Tag: CO2

Sustainability-In-Tech : Ancient Bacteria Powers New Green Chemical Facility

Posted on by Paul Stradling

A startup with roots in Denmark and Germany is now using ancient bacteria and Texan emissions to make low-carbon chemicals, thereby offering a novel alternative to fossil-fuel-based manufacturing.

A Biotech Startup With Climate Ambitions

Founded in 2021, ‘Again’ is the brainchild of Danish researchers and German entrepreneur Max Kufner. It positions itself as the world’s first scalable, carbon-negative chemical manufacturer, one aiming to overhaul how industrial chemicals are made.

How Again’s Process Works

Rather than capturing CO₂ just to store it underground (as with carbon capture and storage, or CCS), Again’s process feeds waste CO₂ straight into its custom-designed bioreactors. There, it’s fermented with hydrogen and processed by ancient, oxygen-hating bacteria, some of the oldest life forms on Earth. These hardy microbes, once dominant in Earth’s CO₂-rich primordial soup, now have a new purpose, i.e. transforming industrial emissions into chemicals like acetate, used in everything from paints and adhesives to cosmetics and plastics.

According to Again, this approach can reduce emissions associated with chemical production by up to 80 per cent, thereby making it a potential game-changer for one of the planet’s most polluting sectors.

Why Texas? Why Now?

Again’s new plant, dubbed TXS-1, is being built in Texas City which is an industrial hub on the Gulf Coast and home to major petrochemical facilities. The reasons why it’s such a strategic location for this purpose are :

– Abundant CO₂ supply. Again will capture waste CO₂ directly from a refinery on-site, avoiding costly transport emissions.

– Hydrogen availability. The region is rapidly scaling up hydrogen production, another essential input for Again’s process.

– Industrial partnerships. The facility is hosted at a site operated by Diamond Infrastructure Solutions, a joint venture between Dow and Macquarie Asset Management. Chemicals giant HELM AG is also on board to distribute Again’s products.

Ancient Bacteria Meet AI

At the heart of Again’s process is a mix of ancient biology and modern computation.

For example, the bacteria involved are strict anaerobes, organisms that evolved billions of years ago, long before oxygen was present in Earth’s atmosphere. Back in those early conditions, CO₂ dominated, and these microbes adapted to use it as a food source. Today, Again has harnessed these same organisms, placing them in oxygen-free bioreactors alongside green hydrogen. As they metabolise the mixture, they produce valuable chemicals like acetate, a key building block used across multiple industries.

The process has been optimised using AI-powered bioengineering and chemical modelling, allowing Again to tweak conditions for maximum output and efficiency. The company describes it as similar to brewing, only instead of beer, the end product is a clean, commercially viable chemical, ready for use in adhesives, textiles, paints or even packaging.

From Copenhagen to the Gulf Coast

Again’s journey started in Denmark. In 2023, the company launched its first operational pilot plant on the industrial outskirts of Copenhagen. That facility now captures up to one tonne of CO₂ per day and converts it into acetate using the same bacterial fermentation process.

That successful trial laid the groundwork for a rapid international expansion. Again has raised more than $150 million in funding to date, including a €39.4 million Series A round co-led by GV and HV Capital, and a €47 million grant from the EU’s Horizon Europe initiative. Alongside the new US site, the company is also building a second European facility in Norway as part of the PyroCO₂ project—a multi-partner initiative exploring large-scale carbon capture and utilisation.

The company says the US is an especially attractive market for its technology due to strong industrial demand, federal support for low-carbon manufacturing, and the sheer volume of CO₂ emissions in the petrochemical sector. TXS-1 will be co-located with existing industrial infrastructure, allowing Again to capture emissions directly at the source and avoid costly transport logistics.

Why Green Chemicals Matter

The global chemical industry contributes around 4 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions which is twice the amount produced by aviation. However, unlike power generation or transport, where decarbonisation efforts are more mature, the chemical sector remains particularly tough to tackle. That’s because carbon isn’t just an energy source in this context but is a core ingredient.

Uses Captured CO₂

Traditional chemical production relies on fossil-based feedstocks such as oil, gas and coal. That means the process remains carbon-intensive, even if the energy powering the plants becomes renewable. Again’s approach flips this equation, i.e., using captured CO₂ as a feedstock turns waste into value, effectively recycling emissions back into the supply chain.

The resulting chemicals are functionally identical to their fossil-derived counterparts, meaning customers don’t need to compromise on performance to choose a lower-carbon option. Again’s scientific co-founder, Dr Torbjørn Jensen, is keen to point out that the potential climate benefits are substantial, saying: “We have the means to not only capture waste CO₂ but turn it into useful products to fully decarbonise the supply chain.”

No Premiums, No Excuses

Cost is another area where Again is clearly aiming to stand apart. For example, while many climate tech firms rely on subsidies or carbon credits to stay competitive, Again claims its green chemicals are price-aligned with fossil-based alternatives. That makes them a viable swap-in for major industrial buyers.

Also, because the company co-locates its facilities with industrial emitters, it avoids the need to build entirely new infrastructure or transport captured CO₂ across long distances. This keeps operational costs lower and simplifies logistics (both key concerns for heavy industry).

According to Again, its model not only reduces emissions but helps build supply chain resilience. By producing chemicals locally using waste inputs, companies can reduce their reliance on volatile global fossil markets and mitigate geopolitical risk.

A Growing Ecosystem of Carbon Utilisers

It’s worth noting here that Again isn’t the only player reimagining how carbon can be reused rather than emitted. Several other startups and innovators are working on similar problems, though often using very different technologies. These include, for example:

– LanzaTech, based in the US and New Zealand, uses microbial gas fermentation to turn industrial emissions into fuels, chemicals and even fabrics. Its tech is already operating at commercial scale in China and Belgium.

– Twelve, based in California, uses electrochemical reactors to transform captured CO₂ into syngas, plastics and even jet fuel. It has partnered with major brands like Mercedes-Benz and Shopify.

– Carbon Clean, headquartered in the UK, develops compact carbon capture systems designed for smaller industrial sites. Some of its partners are exploring reuse pathways for the captured emissions.

– Climeworks, based in Switzerland, focuses mainly on direct air capture and storage, but has also collaborated on utilisation pilots for synthetic fuels and fertilisers.

What makes Again’s model distinctive is its biological foundation and its emphasis on full commercial scalability. The company believes its AI-enhanced, plug-and-play bioreactors could be deployed in a wide range of industrial settings, bringing emissions down while making useful products at the same time.

Challenges and Open Questions

While the potential is clear, the path to industrial-scale success is far from straightforward. For example, some of the issues to be tackled include:

– Scaling up. Even with TXS-1 and other plants online, the amount of CO₂ processed will remain a fraction of global chemical-sector emissions. Expanding from thousands to millions of tonnes per year will require vast investment and infrastructure alignment.

– Hydrogen dependency. Again’s process depends on green hydrogen, which remains costly and in limited supply. If the hydrogen used isn’t produced from renewable sources, the overall emissions savings could be undermined.

– Regulatory support. The success of projects like Again’s often hinges on supportive climate policies, especially in high-emitting regions. Carbon pricing, clean energy incentives and emissions regulations will all play a role in shaping demand.

– Industry buy-in. Despite the environmental benefits, industrial clients will need assurance that the supply, quality and pricing of green chemicals can match fossil-based equivalents at scale. Long-term contracts and offtake agreements will be key to proving commercial viability.

Some critics may also question whether these technologies risk entrenching the petrochemical status quo, making it easier for fossil-heavy industries to continue operating, rather than shifting toward fundamentally different models of production and consumption.

For now, however, Again’s approach seems to offer something rarely seen in the climate tech space, i.e. a scalable, biologically driven process that recycles carbon, reduces emissions and produces critical products without asking customers to pay more or change how they operate. That may prove to be a winning formula in the urgent race to decarbonise industry.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

What Again is building in Texas appears to reflect a growing confidence in the potential of carbon utilisation technologies to deliver real-world impact. By rethinking carbon not as waste, but as a resource, companies like Again are beginning to close the loop on emissions-heavy sectors that have traditionally been among the hardest to clean up. For the global petrochemicals industry, long viewed as a decarbonisation dead end, this marks a meaningful shift from theory to scalable practice.

For businesses, especially those in manufacturing, construction, and fast-moving consumer goods, the implications may be significant because the ability to source carbon-negative chemicals without a cost penalty is a powerful proposition. It suggests that environmental responsibility no longer has to come with financial compromise. In a world where supply chain resilience is under constant strain, Again’s co-located model also offers a localised, low-risk alternative to long-haul chemical imports. This could have strategic value not just in the US, but in Europe too.

UK businesses, in particular, may want to watch this space closely. For example, with increasing pressure from regulators, investors and customers to lower emissions, a viable route to greener inputs could open up new paths to compliance and competitive advantage. Although Again’s current facilities are outside the UK, its presence in Denmark and Norway, and the plug-and-play nature of its tech, means it could easily become part of Britain’s low-carbon supply chain in the near future, especially if domestic hydrogen capacity scales up.

At the same time, the challenges highlighted remain very real. Cost, scale, and energy inputs will all determine whether this approach can transition from promising to mainstream. That said, the early signs are encouraging. By blending millennia-old biology with modern science and smart commercial thinking, Again has shown what’s possible when sustainability is treated not as a side project but as a core business model. Whether it succeeds or not, it’s helping to rewrite the rulebook on what a cleaner, circular industrial future could look like.

Sustainability-In-Tech : UK Pilot Scheme To Extract CO₂ From Seawater

Posted on by Paul Stradling

A pioneering new facility in Weymouth, Dorset, is taking an innovative approach to tackling climate change by extracting carbon dioxide directly from seawater.

Why?

While most climate efforts focus on cutting emissions or capturing carbon from the air, the SeaCURE project, developed by scientists from Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and the University of Exeter, is tapping into the ocean’s natural role as a carbon sink.

Currently, the ocean absorbs around 25 per cent of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) humans release each year. However, as atmospheric CO₂ levels rise, so too does the concentration of dissolved carbon in seawater, thereby contributing to ocean acidification and threatening marine ecosystems.

SeaCURE’s new project aims to boost the ocean’s capacity to absorb even more CO₂, while simultaneously helping to remove some of the excess greenhouse gases already contributing to global warming.

What Is SeaCURE And Who Is Behind It?

SeaCURE is a collaborative project led by the University of Exeter’s Global Systems Institute, with key partners Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Brunel University London, and industrial water treatment specialist Eliquo Hydrok.

Backed by a £3 million grant from the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), SeaCURE is part of the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio’s Direct Air Capture & Greenhouse Gas Removals Innovation Programme. It is one of 15 pilot projects across the UK tasked with developing cutting-edge climate solutions.

How Does SeaCURE Actually Work?

The SeaCURE plant, discreetly tucked behind Weymouth’s SEA LIFE Centre, operates a relatively simple yet ingenious process:

– Seawater is pumped ashore from the English Channel via an existing intake pipe.

– Part of the water is treated to become more acidic. This triggers the dissolved CO₂ to form bubbles of gaseous carbon dioxide, much like opening a fizzy drink.

– The CO₂ gas is “stripped” out using a stainless steel tank system designed to maximise contact between the acidified water and the air.

– The captured gas is then drawn off and stored using activated carbon derived from coconut husks.

– The treated seawater is neutralised by adding an alkali solution before it is returned safely to the ocean.

Professor Tom Bell of Plymouth Marine Laboratory likens the CO₂ extraction process to “pouring a fizzy drink over a large surface,” allowing the carbon to escape quickly and be captured.

Why Target Seawater Instead Of Air?

While direct air capture of carbon has been a growing focus in climate tech circles, seawater offers some compelling advantages. For example, seawater actually contains about 150 times more CO₂ than the air. This means that, as Dr Paul Halloran, leader of the SeaCURE project says, it’s “potentially much more efficient to work with.”

Challenges

It’s worth noting here that extracting CO₂ from seawater in this way is certainly not without its challenges. For example, the energy requirements to acidify and neutralise seawater on a large scale are significant, meaning that scaling up would need to be paired with renewable energy sources, such as floating solar installations at sea.

The Scale Of The Pilot

As it currently stands, the SeaCURE pilot plant can remove up to 100 tonnes of CO₂ annually, which is less than the emissions from a single transatlantic flight! However, the potential is enormous.

For example, according to SeaCURE’s initial projections, processing just 1 per cent of the world’s surface seawater could, in theory, remove 14 billion tonnes of CO₂ each year! For comparison, global annual CO₂ emissions currently sit around 37 billion tonnes.

As Dr Oliver Geden, a carbon capture expert at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, notes that while “capturing directly from seawater is one of many options,” the ultimate choice will depend heavily on cost and scalability.

What About Marine Life?

Altering the chemistry of seawater raises understandable concerns about marine ecosystems. Early results from a parallel research strand led by Guy Hooper, PhD researcher with PML and the University of Exeter, suggest caution.

Hooper has been conducting laboratory experiments exposing marine organisms, such as phytoplankton and molluscs, to “low-carbon” water produced by the SeaCURE process.

“Marine organisms rely on carbon to perform essential processes,” Hooper explains. “Phytoplankton need it for photosynthesis, and creatures like mussels use it to build their shells.”

Initial findings indicate that large-scale release of low-carbon water could have some impact on marine life, although techniques such as pre-diluting the water before discharge could help mitigate risks.

“It’s vital we consider these impacts now, at the pilot stage, rather than later,” Hooper adds.

Early Days, But Big Implications

The SeaCURE project represents a significant step forward in exploring ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR), an area that has received far less attention than land-based efforts.

Energy minister Kerry McCarthy has praised the project’s promise, stating: “Innovative projects like SeaCURE play an important role in creating the green technologies needed to reach net zero, while also supporting skilled jobs and economic growth.”

Although SeaCURE is still small-scale, its success could pave the way for a new generation of climate solutions that work with the ocean rather than against it. Should SeaCURE and similar projects prove viable at scale, they could complement broader efforts to curb emissions and offset unavoidable carbon outputs.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

The SeaCURE project is in its infancy, but it still offers a glimpse into how innovation, science, and environmental stewardship could come together to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time. By focusing on seawater, rather than solely the atmosphere, the researchers have opened up a new frontier in carbon removal that could eventually be scaled to global significance. That said, it’s clear that scaling something like this up will not be straightforward. The energy demands, potential ecological impacts, and cost considerations will all need to be carefully managed if SeaCURE and projects like it are to realise their full promise.

For UK businesses, particularly those operating in the green technology, energy, and marine sectors, SeaCURE’s early success could signal exciting new opportunities. Companies involved in renewable energy, carbon capture, and environmental monitoring, for example, may find themselves at the forefront of supporting or supplying future large-scale rollouts of this technology. Meanwhile, industries with significant carbon footprints could, in time, benefit from having new, credible carbon offset options grounded in science-backed marine solutions.

However, the implications extend far beyond business. Policymakers, environmental groups, and the wider public will all have a stake in how ocean-based carbon removal strategies develop. Ensuring that environmental safeguards are embedded from the start will be crucial in maintaining public trust and protecting the marine ecosystems we all depend on. As research continues and the pilot gathers more real-world data, SeaCURE’s work will provide invaluable lessons about what is possible, what is practical, and what must be handled with care.

While SeaCURE cannot replace the urgent need to slash emissions at source, it could well become a vital piece of the wider climate puzzle. If it does, it will have started not with grand fanfare, but with a small pipe under a beach in Weymouth, and a few determined scientists refusing to accept that the ocean’s vastness was beyond our ability to protect and restore.

Sustainability-In-Tech : Scientists Make Iron Without Blast Furnaces

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Scientists at the University of Oregon have found a cleaner, electrochemical way to create pure iron metal using saltwater and iron oxide, potentially slashing the carbon footprint of one of the world’s dirtiest industries.

Why Ironmaking Needs a Rethink

Iron is the backbone of global infrastructure. From bridges to buildings and car bodies to cookware, it’s everywhere. Most of it is used in the form of steel, an alloy primarily made by extracting iron from ore, then refining it. However, one major challenge is that producing iron the traditional way is incredibly polluting.

The dominant method still involves blast furnaces, i.e. giant industrial reactors that reach 1,500°C and rely heavily on coal.

Huge Amounts of CO₂

According to the International Energy Agency, the iron and steel industry is responsible for roughly 7 per cent of global CO₂ emissions. In 2024 alone, nearly 2 billion metric tonnes of steel were produced worldwide. In short, in order to make a real impact on cutting carbon emissions, cleaning up steelmaking is essential.

Scientists Develop Electrochemical Route To Iron – No Blast Furnace Required

In answer to this environmental challenge, a team of chemists at the University of Oregon, led by Paul Kempler, have developed an electrochemical process that could reinvent how iron is produced without relying on coal or high-temperature blast furnaces.

Their method uses saltwater and iron oxide, passed through an electrically charged solution to extract pure iron metal. The technique takes place at around 80–90°C, which is far lower than the searing 1,500°C temperatures inside a conventional furnace, and it creates chlorine gas as a useful by-product.

This cleaner process avoids the need for fossil carbon, thereby offering a practical and potentially scalable route to iron production that aligns with global decarbonisation goals.

The Science Behind the Simplicity

The method hinges on passing an electric current through a sodium hydroxide solution containing suspended iron oxide particles. The electrical energy drives a reaction that reduces the iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) into elemental iron (Fe).

This might sound straightforward, but it seems that the real magic lies in the details—specifically, the shape and surface structure of the iron oxide particles.

Postdoctoral researcher Anastasiia Konovalova and graduate student Andrew Goldman discovered that porous, sponge-like particles with a high surface area delivered the best results. These particles dissolved more easily in the solution, speeding up the reaction and producing more iron per square centimetre of electrode.

“With the really porous particles, we can make iron really quickly on a small area,” Goldman said. “The dense particles just can’t achieve the same rate.”

This insight is critical because it addresses one of the biggest barriers to industrial adoption, i.e. cost. Large-scale electrochemical reactors require expensive materials, and their profitability depends on how much product they can generate per unit of electrode area.

The team’s results suggest that with the right materials and conditions, iron could be produced for under $600 per metric tonne, which is actually comparable to conventional blast furnace operations.

Challenges of Scaling Up

While the lab results appear promising, there’s still a long road ahead before electrochemical ironmaking can truly compete with traditional methods at an industrial scale.

For example, a key challenge lies in the raw materials. The researchers saw strong performance using carefully prepared iron oxide powders in controlled settings, but natural iron ores are a different matter. These real-world materials tend to be dense, irregular in shape, and filled with impurities, making them far less suited to the same electrochemical process.

To address this, Kempler’s team is now reported to be developing ways to process lower-grade ores into more porous, high-surface-area forms that mimic the lab-made powders shown to perform best. They’re also collaborating with civil engineers and electrode manufacturers to explore practical applications and tackle the technical challenges of scaling up the system.

The economics behind their so-called “chlor-iron” process are also being put to the test. As well as producing pure iron, the reaction produces chlorine and sodium hydroxide, two valuable industrial chemicals. If these co-products can be captured and used efficiently, it could significantly improve the commercial viability of the method.

Even so, the process still requires considerable upfront investment, and the performance of the electrochemical cells will need to remain consistently high for the financial model to work long term.

Cleaner Steel

If commercialised, the approach developed by Kempler’s team could significantly reduce the carbon intensity of iron and steel production. For countries like the UK, where the future of steelmaking is under scrutiny due to decarbonisation targets, developments like this are more than academic curiosity. For example, this new method could really help in terms of:

– Environmental impact. Electrochemical ironmaking could eliminate fossil fuel combustion, slashing CO₂, sulphur dioxide, and particulate emissions.

– Energy efficiency. Lower operating temperatures mean less energy is required, especially if the electricity comes from renewable sources.

– Industrial compatibility. The chlorine by-product could serve as a feedstock for other chemical industries, potentially creating circular economy benefits.

According to the UK Steel sector, the British steel industry emits around 12 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, which is around 2.7 per cent of the country’s total emissions. A greener iron production method could, therefore, play a key role in the nation’s Net Zero ambitions.

Rethinking Industrial Solutions

Kempler and his team appear to be cautiously optimistic about their discovery and although they acknowledge that there’s still work to be done, they see the breakthrough as part of a bigger move towards sustainability. As graduate researcher Andrew Goldman says: “We haven’t solved all the problems yet, of course,” adding “But I think it’s an example that serves as a starting point for reimagining what solutions can look like. We can still have industry, technology, and medicine—but we can do it in a way that’s clean. And that’s awesome.”

The underlying message here appears to be that innovation doesn’t have to mean compromise. Cleaner industrial systems are possible and they’re already starting to take shape.

Challenges

Critics, however, may point to the practical hurdles of overhauling a centuries-old industry. For example, transitioning to electrochemical systems will require new equipment, re-training, and significant investment, all while competing with cheaper, established blast furnace methods.

Key Questions Still to Be Answered

It seems, therefore, that the next few years will be crucial in determining whether this technology can live up to its potential. For example, some of the key unknowns include:

– Can porous iron oxide feedstocks be manufactured affordably at industrial volumes?

– Will the system perform consistently when using lower-grade ores?

– How will the chlorine by-product be managed safely and profitably?

– Can the process be integrated into existing steel supply chains without major disruption?

Despite the challenges, the University of Oregon’s findings at least appear to have opened the door to a future where steelmaking doesn’t have to come with a climate cost.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

The University of Oregon team’s breakthrough is still in its early stages, but it appears to add real momentum to the growing push for low-carbon iron and steel production. By moving away from blast furnaces and towards electrochemical methods, scientists may be laying the foundations for a cleaner, more circular form of industrial manufacturing, i.e. one that doesn’t rely on burning fossil fuels to function.

For the UK, which is already under pressure to modernise its steel industry and meet legally binding Net Zero targets, this kind of innovation could be important. While Britain’s domestic steel production has declined in recent decades, the sector still supports thousands of jobs and underpins key supply chains in construction, automotive manufacturing, and energy. If electrochemical ironmaking becomes viable at scale, it could offer UK steelmakers a route to both decarbonise and compete globally, especially if paired with renewable electricity and smart use of co-products like chlorine and sodium hydroxide.

There are wider implications too. For technology developers, chemical suppliers, infrastructure planners and even policymakers, this research opens up new territory. It challenges the assumption that heavy industry must always be dirty and carbon-intensive, and invites a broader rethink of what sustainable manufacturing could look like.

That said, none of this is guaranteed. Scaling from lab to factory floor is rarely straightforward. The process still faces major technical, economic and logistical hurdles, and it’s likely to take years, not months, to prove itself in real-world conditions. However, the concept appears to have passed a crucial test i.e., it works. That in itself is no small achievement in a sector that’s notoriously difficult to decarbonise.

What happens next will depend on how quickly researchers, funders, and industrial partners can build on this early promise. If the pace of progress continues, electrochemical ironmaking could become more than just a scientific milestone and could be a real turning point for one of the world’s most polluting industries.

Sustainability-in-Tech : World’s First Bio-Circular Data Centre

Posted on by Paul Stradling

French data centre company, Data4, says its new project will create a world-first way of reusing data centre heat and captured CO2 to grow algae which can then be used to power other data centres and create bioproducts.

Why? 

The R&D project, involving Data4 working with the University of Paris-Saclay, is an attempt to tackle the strategic challenge of how best to reuse and not to waste / lose the large amount of heat produced by data centres. For example, even the better schemes which use it to heat nearby homes only manage to exploit 20 per cent of the heat produced

Also, the growth of digital technology and the IoT, AI, and the amount of data stored in data centres (+35 per cent / year worldwide), mean that those in the data centre industry must up their game to reduce their carbon footprint and meet environmental targets.

Re-Using Heat To Grow Algae 

Data4’s project seeks to reuse the excess data centre heat productively in a novel new way. Data4’s plan is to use the heat to help reproduce a natural photosynthesis mechanism by using some of the captured CO2 to grow algae. This Algae can then be recycled as biomass to develop new sources of circular energy and reusing it in the manufacture of bioproducts for other industries (cosmetics, agri-food, etc.).

Super-Efficient 

Patrick Duvaut, Vice-President of the Université Paris-Saclay and President of the Fondation Paris-Saclay has highlighted how a feasibility study of this new idea has shown that the efficiency of this carbon capture “can be 20 times greater than that of a tree (for an equivalent surface area)” 

Meets Two Major Challenges 

Linda Lescuyer, Innovation Manager at Data4, has highlighted how using the data centre heat in this unique way means: “This augmented biomass project meets two of the major challenges of our time: food security and the energy transition.” 

How Much? 

The project has been estimated to cost around €5 million ($5.4 million), and Data4’s partnership with the university for the project is expected to run for 4 years. Data4 says it hopes to have a first prototype to show in the next 24 months.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation? 

Whereas other plans for tackling the challenges of how best to deal with the excess heat from data centres have involved more singular visions such as simply using the heat in nearby homes or to experiment with better ways of cooling servers, Data4’s project offers a more unique, multi-benefit, circular perspective. The fact that it not only utilises the heat grow algae, but that the algae makes a biomass that can be used to solve 2 major world issues in a sustainable way – food security and the energy transition – makes it particularly promising. Also, this method offers additional spin-off benefits for other industries e.g., through manufacturing bioproducts for other industries. It can also help national economies where its operated and help and the environment by creating local employment, and by helping to develop the circular economy. Data4’s revolutionary industrial ecology project, therefore, looks as though it has the potential to offer a win/win for many different stakeholders, although there will be a two-year wait for a prototype.

Sustainability-in-Tech : The Battery ‘Domino’ Effect That Could Help Us Hit Climate Goals

Posted on by Paul Stradling

A report by the Rocky Mountain Institute highlights how a domino effect of surging battery demand could put global climate goals within reach by enabling a 22 Gigatons per year reduction in CO2 emission.

The Surge in Battery Demand – A Domino Effect

The report suggests that the world is witnessing a shift in energy dynamics due to the exponential growth in battery demand, due to a phenomenon driven by what it describes as a “domino effect” that will cascade from country to country and sector to sector.

The report highlights how this unprecedented battery demand isn’t just a trend and could be a critical enabler in significantly contributing to the abatement of transport and power emissions and (hopefully) the phaseout of half of the global fossil fuel demand. The assertion is that this domino effect of battery demand could be the thing that sets the world on a clear trajectory towards achieving over 60 per cent of the necessary milestones for a zero-carbon energy system.

The S-Curve of Battery Growth

The Rocky Mountain Institute report highlights how, central to understanding this shift, is the S-curve pattern of battery demand. Imagining an ‘S’ (on its side a as a graph illustrating the growth of battery demand), the curve begins slowly, accelerates sharply, then levels off. The report explains that this is because:

– Battery sales have been doubling every two to three years and by 2030, sales are expected to increase by six to eight times, potentially reaching 5.5-8 TWh (terawatt-hours) per year.

– The costs of making each battery will decrease as production increases – for every doubling of production, costs are projected to fall by 19 to 29 per cent.

– As well as cost reduction, battery quality will improve. For example, battery energy density (power stored for their size) is expected to increase by 7 to 18 per cent each time production doubles. By 2030, therefore, top batteries may store as much as 600-800 Wh/kg (watt-hours per kilogram).

– The report highlights that the above effects could mean that by 2030, battery cell costs may have fallen to $32-54 per kWh, making them much more affordable and efficient.

The “Domino Effect” (Across Sectors and Geographies) 

The domino effect of battery demand and usage that the report talks about refers to how once new battery technology is successful, it jumps sectors as well as geographies. For example, initially rooted in consumer electronics, battery technology then expanded into motorbikes, buses, and cars. Its current trajectory is towards stationary electricity storage, road haulage, and eventually, short-haul ships and planes by 2030. Geographically, the effect mirrors this sectoral spread. For example, after gaining momentum in early adopter nations, battery technology is now being rapidly adopted in major markets like China, Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia, and India.

The Largest Clean Tech Market Emerges 

This explosive growth in battery demand has catalysed the most significant capacity ramp-up since World War II. The race to the top has led to the construction of 400 ‘gigafactories’, capable of producing 9 TWh of batteries annually by 2030!

This development has propelled the battery market to become the largest clean tech market, surpassing combined investments in solar and wind power.

Impact on Fossil Fuel Demand and Climate Goals 

If the figures highlighted in the report come to fruition, the implications for fossil fuel demand are, of course, likely to be profound. It could mean, for example, that batteries are poised to replace significant portions of fossil fuel demand in electricity (175 EJ) and road transport (86 EJ), while also challenging the remaining demand in shipping and aviation (23 EJ). If this shift occurs at this scale, it could be pivotal in reducing global emissions by 22 Gigatons of CO2 per year, thereby representing a significant leap towards meeting global energy-related emissions targets.

Challenges and Opportunities Ahead 

Despite the promise highlighted in the report, challenges remain. Stressed supply chains and the need for sustainable raw material sourcing are likely to be critical concerns. Also, building the infrastructure for a battery-dominated energy system looks like it’s a monumental task that will require consistent innovation and investment. That said, the ongoing efforts of companies, governments, researchers, and climate advocates, plus the fact that serious progress has to be made in reducing global CO2 emissions (to keep below 1.5°C of warming) are likely to mean that these challenges could be overcome.

It’s Not All Positive 

Some of the other major challenges caused by a huge surge in demand for (and production) that the report doesn’t talk much about include :

– The environmental damage from mining. Extracting raw materials like lithium and cobalt can cause habitat destruction, water pollution, and soil erosion.

– Supply chain risks. For example, although the report sees a domino effect of battery adoption across many countries, there is still likely to be a reliance on a few countries for critical materials which raises geopolitical and supply chain concerns, particularly with materials sourced under conditions of environmental or social harm.

– The considerable carbon footprint of battery manufacturing. Battery production is energy-intensive and, if powered by fossil fuels, contributes to carbon emissions.

– Massive recycling and waste management issues. Disposing of (and recycling) rapidly increasing numbers of batteries could pose environmental and health risks due to toxic materials. Current recycling rates are low, and processes can be costly.

– The scarcity of resources. Increased demand for materials like lithium and cobalt could lead to scarcity and higher prices.

– The social and economic impacts of shifts in job markets, particularly in regions dependent on fossil fuel industries, will require new skills and training.

– Transportation hazards from moving large quantities of batteries, e.g. fire and chemical spill hazards.

– Market oversaturation risks. Overproduction could lead to economic challenges in the battery industry.

Mitigation efforts will, therefore, need to include sustainable mining, improved recycling, responsible supply chain management, and development of less environmentally impactful battery technologies – something which is still very much in the research stage.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation? 

The battery revolution outlined in the report could have significant and broad implications for all kinds of businesses and other organisations. This shift presents a unique opportunity for businesses to be at the forefront of a sustainable future. Adopting battery technology could lead to a significant reduction in carbon footprints, offering a pathway to meet environmental goals and adhere to increasingly stringent regulations. Beyond compliance, it may also open avenues for innovation in product development, energy management, and operational efficiency.

This rapidly evolving energy landscape, however, will require organisations to reassess their supply chain strategies and the surge in battery demand implies a need for more robust and sustainable supply networks. Businesses will, therefore, need to ensure a stable supply of materials, potentially reconfiguring sourcing and manufacturing processes to accommodate the growing battery market. This could involve forming new partnerships and investing in technologies that align with the shift towards renewable energy sources.

Also, companies may need to invest in (or partner with) entities for charging infrastructure and energy storage solutions. This investment may not be just a cost but an opportunity to be part of an emerging market that is set to outpace traditional energy sectors.

For organisations in the energy sector, we appear to be at a pivotal moment to move towards clean technologies. The battery market, now overshadowing solar and wind investments, presents new opportunities for growth and innovation. Energy companies could leverage their expertise and resources to lead in battery technology and storage solutions, carving out a significant role in the new energy ecosystem.

This transition to batteries will also bring challenges for workforce skills and knowledge. Organisations will need to invest in training and development to equip their workforce with the necessary skills to navigate the changing technological landscape. This will include an understanding of battery technologies, renewable energy systems, and the accompanying intricacies of new regulatory and market environments.

The change, of course, isn’t likely to be confined to the energy sector alone. Industries like automotive (already with EVs), transportation, and manufacturing are directly impacted and will need to adapt their business models. This might involve transitioning fleets to electric vehicles, rethinking logistics based on battery storage capacities, or redesigning products to be more energy efficient.

Organisations will also have a role to play in shaping policy and public opinion. Collaborative efforts with governments, research institutions, and environmental groups could help in advocating for favourable policies, incentivising renewable energy adoption, and educating the public about the benefits of this transition.

The battery revolution suggested in this report isn’t just a shift in energy preference but a comprehensive change in how businesses will need to operate, innovate, and grow. Being part of a sustainable future will require proactive adaptation, strategic planning, and collaborative efforts. Organisations that embrace this change will not only contribute to a greener planet but also position themselves competitively in a world increasingly driven by clean technology.