Sustainability is one of our core values at ARTÉMIA and over the years we’ve had the privilege of working with many different cleantech and sustainable companies. With innovative technologies offering new solutions to old problems and simultaneously creating new markets, we help get the message out to those in the know as well as everyone else.

While the weather changes and the holidays approach, exciting advances are taking place in the world of cleantech, so we put together this list of the newest cleantech trends this season.

Plastic as a Sustainable Resource

In the UK, Recycling Technologies is named in the 2016 Global Cleantech 100 Ones to Watch list. They developed a new machine and method that can create low-sulfur fuel from plastic, effectively turning plastic into a sustainable resource. The potential for this new technology is monumental. The company said that “the RT7000 will be assembled on production lines then installed at Material Recycling Facilities [MRFs] around the world.”

The product of the process is coined Plaxx™ and can be used to create plastic products, as a slack wax and wax substitute, and a low-sulfur heavy fuel oil for “heating, power generation or marine propulsion.”

More Electric Transport

It’s no secret electric transportation is becoming more prevalent. According to Green Tech Media, “as long as current trends of increasing consumer interest and decreasing costs continue, EV adoption could increase to 12 million vehicles by 2025.” This means we will see more electric vehicles than we have seen before, and if we can power them through renewable, clean sources we can begin reducing carbon levels significantly.

Green Buildings

More homes in the U.S. are going green than ever before. And new construction is leading the way. According to Environmental Leader, “the green building sector is outpacing overall construction growth in the US.” In addition, new trends in benchmarking existing buildings are taking hold as well. New technologies and programs are making where we live and work greener and healthier.

Solar and Wind Power

According to Green Biz, the United States’ total solar energy generating potential is ten times the energy needed to power the nation. The Department of Energy describes solar energy as “nearly limitless” in terms of sustainability and potential. In addition, costs have fallen by 64 percent since 2008. More solar energy could be making it ways to the US in the coming years.

In Europe (Finland to be specific), “the Finnish Government has announced that it is mulling over prohibiting the use of coal in energy production by 2030,” according to the Helsinki Times. The final version of the environmental strategy will be presented to parliament in March 2017.

Lead Recycling

The company Aqua Metals from Alameda, CA was the winner of the Sustainable Technology Award in the IChemE awards program for their AquaRefining process. According to the EconoTimes, the process “has the potential to revolutionize the lead recycling industry through producing ultra-pure lead with a fundamentally non-polluting, water-based, room temperature process.”

Currently, the most widespread process of lead smelting is “inefficient and polluting” according to Aqua Metals. Not only is the product low grade, it requires further refining to be used. The process can be used to recycle spent lead acid battery cores, which can then be cast into ingots and reused in batteries once again.

For more information see this video from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Should you like more information about the newest cleantech trends, or would like to speak to us about or full service global communication solutions, please reach out.