What this is and why I’ve made it
Many people and organisations are attempting to use technology to solve climate change. Their work spans a broad range of areas, including energy production (nuclear fusion, next-gen geothermal energy), new materials (carbon-free cement, biopolymers), and tech that will help us adapt to a worst-case scenario (solar geoengineering, water desalination, wildfire-fighting drones).
I struggled to find a good overview of all the climate tech solutions out there, so I decided to do some research and build my own. I think more people should be aware of the potential benefits of climate tech: I’ve noticed lots of climate-related pessimism and negativity among my friends, and think that learning about potential solutions to climate change can help alleviate that pessimism.
Limitations
I’ve focused on deep-tech/hardware rather than software solutions, in part because deep-tech interests me the most, and in part because including all software areas would make the list unwieldy.
I’ve not included technology that is commonplace today, such as electric cars, solar panels, or plant-based food.
I’m not an expert in any area of this, so may have made mistakes; if you spot a mistake please let me know in the comments or email me.
Strictly categorising things is hard, so some solutions may belong to categories other than the one I’ve put them in.
I am not endorsing any of these ideas or startups, or making any claims about their chances of success. When I mention startups working on the problems, I’ve just selected ones that I’ve come across; there may be others working on the problems that I have not named.
This list is far from comprehensive; please make suggestions for other areas I should include in the comments.
Contents
(Potential) Technological Solutions to Climate Change: A Categorised List
1. Energy
1.1 Energy Production
Nuclear fusion, which would fuse atoms together to produce large amounts of clean energy.
- Startups working on this: Commonwealth Fusion Systems, General Fusion, Helion.
Producing green hydrogen with new electrolysis technology.
- Startups working on this: Electric Hydrogen, H2pro, Green Hydrogen Systems.
Converting natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon, which can be sequestered.
- Startups working on this: C-Zero.
Converting coal-fired power stations with small, modular nuclear reactors.
- Organisations working on this: TerraPraxis.
Advanced nuclear power stations, which are easier to build and cheaper to run.
- Startups working on this: Natrium.
Next-generation geothermal power stations, which could provide 24/7 “baseload” power.
- Startups working on this: Fervo Energy, Eavor.
Producing gas from waste using gasification.
- Startups working on this: Sierra Energy.
Floating wind turbines, which could allow us to deploy turbines further out to sea — where winds tend to be stronger.
- Organisations working on this: Equinor.
Broad spectrum solar panels, which help solar panels turn more light into electricity, increasing the amount of power produced.
- Startups working on this: Cambridge Photon Technology.
1.2 Energy Storage
Iron flow and iron air batteries, for long-duration grid energy storage.
- Startups working on this: ESS, VoltStorage, Form Energy.
Organic redox flow batteries, which are cheap and stable.
- Startups working on this: Kemiwatt.
Electro-thermal energy storage, for long-duration grid energy storage.
- Startups working on this: Malta.
Geomechanical pumped hydro storage, which stores energy underground in the form of pressurised water.
- Startups working on this: Quidnet.
Gravity storage, which lifts composite bricks when energy is plentiful then drops them when electricity is needed.
- Startups working on this: Energy Vault.
Solid-state batteries, which have higher energy densities and can charge faster.
- Startups working on this: QuantumScape, ITEN.
Coating lithium-ion batteries in graphene to increase their energy density.
- Startups working on this: Volexion.
Making battery anodes from silicon, increasing energy density.
- Startups working on this: Sila.
Making carbon nanotube electrodes for “ultra-fast carbon batteries”.
- Startups working on this: Nawa Technologies.
Producing paper biofuel cells, which are biodegradable.
- Startups working on this: BeFC.
1.3 Energy Transmission
Aluminium-encapsulated carbon core conductors, for long-life and efficient power transmission.
- Startups working on this: TS Conductor.
Evaporative cryogenic cooling systems for high-temperature superconductors, allowing for higher levels of power transmission.
- Startups working on this: Veir.
Grid management software and monitoring.
- Startups working on this: Sparkmeter, LineVision.
2. Agriculture
Using robots and AI to increase farming efficiency.
- Startups working on this: Iron Ox.
Making pet and human food from insects.
- Startups working on this: Ynsect.
Growing meat in a lab.
Using microbes to provide crops with nitrogen, as an alternative to synthetic fertiliser.
Creating alginate microcapsules for biofertilisers.
- Startups working on this: Kapsera.
Using microbes to produce proteins from electricity and air.
- Startups working on this: Solar Foods.
Using microalgae to produce proteins and fatty acids.
- Startups working on this: Fermentalg.
Shocking livestock slurry with synthetic lightning to eliminate methane emissions.
- Startups working on this: N2 Applied.
Masks for cows that contain a catalytic converter to neutralise exhaled methane.
- Startups working on this: Zelp.
Feed supplements containing garlic powder and bitter orange extracts, to reduce cattle methane emissions.
- Startups working on this: Mootral.
3. Transport
Replacement, decarbonised-fuel engines for diesel-powered machines.
- Startups working on this: ClearFlame.
Electric and hydrogen-powered planes.
- Organisations working on this: Heart Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, ZeroAvia.
A new ion exchange process to extract lithium (needed in electric vehicle batteries) from brine more efficiently.
- Startups working on this: Lilac Solutions.
Using AI to find more rare minerals to mine.
- Startups working on this: KoBold Metals.
Electric freight ships.
- Organisations working on this: Kongsberg.
Battery powered freight trucks.
Hydrogen fuel-cell powered freight trucks.
- Organisations working on this: Hyundai, Hyzon, Daimler/Volvo,
4. Materials
Using electro-extraction to remove and recycle minerals from e-waste.
- Startups working on this: Nth Cycle.
Using a new manufacturing process to make silicon wafers for solar panels at lower cost and higher efficiency.
- Startups working on this: Leading Edge.
Using electricity to produce carbon dioxide free steel.
- Startups working on this: Boston Metal, H2 Green Steel.
Producing cement with lower or no CO₂ emissions.
- Startups working on this: Brimstone Energy, Ecocem, Solidia.
Using CO₂ to make concrete.
- Startups working on this: Solidia, CarbonCure, CarbonBuilt.
Creating cellulose and bioplastics from biomass, using aldehyde-assisted fractionation.
- Startups working on this: Bloom.
Producing amino acids and sweeteners through fermentation.
- Startups working on this: DMC.
Using microorganisms to turn air and greenhouse gases into a thermoplastic.
- Startups working on this: Newlight.
Using catalysts to replicate photosynthesis, turning CO₂ into jetfuel and other materials.
- Startups working on this: Twelve.
Using casein to make plastic alternatives.
- Startups working on this: Lactips.
Growing microalgae and using them to produce ingredients for cosmetics and food products.
- Startups working on this: Microphyt.
Using hydrothermal processing to return clothing to its raw ingredients, which can then be reused.
- Startups working on this: Circ.
5. Carbon Capture and Storage
Pulling CO₂ from the air and turning into rock using enhanced carbon mineralisation.
- Startups working on this: 44.01, Heirloom, Climeworks.
Using satellite imagery to improve forest carbon markets.
- Startups working on this: Pachama.
Using electrochemistry to de-acidify the ocean and enhance its carbon-storing properties.
- Startups working on this: Ebb Carbon.
Dissolving olivine-containing rock into oceans, increasing its CO₂ uptake and decreasing its acidity.
- Organisations working on this: Project Vesta.
Using electrochemistry to sequester the ocean’s CO₂ as a seashell-like material.
- Startups working on this: SeaChange.
Growing kelp to capture carbon, then sinking it beneath the ocean to sequester it.
- Startups working on this: RunningTide.
Mixing pulverised minerals into agricultural soil to accelerate carbon capture through rock weathering.
- Startups working on this: Eion, The Future Forest Company.
Using abundant minerals to create cost-efficient direct air capture.
- Startups working on this: Sustaera.
Baking forestry waste in a low oxygen environment to produce biochar, a stable form of carbon.
- Startups working on this: The Future Forest Company.
Turning biomass into bio-oil using pyrolysis, then injecting the bio-oil underground.
- Startups working on this: Charm.
6. Solar Geoengineering
N.B.: All of this research is very early stage, and a long way away from being used (if it ever is used).
Putting a giant solar sail in space (around 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth) to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching Earth, cooling the planet.
- Organisations working on this: Planetary Sunshade.
Injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect or absorb sunlight, cooling the planet.
- Organisations working on this: SCoPEx at Harvard University.
Adding aerosols to marine clouds to make them more reflective, cooling the planet.
- Organisations working on this: Marine Cloud Brightening Project.
7. Adaptation
7.1 Water shortages
Drawing water from the air, using solar-powered panels, to produce more drinking water.
- Startups working on this: Source.
Adding silver iodide to clouds to encourage precipitation and alleviate drought.
- Organisations working on this: Weather Modification.
Using 3D printed membranes to improve the efficiency of water desalination.
- Startups working on this: Aqua Membranes.
Solar-powered desalination systems.
- Startups working on this: Desolenator.
7.2 Food shortages
Producing single cell proteins from CO₂ and hydrogen.
- Startups working on this: Solar Foods, Air Protein, Deep Branch.
Producing single cell proteins from natural gas.
Scaling up seaweed farming.
- Startups working on this: Kelp Blue, Sea6 Energy, Sustainable Seaweed.
Genetically modifying crops to increase resilience and yield.
- Organisations working on this: CGIAR.
7.3 Natural disasters
Drones that can fight wildfires.
- Startups working on this: Drone Hopper.
Satellites for disaster monitoring and early warning systems.
- Startups working on this: Vandersat, Orora Technologies, World from Space.
Further reading and sources
Breakthrough Energy, Bill Gates’ climate fund.
Stripe Climate, Stripe’s carbon removal fund.
PwC State of Climate Tech 2021
Can tech help fight climate change? Five innovations making a difference today — Secure Futures
This is climate tech — GreenBiz
The Next Generation of Climate Innovation — BCG
High-tech climate solutions that could cut emissions in the long term — Reuters
10 adaptation technologies — Climate Action
10 European startups tackling natural disasters and other emergencies — EU Startups
Seven emerging technologies that will be vital for fighting climate change — Recharge
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