Green innovation
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Batteries made from trees and blockchain to tackle deforestation: The best green innovations of July 2021
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from July 2021.
UK Government mulls sustainable aviation fuel mandate as £15m pledged for waste-to-jet-fuel plants
After the publication of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan earlier this month, the UK Government has begun consulting on introducing sustainability requirements for jet fuel producers from 2025.
Terra Carta Design Lab: Prince of Wales' latest climate initiative to support students
Prince Charles has partnered with former Apple chief design officer Sir Jony Ive to develop a new scheme supporting students to develop "credible and sustainable" solutions to the climate crisis.
Innovation Strategy: UK Government bets on nature-based climate solutions and CCUS
Energy and environment technologies have been named as one of seven priority focus areas of the UK's new Innovation Strategy, designed to increase annual public R&D to a record £22bn.
#SustyTalk: Model and activist Arizona Muse on restoring soil and nature
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive discussion with model and environmental activist Arizona Muse.
P&G's Lenor to pilot 100,000 paper bottles in 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Procter & Gamble (P&G) has joined the Paper Bottle Company (Paboco) collaboration and will launch its first paper pulp-based bottles in European markets next year, the firm has announced this week.
Unilever eyes optimised enzymes in bid for fossil-fuel-free laundry products
Unilever has announced a new partnership with protein design start-up Arzeda, which will see it test new enzymes in cleaning and laundry products in order to lower their carbon footprint.
Lab-grown salmon and seed-bombing 'skyscrapers': The best green innovations of June 2021
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up five of the best from June 2021.
Evian launches plastic-reducing refill device to UK market
Following a string of trials and a launch in France, water brand evian has launched a refillable home water dispenser in the UK.
G7: What was (and wasn't) agreed by world leaders to combat the climate crisis
From "green Marshall Plans" and net-zero energy sectors to a lack of clarity on green spending and transport decarbonisation, edie rounds up what was and wasn't agreed at the G7 Summit.
Domestic heat batteries and 'champagne' carbon capture: The best green innovations of May 2021
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from May 2021.
Unilever forges fungi partnership to scale up plant-based protein
As part of a plan to reach €1bn in sales target for plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, Unilever has partnered with a food-tech firm producing fungi-based mycoprotein.
edie launches new business guide on flexible energy for net-zero
edie has today (10 May) launched a free guide outlining the key considerations, challenges and opportunities for businesses looking to trial and deploy flexible energy solutions.
Consumer goods giants team up for greener chemicals drive
Unilever and Crown Paints are among the members of a new task force exploring how to make the polymers commonly used in consumer products - often based on fossil fuel derivatives - more sustainable.
Unilever, Coca-Cola and Colgate-Palmolive join AB InBev's sustainability accelerator
Consumer goods giants Unilever, Coca-Cola and Colgate-Palmolive have agreed to fund and pilot innovations designed to improve supply chain sustainability through Anheuser-Busch InBev's (AB InBev) accelerator scheme.
Pandora to ditch mined diamonds over sustainability concerns
The world's largest jewellery brand, Pandora, has announced plans to stop sourcing mined diamonds and to switch to only lab-grown alternatives.
Captured carbon shipping fuel and heat-reflecting paint: The best green innovations of April 2021
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from April 2021.
UK Government 'unable to prove it will meet green R&D targets'
The UK Government has not outlined how it will deliver on plans to ramp up green R&D funding in fields like construction, manufacturing, transport and plastics, MPs have claimed, as they call for an "overhaul" of the funding process.
Unilever launches first laundry capsule using captured carbon from heavy industry
After pledging to remove all virgin, fossil-based carbon from cleaning and laundry products by 2030, Unilever has successfully developed a laundry capsule using emissions captured from heavy industry.
Microwave boilers and autonomous EVs: The best green innovations of March 2021
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up five of the best from March 2021.
Mars Petcare debuts insect-based cat food and packaging with less plastic
Mars Petcare has announced plans to launch what it claims is the UK's first fully insect-based cat food, after releasing new packaging formats that contain less plastic.
#SustyTalk: ING's Ben Colegrave on financing the hydrogen revolution
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive discussion with ING's director for corporate finance on energy, Benjamin Colegrave.
#SustyTalk: Kao Corporation's Dave Muenz on plastic packaging innovation
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive discussion with Kao Corporation's senior vice president for ESG, Dave Muenz, hosted as part of our Circular Economy Week.
Interface launches its first 'carbon negative' carpets
In a major step towards its vision to become a carbon-negative business by 2040, modular flooring firm Interface has launched its first carbon-negative certified products in the UK.
Ground broken at biomethane refuelling station in first for Scotland
Scotland's first renewable biomethane refuelling station will open this year, the developers have announced, after ground was broken at the project site today (25 March).
Mace Group to use hydrogen generators at construction sites
In what it claims is a first for the UK's construction sector, Mace Group has signed a deal that will see it deploy hydrogen generators to replace diesel generators at construction sites.
Clarks and UGG unveil sustainable shoe innovations
Clarks has launched what it claims is its 'most sustainable sneaker yet', while UGG is debuting shoes made using responsibly sourced, plant-based materials.
Microsoft and Chevron partner on bioenergy and carbon capture project
Oil and gas major Chevron is collaborating with Schlumberger's New Energy arm and Microsoft to develop a major bioenergy plant with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in California.
Coty partners with LanzaTech to use captured carbon in perfumes
US-based beauty giant Coty has forged a partnership with LanzaTech, whereby carbon captured using the firm's technology will be used to manufacture fragrance ingredients.
Aviation fuel made from air and next-gen hydropower: The best green innovations of February 2021
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from February 2021.
New report: What role can the public sector play in delivering a green recovery?
edie has this week published the latest in a new series of reports looking at how businesses from key sectors can respond to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic by focusing on a green recovery. This time, the focus is on the public sector.
Maersk accelerates plans for carbon-neutral shipping
Danish shipping giant Maersk is aiming to launch its first carbon-neutral liner vessel in 2023 - seven years earlier than initially planned.
Seaweed animal feed and solar panels made from waste fruit: The best green innovations of January 2021
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from January 2021.
PepsiCo and Beyond Meat launch 'planet partnership' for plant-based proteins
PepsiCo is the latest food and drink giant to strike up a working partnership with Beyond Meat, with both firms producing a new joint venture to increase production of plant-based protein.
Microsoft turns to Climeworks to deliver carbon capture techology
Microsoft has turned to Climeworks' carbon dioxide removal technology as one of the key measures that will help with a mission to reach negative emissions by 2030 and remove the company's historic emissions by 2050.
Boeing planning to debut 100% biofuel planes by 2030
Boeing Co has unveiled plans to deliver commercial aircraft capable of using 100% biofuel by 2030. Using existing technologies under current regulations, it can only use biofuel blends of up to 50%.
Plastic-free sachets and hydrogen-powered F1 cars: The best green innovations from CES 2021
From big-name corporates to tiny startups, the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) saw thousands of companies showcase their newest tech-based innovations. Here, edie rounds up some of the biggest announcements around green products.
£2m challenge kick-starts for water-related innovations
Regulator Owfat has this week launched a new £2m challenge, which will award those developing innovative solutions to the UK water sector's biggest environmental challenges such as climate change and pollution.
What makes a sustainability leader? Meet circular economy innovators, P&G
With less than a month until the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards, this feature series showcases the achievements of the 2020 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winners of the Circular Economy Innovation of the Year, Procter & Gamble.
Veganuary: Asda unveils plant-based 'butcher' as campaign gets record 440,000 sign-ups
The Veganuary campaign has received a record 440,000 sign-ups to its 31-day challenge - and, keen to grab a piece of the plant-based action, the UK's biggest supermarkets and food-to-go chains are debuting new products.
Horizon scanning: Eight green innovations set to shake-up sustainability in 2021
Over the past 12 months, countless innovations which could help businesses and nations deliver a green recovery. Here, edie rounds up nine key products and concepts that could transform sustainability in 2021.
#SustyTalk: P&G's Frantz Beznik on water stewardship and green innovations
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive interview with Procter & Gamble's global head of sustainable innovation Frantz Beznik.
SDG Spotlight: How Businesses Can Achieve Goal 12; Responsible Production and Consumption
edie's latest SDG Spotlight report, produced in association with Rio, looks at how businesses can transform operations, services, supply chains and strategies to help deliver Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.
Tree-planting drones and textile recycling: The best green innovations of November 2020
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from November 2020.
Renewable Hydrogen Coalition: trade bodies team up to grow Europe's green hydrogen sector
Trade bodies including WindEurope and SolarPowerEurope have received backing from Bill-Gates-backed Breakthrough Energy to form a new coalition aimed at growing renewable hydrogen production and use across the continent.
BEIS announces £183m funding round for electric vehicles and cleantech start-ups
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has allocated new multi-million-pound funding pots to cleantech innovators, including companies developing AI for wind turbines and high-power batteries for electric cars.
AI-enabled 'smart' EV batteries and 3D solar panels: The best green innovations of October 2020
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from October 2020.
L'Oreal unveils 'world's first' plastic bottles made from captured carbon
L'Oreal has created a prototype shampoo bottle from 'recycled' captured carbon, mitigating the need for virgin fossil-based plastics.
Nestle outlines plans to bring UK's first commercial scale chemical plastic recycling plant online
Nestle has partnered with a chemical plastic recycling company with two commercial-scale facilities online in Spain, in the hopes of developing a similar plant in the UK.
Bacardi to launch biodegradable spirits bottles by 2023
Alcoholic beverage giant Bacardi has said it will be ready to launch a plastic-free, bio-based spirits bottle that degrades outside of industrial conditions by 2023.
Unilever's former chief sustainability officer to chair plant-based plastic venture
Unilever's former chief sustainability officer Jeff Seabright has been appointed as chair of a Cambridge-based scale-up that creates plant-protein-based alternatives to single-use plastic.
It's a shoe-in: Adidas unveils recyclable trainers as UGG reveals new climate and materials commitments
Adidas has started fresh pilots for a recyclable mono-material shoe made using recycled plastic, in the same week that UGG launched new social and environmental sustainability commitments.
Capgemini: EU must invest in high-impact climate technologies through green recovery funding
The EU must allocate portions of its €750bn Covid-19 recovery fund to emerging, innovative technologies which decarbonise energy, the built environment, industry, transport and the agri-food sector if it is to meet its net-zero goal by 2050, new analysis has found.
World's first hydrogen-powered double-decker bus hits Scottish streets
Real-world trials of the world's first hydrogen-powered double-decker bus have officially begun in Aberdeen - five years after the city unveiled a hydrogen production and bus refuelling facility.
H&M brings 'garment-to-garment' recycling machines in-store
H&M has installed a machine which disassembles old clothing and re-assembles the material into new textiles in one of its stores, in what it claims is a first for the fashion industry.
Earthshot Prize: Royals to spend £50m on climate and nature innovations by 2030
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have officially launched what they describe as the "most prestigious global environment prize in history", which will allocate £50m to projects tackling the climate and nature crises over a ten-year period.
Plastic-eating 'super-enzymes' and water-based fuel: The best green innovations of September 2020
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from September 2020.
#SustyTalk: Unilever's Ian Howell on shifting to fossil-free cleaning and laundry
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with Unilever Home Care's R&D Director Ian Howell, who outlines what it'll take for the company to remove fossil-based carbon from its products by 2030 and dramatically reduce their climate impact.
Climate technology investments growing five times faster than average market rates
Venture capital investment into climate-related technology is growing five times faster than the average rate of all other industry investments, with new analysis from PwC finding that corporate and investor demands for low-carbon innovation led to $16bn being invested in 2019.
Airbus unveils plans to debut zero-emission hydrogen planes by 2035
Aerospace manufacturing giant Airbus has revealed three futuristic concept designs for zero-emission aircraft with hydrogen as the primary power source, claiming that they could operate commercial flights by 2035.
Carbon capture and EVs: Amazon unveils first beneficiaries of $2bn climate fund
Amazon has announced the first beneficiaries of its $2bn Climate Pledge Fund, with organisations developing carbon removal technologies, nature-based carbon markets and electric vehicle (EV) innovations set to benefit.
Clean Future: Unilever to remove fossil-fuel-based carbon from cleaning products by 2030
Unilever has unveiled plans to replace 100% of the carbon derived from fossil fuels in its cleaning and laundry products with captured, natural and recycled carbon within a decade.
Work restarts at UK's first commercial refinery for recycled metals from e-waste
Work to create the UK's first commercial-scale refinery extracting precious metals from waste electronics and electricals has restarted after Covid-19 related delays, meaning that the facility should become operational within 12 months.
Nestlé launches vegan tuna alternative after record plant-based 'meat' sales
Nestle has launched its first plant-based seafood alternative, a tuna substitute called Vuna, after its sales of plant-based meat alternatives surpassed £166m last year.
BEIS eyes CfD model to help scale-up UK's green hydrogen economy
Large-scale hydrogen projects with renewables could soon be included in the UK's Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions, after a new government report identified the mechanism as a favoured option for scaling up 'green' hydrogen technologies.
National Grid kick-starts UK's first trials of grid-injected biomethane from cow manure
Biogas produced from straw and cow manure has been directly injected into the gas grid in Cambridgeshire, in what the National Grid is calling a UK first.
Autonomous farming and AI-enabled energy trackers: The best green innovations of July 2020
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round-up five of the best from July 2020.
Fresh government funding for animal feed made from captured CO2
The UK Government has unveiled a £24m funding pot for innovations aimed at transforming the food system, including a project using captured CO2 to manufacture animal feed, amid fresh warnings of agriculture's links to illegal deforestation.
Amazon starts sourcing bio-jet fuel in drive to slash air cargo emissions
Amazon's air cargo arm has signed a deal to source six million gallons of bio-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), as the e-commerce giant works towards its 2040 net-zero target.
IEA: Most technologies needed to achieve net-zero aren't yet mature
Some 75% of the emissions reductions necessary to meet net-zero are dependent on technologies which have not yet reached commercial maturity, new analysis from the International Energy Agency (IEA) has found.
One Young World: Business giants invest £500k in SDG-aligned innovations
AstraZeneca, Deloitte and BP are among a cohort big-name businesses to have jointly unveiled £500,000 of grant funding for young innovators working on projects driving progress towards the aims of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
'Green Swan' observatories and Europe's biggest electric plane: The best green innovations of the month
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from June 2020.
John Lewis Partnership to build bio-methane refuelling station at UK HQ
Building on a pledge convert its 600-strong fleet of diesel delivery trucks to be powered by bio-methane by 2028, John Lewis Partnership is building a biomethane filling station at its Bracknell headquarters.
Adidas and Allbirds to develop sports shoes with 'lowest recorded' carbon footprint
Sporting giant Adidas has teamed up with shoe brand Allbirds to develop solutions that would create one of the lowest carbon footprints ever recorded for a sports shoe.
#SustyTalk: AB InBev's Ezgi Barcenas on sustainability innovation during lockdown
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with brewer AB InBev's global vice president for sustainability Ezgi Barcenas discussing how the supply chain engagement will change as a result of the coronavirus and how innovation can help unlock a new green economy.
Coronavirus and globalisation: What next for supply chain sustainability?
Covid-19 has brought global economies to a standstill and knocked the confidence in global and connected trade. Would businesses benefit from pivoting to more localised value chains, or do global supply chains enable a global shift towards a climate-resilient future?
Carbon pricing, flexibility and scaling-up hydrogen: UK energy sector unveils net-zero innovation plans
The body representing the UK's electricity and gas transmission and distribution sector has set out its plans for reaching net-zero by 2050, concluding that this ambition will only be achieved if a "whole-systems" approach to transformation is adopted.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory gets go-ahead for edible seaweed sachets in gym vending machines
Following a successful pilot at races in 2018, Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) is trialling drinks housed in plastic-free, edible seaweed-based sachets in vending machines in gyms.
Solar planes and IBM's seawater batteries: The best green innovations of February 2020
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from February 2020.
New CCUS project to turn biomass emissions into plastic products
Drax Group is set to pilot technology which will see carbon emissions captured from its biomass plant in Yorkshire and used to displace oil in the production of plastics.
UK's first 'smart' commercial hub signs 50-year clean energy innovation deal with E.ON
The developers of what purports to be the UK's first "smart" commercial campus have singed a 50-year deal with E.ON, that will see the utility giant develop, test and scale-up clean energy solutions in the west country.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation unveils 'landmark' digital tool to help businesses track circular economy progress
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has today (14 January) launched a new digital tool which enables businesses of all sizes and sectors to measure their contribution to the circular economy and identify ways in which to close the loop further.
Horizon scanning: Eight innovations set to shake-up sustainability in 2020
The past 12 months proved to be an exciting time for green innovation, with new products and systems emerging and scaling amid a backdrop of climate protests. Here, edie scans the horizon for innovations that could transform sustainability in 2020.
Veganuary: Fast food giants launch plant-based meals as red meat sales plummet
Food-to-go giants including Greggs, KFC and McDonald's have all launched new plant-based options to mark Veganuary, after supermarkets recorded a plunge in meat sales which looks set to continue into 2020.
Earthshot Prize: Royals aim to spur 'decade of action to repair planet'
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have partnered with Sir David Attenborough to launch the 'Earthshot Prize' - a new fund for individuals and organisations working to restore the environment.
Zero-carbon ships 'on the horizon' under fuel levy plan
Shipping companies would have to pay a small levy on every tonne of fuel they use under proposals aimed at developing zero-carbon vessels within 10 years, transforming the high-carbon global shipping business.
Meet edie's 30 Under 30 Class of 2019: Charlie Jardine, EO Charging
This series profiles the members of edie's 30 Under 30 - a nomination-based community of 30 hugely talented young sustainability and energy professionals who have already achieved great things or are showing fantastic promise. Next up: Charlie Jardine, founder and chief executive of EO charging.
Iceland slashes plastics packaging across Christmas range by 97%
Iceland has claimed that its Christmas range of food and drinks for 2019, which includes 18 plastic-free lines, contains 97% less plastic than its 2017 range.
Government-backed trial of biomethane trucks slashes emissions for Asda
The coalition of businesses leading a UK-wide trial of biomethane fuels for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), including Asda and Kuehne + Nagel, has revealed that the scheme mitigated the emission of 1,400 tonnes of CO2e over a two-year period.
Heineken to eliminate shrinkwrap and plastic rings from multipacks sold in the UK
Heineken has today (7 November) announced plans to remove all plastic shrinkwrap and rings from multipacks of beer and cider sold in the UK by the end of 2021.
Stella McCartney's fur-free fur and flying taxis: The top 10 green innovations of October 2019
Each month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations that could help businesses and nations deliver on resource efficiency, low-carbon transitions and combat climate change emerge. Here, edie rounds-up nine of the best.
Sustainability 2.0 roundtable: What's stopping businesses from investing in green innovations?
In an era of unparalleled technological advancements - and with the UK's net-zero target looming - businesses of all sizes can reap rewards from investing in scalable technologies with positive social and environmental impacts. So, what's stopping UK plc identifying and investing in green innovations?
Survey: Brexit uncertainty halting sustainability investment
Almost a third of businesses claim to have delayed green innovation projects in the last 12 months due to the political uncertainty over Brexit, research from Schneider Electric has revealed.
Finisterre to switch from plastic bags to 'water-soluble' biodegradable alternative
Outdoor clothing brand Finisterre is set to achieve its ambition of eliminating all plastics packaging which is neither reusable nor biodegradable, after investing in bags which naturally break down in soil and in water.
Zero-emission planes and boats that double as microgrids: The best green innovations of the week
Every week, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best.
Meet the Sustainability Leader: Circular Economy Innovation - Yellow Octopus Fashion
With entries now open for edie's Sustainability Leaders Awards 2020, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2019 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winner of our Circular Economy Innovation Award, Yellow Octopus Fashion.
Asda pilots plastic-free innovation in fight against food waste
Asda is trialling an innovative new material which could help mitigate the need for plastic food packaging, without leading to an increase in food waste.
Shellfish 'plastics' and hydrogen-powered gin: The best green innovations of the week
Every week, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best.
Beyond Meat: Lewis Hamilton and KFC wade into alternative protein market
Fast-food chain KFC's trial of vegan nuggets sold out in just five hours, while British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has announced the launch of a plant-based burger chain across the globe.
SAP's app against poverty and self-charging EVs: The best green innovations of the week
Every week, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best.
