Aircarbon by Newlight Technologies
According to Popular Science Magazine, “Newlight’s first commercial plant, in California, captures methane generated by a dairy farm’s waste lagoon and transports it to a bioreactor. There, enzymes combine the gas with air to form a polymer. The resulting plastic, called AirCarbon, performs identically to most oil-based plastics but costs less—creating a market-driven solution to global warming.”
Related Statistic: “Humans produce 660 billion pounds of plastic a year, and the manufacturing process creates three times as much carbon dioxide by weight as actual plastic.” — Popular Science Magazine
Honourable mention:
Motiv Electric Powertrain Control System: This modular plug-and-play technology powertrain can be built into vehicles from existing diesel-truck manufacturers.
Related Statistic: “…an electric garbage truck has been running a 60-mile route through Chicago, offsetting 2,688 gallons of diesel and 23 tons of carbon dioxide a year.” — Popular Science Magazine
Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI) battery: According to Popular Science Magazine this battery “…relies on a salt water–based electrolyte to carry the charge. It’s nontoxic, low-cost, and modular, and it can’t overheat. It has a long life cycle and a high capacity. And it can be scaled for home use or the grid. In other words, it’s basically everything today’s batteries are not.”
Solar Roadways: There is still a long road ahead before we see where this one will take us, but provided it also proves to be a rainy day friend this one could have immeasurable value.
See more info on these and other innovations that will shape the future at BestofWhat’sNew@Popsci.