Nathalie Voit writes about energy, environmental innovation, and emerging technologies for C3 Journal. A University of Florida graduate and alumna of The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program, she has covered topics ranging from battery technology and geothermal power to agriculture and sustainable materials.
Science & Tech
The building materials sector is highly energy-intensive, responsible for over one-third (37 percent) of global energy-related emissions. According to a 2023 report from the UN Environment Programme, the buildings and construction industry is the world’s largest emitter of CO2.
Tech
Kairos Power made history on May 8 as the first small modular reactor (SMR) developer to pour concrete for a U.S. advanced reactor.
Tech
Mineral exploration and production have long been an arduous process. An AI-based metals discovery platform is now streamlining the exploration phase, slashing the time and cost of identifying viable mineral deposits for mining companies.
Environment
Wood harvesting is responsible for roughly 10 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to a study published in 2023 by the World Resources Institute in the journal Nature. To offset the climate-related costs of the wood industry, a company called Cambium Carbon is betting on a powerful solution called Carbon Smart Wood.
Policy
Most Americans have concerns about the pollution and waste associated with plastic use, most notably single-use plastics like water bottles. However, calls to restrict plastic production and consumption would likely backfire, resulting in higher consumer costs and worse environmental outcomes.
Science & Tech
In the world of energy entrepreneurship, MIT’s course 15.366, better known as MIT Climate & Energy Ventures, is making headlines as a major force in clean energy commercialization.
Science & Tech
Battery production is a highly energy and water-intensive process. Lithium-ion batteries, which power everyday devices like smartphones, laptops, watches, and even electric vehicles, are sourced from critical materials like cobalt, graphite, and lithium.
Environment
Recycling can be complicated. The process can be even more daunting for industrial facilities sorting scrap metals like aluminum and other hard-to-recycle mixed parts. Now, a startup from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has found a way to relieve the burden on manufacturers by leveraging AI.
Transportation
While the freight industry has opposed the Biden administration’s costly, unworkable regulations to reduce emissions from heavy-duty trucks, innovators are finding ways to clean up the nation’s existing fleet cost-effectively.
Energy
A new player in the hydrogen storage market is emerging. California-based H2MOF, co-founded in 2021 by two renowned scientists Fraser Stoddart and Omar Yaghi, is preparing for a…
Energy
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are disrupting conventional notions surrounding nuclear power. Smaller, more compact, and producing minimal emissions, this innovative alternative to traditional nuclear power is receiving more public and private sector attention as governments scramble to meet global energy needs reliably and responsibly.
Agriculture
In contrast to pesticides, which take a generalized approach to pest control, ThermoSeed’s technology is individually tailored to each seed batch. This is because different seed types require specific combinations of environmental conditions (e.g., humidity, temperature, and time) to achieve optimal health.
