailable
innovation: added 15th March, 2019
Vultus
Crop farming
Vultus offers a satellite system for precision farming. Their technology aims to combat the over-fertilization of the soils by analyzing the specific nutrient needs within the fields and providing farmers with detailed nitrogen recommendations. According to Vultus, these recommendations can save 30% of fertilizer usage, which significantly improves farmers profitability and drastically reduces waste in farming.
2030 potential GHG reductions
Currently unavailable
Crowd-funded investing for energy access in Africa
Lendahand and Ethex’s Energise Africa is an online platform which enables everyday people to use their money to accelerate the implementation of UN SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy for all) and tackle climate change, whilst also targeting a financial return. People can invest small or large amounts in solar businesses that install solar systems in homes across Africa, enabling low-income families to access solar energy via monthly payment plans.
Lendahand and Ethex
United Kingdom
8
innovation: added 13th May, 2019
Lendahand and Ethex
Crowd-funded investing for energy access in Africa
Lendahand and Ethex’s Energise Africa is an online platform which enables everyday people to use their money to accelerate the implementation of UN SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy for all) and tackle climate change, whilst also targeting a financial return. People can invest small or large amounts in solar businesses that install solar systems in homes across Africa, enabling low-income families to access solar energy via monthly payment plans.
2030 potential GHG reductions
8t CO2e/year
Crowdfunding of solar projects in emerging markets
ecoligo provides a fully financed solar-as-a-service (SaaS) solution for businesses in emerging markets. By providing a digital platform for financing and delivering solar projects, ecoligo aims to remove the barriers that prevent such projects from being realised. Their aspiration is that supplying businesses with affordable electricity will enable them to grow and boost the local economy. Under the SaaS contract ecoligo provides a solar systemas a service for each company for the duration of the contract. ecoligo’s service includes raising the necessary finance for the project, the construction and insurance of the solar system, scheduled maintenance, operation and management.
Ecoligo
Germany
9
innovation: added 7th December, 2018
Ecoligo
Crowdfunding of solar projects in emerging markets
ecoligo provides a fully financed solar-as-a-service (SaaS) solution for businesses in emerging markets. By providing a digital platform for financing and delivering solar projects, ecoligo aims to remove the barriers that prevent such projects from being realised. Their aspiration is that supplying businesses with affordable electricity will enable them to grow and boost the local economy. Under the SaaS contract ecoligo provides a solar systemas a service for each company for the duration of the contract. ecoligo’s service includes raising the necessary finance for the project, the construction and insurance of the solar system, scheduled maintenance, operation and management.
2030 potential GHG reductions
9t CO2e/year