There's never been a greater push for sustainable products and technologies than there is today. We've reached a critical point with regards to climate change, and many innovators and businesses are stepping up to the plate to build a green future.
From alternative energy sources to immersive artificial experiences designed to change behaviour, sustainable innovations aim to drastically reduce the effects of human life on planet Earth.
With a new year, we’re taking a fresh look at where sustainability is headed globally. What technologies will drive the global discussions, and moreover, which will have the greatest impact in 2019? I asked McKinsey’s leading sustainability experts for their thoughts.
Beyond the headlines dominated by its domestic tech giants, more impactful ideas are working to ensure a sustainable future.
Here are this year’s top 10 Chinese eco-innovations.
The world’s largest floating solar power plant came online in Huainan, in eastern China, in May 2017. Floating on a now flooded former coal mining region, it has a capacity of 40 MW – enough to power a small town.
Today, China invests more each year in wind, hydro and solar power than any other country on earth. This week it further underlined its role as the global leader in renewable energy by switching on the world’s largest floating solar power plant.
Expanding Chinese cities are generating more food waste than they can accommodate in landfills, and cockroaches could be a way to get rid of hills of food scraps, providing nutritious food for livestock when the bugs eventually die and, some say, cures for stomach illness and beauty treatments.
The global market is growing exponentially, increasing six-fold since 2013 and doubling since 2015. Much of that growth is being driven by China. As this chart shows, it’s been just four years since Chinese sales of electric vehicles overtook those in the US.
