The clock is ticking: Climate change could cost the world $23 trillion by 2050. But green innovation is changing the game. From solar desalination to vertical farming, groundbreaking solutions are tackling pollution, resource scarcity, and energy waste—reshaping our future.
Here are 10 groundbreaking examples of green innovation that are reshaping our world.
What is Green Innovation?
Green innovation refers to all forms of innovation that minimise environmental damage and ensures that natural resources are used in the most effective way possible.
It’s a practice that improves a company’s competitiveness, as well as economic and environmental performance. Reduced energy use, waste recycling, pollution control, resource sustainability, and green product design are all factors to consider.
Green innovations distinguish themselves from non-green innovations as they have the following characteristics:
- They reduce negative environmental impact.
- The target of innovation is a product, a procedure, a service, or a system.
- They meet customer expectations while remaining competitive on the market.
- They consider and innovate the entire product life cycle to develop a green offering.
- They are backed by economic & environmental considerations.
In addition, green innovations take into account the long- and short-term impact a product has on the environment. There are numerous examples of sustainable business models and green innovation, in such areas as energy efficiency, recycling, health and safety concerns, renewable resources, and more…
Next to nature-based solutions to climate change, green innovations offer the best hope to reverse the effects of climate change and pollution.
10 Examples of Green Innovation
1. Solar Desalination
70% of our planet is covered by water. Unfortunately, we can only use a very small fraction of it. This is because most of it is salt water, which we cannot drink or use for industrial processes like agriculture.
Imagine how the world would look like if we were able to use all of that water by sustainably making fresh water out of salt water.
Solar desalination aims to do exactly that! And that’s why it’s on top of this list of the top 10 examples of green innovation.
By using solar energy to desalinate salt water, solar desalination is already and can become a large-scale solution to solving water shortages, desertification, and hunger.
Of course, as good as solar desalination is, we should not forget about ways to save water, too! Also, it is not all grace and glory, as desalination can have some serious downsides.
Example: Elemental Water Makers
Elemental Water Makers is revolutionizing the way we address water scarcity. This Netherlands-based company has successfully implemented solar-powered desalination systems in over 15 countries, providing freshwater to thousands of people in remote and arid regions. They supply affordable, safe, reliable, and fossil-free water to those people who need it the most. In the Maldives, for example, EWM installed a system that converts seawater into clean drinking water using 100% solar energy, drastically reducing reliance on expensive and polluting diesel-powered desalination.
2. Tidal Energy
Next to being a new source for fresh water, our oceans can also be a huge source of energy. In fact, our oceans are the world’s largest untapped source of renewable energy!
Many companies have already invested lots of capital into the development of technolgies that can harness the power of our oceans. These technologies include turbines and other applications that are powered solely by wave, tidal, salinity gradient, and ocean thermal energy. This makes them highly sustainable!
By 2050, ocean energy can provide 10% of the world’s electricity needs and more than 500,000 jobs. It is all set to become a new industry worldwide.
However, the same that applies to our water consumption applies to our energy consumption too. While making our energy production more sustainable, we shouldn’t forget about saving energy too. Here are 100 ways to save energy at home.
Example: Orbital Marine Power
Scotland-based Orbital Marine Power has developed the O2 tidal turbine, the most powerful tidal energy generator in the world. Installed off the coast of the Orkney Islands, the O2 turbine can generate 2 MW of clean energy, enough to power around 2,000 homes per year. Unlike solar and wind energy, tidal power is predictable and reliable, making it a key player in the renewable energy mix.
3. Green Buildings
More than 70% of the human population will be living in cities by 2050. Overall, this means that more people will live on the same or even less space, with less room for trees and other plants. Furthermore, it also means that urban problems, like pollution and smog, will become even more apparent.
Green buildings aim to exactly solve these issues! Already today, you can find some green buildings in many cities, some of which are the greenest cities in the world.
With new technologies constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener structures, the benefits of green buildings range from environmental over economic to social. By adopting greener practices, we can take the maximum advantage of environmental and economic performance.
Green construction methods, when integrated with eco-friendly design and construction, provide the most significant benefits.
For example, green buildings reduce the waste of water and energy, improve overall air quality, and protect biodiversity; just to name a few of the many benefits of green buildings.
Example: Bosco Verticale
Milan’s Bosco Verticale (“Vertical Forest”) is a striking example of sustainable architecture. These two residential towers are covered with over 20,000 trees, shrubs, and plants, acting as a natural air purifier that absorbs CO2 and produces oxygen. The buildings reduce energy consumption by providing natural insulation and shade, cutting heating and cooling costs by up to 30%.
4. Green Vehicles
Transportation is one of the most environmentally polluting human activity. Most cars still require fossil fuels to be powered and, thereby, release a lot of CO2 into the atmosphere. This will change with the shift towards green vehicels.
Green vehicles are cars, vans, or trucks that don’t run on conventional fuels (such as diesel or gasoline), but are powered by alterantive sources (such as electricity, hydrogen, or synthetic fuels).
There are already numerous companies which have proven that these new automotive technologies can reduce carbon emissions while, at the same time, being economically feasible.
Example: Tesla
Tesla has transformed the auto industry with its high-performance electric vehicles (EVs). With over 5 million EVs sold globally, Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y have become some of the best-selling cars worldwide. The company also reduces carbon emissions by developing a network of renewable-powered Superchargers and recycling old batteries into new ones.
5. Vertical Farming
Vertical farming is an eco-friendly technology that has the potential to solve our food production problems. The concept is to grow produce in stacked vertical layers rather than horizontally.
The benefit of vertical farming is increased sustainability. Some vertical farms don’t even require soil, and reduce water use exponentially. The technology allows us to build vertical farms in buildings around cities and provides people with fresh and nutritious food. The newest inventions in vertical farming, such as an intelligent root misting system for indoor produce, allows vertical farms to use 95% less water than a regular field.
Vertical farms have the potential to feed overpopulated cities while using less land and less water. They also cut greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating the need to transport the produce over long distances. Over the past few years, vertical farms have sprouted all over the world including the most sustainable cities in the world such as Vancouver, Singapore and Amsterdam.
In fact, more and more households are starting vertical farming at home to establish a more independent and sustainable food supply.
Example: AeroFarms
AeroFarms, a New Jersey-based indoor farming company, has developed a soil-free, pesticide-free vertical farming system that grows crops using 95% less water than traditional agriculture. Their farms, built in urban warehouses, produce 390 times more food per square foot than conventional farms. AeroFarms supplies fresh, locally grown greens to supermarkets and restaurants, reducing food miles and emissions.
6. Desert Greening
Deserts occupy a large proportion of the earth’s space. In times of climate change and increasing weather extremes, desertification continue at a rapid speed.
However, rainfalls in some places and the proximity of the great tropical rivers make it possible to consider ambitious plans for the re-vegetation of deserts.
Desert greening is a nature-based solution to fight against the loss of fertility and soil erosion and the loss of biodiversity. At the same time, it helps to tackle social problems like food insecurity and hunger. Finally, it also helps to absorb more carbon dioxide, which is of course very useful in the fight against climate change.
New technologies that are helping to green deserts have been introduced recently. For example, the Groasis Waterboxx is a planting device that makes growing crops in the desert possible and resource-efficient. It consists of an “intelligent bucket” made from recycled paper, which can germinate seeds, incubate saplings, and water plants. It requires 90% less water than traditional growing methods and can be used in some of the most extreme climates on Earth.
Example: The Sahara Forest Project
The Sahara Forest Project, operating in Jordan and Tunisia, transforms arid deserts into lush agricultural land. By using solar-powered desalination, the project irrigates crops while using seawater-cooled greenhouses to create a humid microclimate. The initiative has successfully grown vegetables in the desert, providing jobs and food security in some of the world’s driest regions.
7. Solar Glass
Imagine how much more energy we could source from the sun if all our windows would be solar panels at the same time. In fact, integrating solar cells into windows could cover for more than 30% of the world’s energy needs and can also help in transitioning to the circular economy!
For example, photovoltaic skylights generate clean and free energy at the same time that it provides bioclimatic properties of thermal comfort. By employing the concept of biomimicry, They have optimized solar filters, which absorb almost all of the ultraviolet and infrared rays, which are harmful to the occupants of the building. The air chamber of the insulating glass guarantees a better thermal performance inside the building.
These advantages help to considerably reduce the CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, which can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of buildings.
Example: Onyx Solar
Onyx Solar, a Spain-based company, is revolutionizing architecture with solar glass that generates electricity while maintaining transparency. Their technology is used in commercial buildings, airports, and corporate HQs, including American Airlines’ headquarters in Texas, where solar windows cut energy costs and carbon emissions. Major brands like Apple and Coca-Cola are adopting Onyx Solar’s solutions, proving that clean energy can be seamlessly integrated into urban design.
8. Biodegradable Plastic
It is no secret anymore that plastic is bad for the environment. We’ve all heard about plastic in our oceans and microplastics in our food.
For decades, researchers have tried to find ecological alternatives to plastic without success.
Fortunately, today there are some great alternatives that can help us in transitioning to the circular economy. One of them is biodegradable plastic, which will simply break down and “dissappear” after a while, providing “food” for plants and animals.
Example: Veganbottle
French company Lyspackaging has developed Veganbottle, a fully biodegradable and compostable bottle made from sugarcane. Unlike traditional plastic, it decomposes naturally without releasing harmful microplastics. The bottle’s cap, wrapper, and body are all plant-based, offering a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging. Veganbottle is gaining traction in eco-conscious markets, helping reduce plastic waste in industries like beverages and cosmetics.
9. Synthetic Palm Oil
There’s an ugly truth to the beauty products we slap on our faces and an unsavoury truth to the foods we eat: More than half of those are made with palm oil, which is responsible for the rapid deforestation of some of the world’s most biodiverse forests, destroying the habitat of already endangered species.
However, now the biotech industry has come up with a solution – a synthetic alternative that doesn’t involve burning down or clearing any rainforest. It can replace natural palm oil in everything from shampoos, soaps, detergents and lipsticks, to food products like packaged bread, biscuits, margarine, ice cream and chocolate.
Today, there are several startups, such as C16 Biosciences, that are using innovative processes found in nature to brew sustainable alternatives to palm oil.
Example: C16 Biosciences
C16 Biosciences, a biotech startup based in the U.S., has developed a lab-grown alternative to palm oil, eliminating the need for deforestation. Using microbial fermentation, they produce palm oil with the same chemical properties but zero environmental impact. Major brands are now exploring its use in cosmetics, food, and household products.
10. Eco ATMs - Electronics Recycling
Discarded electronic products account for huge amounts of waste, and recycling efforts are ramping up to encourage people against throwing away their old gadgets.
One initiative is the EcoATM – a machine that gives you money in exchange for your discarded devices.
All you have to do is bring your device to an EcoATM kiosk where it is evaluated and valued, and you can walk away with money directly transferred to your bank account, PayPal, or in vouchers! A great incentive for staying green.
Example: ecoATM
With thousands of kiosks across the U.S., ecoATM allows users to trade in old electronics for instant cash, ensuring they are recycled responsibly instead of ending up in landfills. The company has recycled over 28 million devices, recovering valuable materials and reducing toxic electronic waste.
Why is Green Innovation Important?
Why do companies tend to shift towards green innovation? This is not only a result of stringent laws or market pressure but also because implementing environmental management policies provides a multitude of opportunities for the companies, as summarized by the stakholder theory.
- It increases economic and social performance through a reduction in waste, cost, and other inefficiencies.
- It attracts new customers. According to the Nielsen Global Corporate Sustainability Report, 66 percent of respondents are willing to pay more for sustainable products.
- Green innovation is used in the manufacturing process by companies to minimise production time and costs.
- It improves market position and gives an edge over their competition.
- Green innovation creates breakthroughs. For example, Patagonia is one of the most well-known activewear brands in the world. They’ve built repair centres to lower their carbon footprint.
Thus, Green innovation is key to enabling environmentally sustainable growth as it can lead to a cleaner and safer world.
Our world may seem to be in big trouble. But the above 10 examples of green innovation are proving that there are many innovators out there who work on finding smart solutions to avoid any further damage on our planet.
In case you want to learn more about green innovations and sustainable business models, these sustainability books are for you.
And in case you are wondering what you can personally do to save our planet, find out about the top 15 ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
