Doubling biopower plant electrical efficiency

Today's established technology for bio power is the steam cycle, in which 30 percent of the energy input results in electricity, with the remainder being heat and energy losses. Bio power plants are therefore primarily heating plants and, secondly, producers of electricity. Phoenix Biopower's technology has developed a different thermodynamic process. The first step is that the fuel is gasified under high pressure together with steam. The gas formed then drives a gas turbine where steam is used to optimize combustion. With this technology, efficiency is doubled, and electricity can be produced with up to 60 percent of the energy input.

Sweden

16

Developing inputs and sustainable products based on nano materials obtained reusing rise hulls

Consulting and Energy develops and produces sustainable products based on nanomaterials obtained from the recovery of rice husk waste that would otherwise end up on landfills. The husk is initially used as fuel for energy production in a biomass plant that has an ash yield of 20%, which is the basis for several businesses lines that have been developed by the company: production of solar grade silicon, lithium battery material, aerogels for water irrigation, an enzymatic catalyst and structural insulated panel with an insulation sheet of aggregated rice husk.

Chile

16

Online B2B marketplace for fresh produce

Moving food from the farm to the family dinner table can take months of passing through intermediaries before arriving at the supermarket. Chemical are therefore used to ensure longevity, resulting in old food that is perhaps months old, chemically laden, and with reduced nutritional value. Fresh.Land digitizes the food supply chain, allowing farmers to sell directly to retailers using a platform that provides logistics, payment, legal and knowledge support integrated into one solution. Food is purchased and consumed within days instead of months, protecting food integrity and minimizing waste.

Denmark

13

Recycling textile waste into new fibers

As much as 73 % of clothing is landfilled or burnt. Infinited Fiber Company has a goal to revolutionize the fashion world by changing the waste in clothing manufacturing. The company has developed a process technology that can turn textile and paper waste into new fibers for the textile industry. They claim this can be done infinitely without decreasing the quality of the fiber. The technology rids the value chain of carbon disulfide – the most challenging, hazardous, and biologically harmful chemical in the fashion industry. Furthermore, the innovation is also flexible and can be integrated into existing pulp, dissolving pulp and viscose fiber plants.

Finland

13

Castor bio-based aviation fuel

Tianjin Castor Energy has developed the castor bio-based aviation fuel. The technique can produce high bio-aviation fuel yields by hydrodeoxygenation , hydro-cracking and hydro-isomerization reaction, and the properties meet the standards ASTM D7566. Moreover, the products do not contain sulfur, phosphorus and heavy metal. The company claims that the cleanliness and low-temperature fluidity of the bio-aviation fuel are superior to those of petroleum-based aviation fuels. The raw material supply is wildly available making it one of the most cost-efficient bio-based aviation fuels so far.

China

13

Active acoustic spectroscopy

The Active Acoustic Spectroscopy is a device that can measure different parameters, such as e.g. density and viscosity, in different flowing matters in pipes. This is done by analysing how the acoustics in a pipe is affected by the flowing matters. With the help of this, data analysis can be done to optimise production processes within industries. Analysis optimisations may increase e.g. material yield or energy output. The Active Acoustic Spectroscopy can be used in different industries, but the focus market is pulp and paper industries to begin with.

Sweden

13

Environmental intelligence for healthy cities 

Green Urban Data produces software that monitors and measures temperature at the neighbourhood level, locating the most vulnerable areas and offering recommendations for action to stabilize the temperature in those areas. Their innovation aims to counteract the effects of temperature on the health and economy of a city, using software as a service (SaaS) to adapt a city to the effects of temperature variations. Possible uses are for the interconnectivity of green urban areas, the design of protocols to act against heat waves, and the planning and design of green infrastructure.

Spain

12

Efficient solar modules for electric vehicles

Sharp Corporation have developed a solar module with one of the world’s highest conversion efficiencies, which enables on-vehicle charging for electric vehicles (EVs) to increase their range without frequent plug-in battery charging. A triple-junction compound was used to capture a wider range of the spectrum of sunlight, leading to a conversion efficiency for a solar module of 31.17% for 968 cm². With such a high rate of efficiency, the modules can be integrated into EV design and have an impact on energy generation.

Japan

11

Spinning cylinder for wind power of vessels

Windjammers were a class of sailing vessels built from the 1870s to 1900. As engine technology developed, they were slowly phased out and replaced by steamships which were faster and could stay on schedule regardless of wind conditions. The idea behind Norsepower’s Rotor Sail Solution is to develop a spinning cylinder that harnesses wind power to generate the thrust needed to propel modern vessels. When conditions are favorable, the Norsepower Rotor Sails allow the main engines to be throttled back, saving fuel and reducing emissions while providing the power needed to maintain speed and voyage time.

Finland

10

Battery-swapping service for two-wheeler EV users

Batterypool offers a battery-swapping service for users of two-wheeler electric vehicles (EVs). The company claims that using this app-enabled swapping service, users will have their two-wheel EV fully charged in under 1 minute, compared to 4 hours with plug-in charging. They further claim that their solution also makes owning a two-wheeler EV 30 % cheaper than its petrol counterpart. The battery swapping service is enabled by patent-pending swap station hardware, product design, a small business retail model and an Internet-of-Things layer. With this solution, the intention is to drive the mass adoption of electric mobility among two-wheelers.

India

10