Sustainable Technology Trends 2024: Innovations and Solutions

The on-going development in industrialisation and globalisation has given rise to various climatic challenges and the urgent need to preserve our environment. Amidst these hurdles, Sustainable Technology has emerged as the one stop solution expecting the change for innovative solutions. From Smart Grids to the development of renewable energy technologies, this era is promoting a future where sustainability and technology can work hand in hand, reshaping how we interact with the planet, promising a greener future.

Let’s explore this detailed briefing about top Sustainable Technology Trends for 2024, offering knowledge and insights about emerging innovative sustainable technological solutions.

Sustainable Technology Trends 2024: Understanding Sustainable Technology

• In simple terms, Sustainable Technology includes those innovative technological solutions aimed at addressing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) outcomes, promoting ecological balance and sustainable development. 

• It is basically a technological smarter way to overcome major global environmental challenges like greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and other climate change hurdles.

• For example, technologies like Smart Grids, Renewable Energy Systems, and Green Computing have been successful in minimising global levels of environmental degradation and have reduced the dependency on some depleting natural resources as well.

• According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the global value of green technology and sustainability could expand to $134.9 billion USD by 2030. (Source).

Sustainable Technology Trends 2024

• Alongside major innovative developments like Generative AI and cloud platforms, Sustainable Technology has been into the Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2024, according to Gartner. (Source)

• Companies and platforms across the globe are focusing more on sustainable technology to bring out more innovative ways to align with climate and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. 

• For example, companies like Google, Tesla, and Microsoft are making huge investments in Sustainable Technology. Microsoft even plans to be carbon negative by 2030.

• As per a survey conducted by Global Investor Intention in 2021, 60% of the respondents claim that investors have shifted their focus on sustainable technology based solutions incorporating ESG criteria into their investment strategies. (Source)

• Sustainable Technology is being driven through various emerging technologies and methodologies like Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Quantum Computing, Supply Chain Transparency. Let’s explore some of the key Sustainable Technology Trends for 2024.

Sustainable Technology Trends 2024: Smart Grid & Decarbonised Energy Systems

• Smart Grid is basically a modernised electricity network which uses digital technology to effectively distribute, manage and monitor energy efficiently. This ensures minimised wastage and sustainable use of power by using digital technology.

• It integrates advanced IoT sensors along with two-way communication methodologies to ensure energy efficient output.

• Decarbonisation of energy is the adoption of renewable energy sources to reduce carbon emissions.

• By incorporating renewable resources and AI in Energy, decarbonisation of energy works, aiding Distribution Energy Resources (DERs). 

• Smart Grid System is one of the major Sustainable Technology Trends as it has crossed a whopping $60.2 billion USD market value in 2023. Moreover, it is expected to reach $149.2 billion USD in 2032 at a CAGR of 10.7%. (Source)

(Image Source: GM Insights)

• Asia Pacific is leading the race with an expected annual growth of 12% by 2032 as a result of major urbanisation. (Source)

(Image Source: GM Insights )

• For example, major tech players like Siemens, Schneider Electric, Tesla, and Google have incorporated smart grid systems with AI integrated energy management systems to reduce emissions.

• Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) incorporating real time energy usage insights, holds for about 27% market share in the smart grid technology market cap as per 2022 records. (Source).

• Green Hydrogen Systems is another advanced method of incorporating renewable energy resources into energy saving technologies. For example companies like Wilo are working on applications of Green Hydrogen Systems.

• The EU Green Deal (Europe) for achieving net zero carbon goals by 2050 is one of the prominent global policies.

Circular Economy Technologies 

• A circular economy policy is aimed at reducing waste and associated pollution by using materials and products for a maximised duration. 

(Image Source)

• It works on a ‘take-make-dispose’ model, encouraging Sustainability. It makes use of the latest core technologies to bring out the desired output. It is a complex web involving large numbers of people interacting at different levels to extract the required sustainable result.

(Image Source: Ellen Macarthur Foundation)

• One of the major recycling innovations include Loop Industries Depolymerisation process, aimed at converting plastics into high quality material. This is a very good alternative to plastic recycling.

• IBM Blockchain, one of the major applications of AI and IoT platforms, ensures the movement of resources in a circular pattern by tracking down their use at the right moment. This promotes Circular Economy by using technological advancements.

• Big Tech giant Apple uses ‘Daisy’ (one of their robots) to assemble products and recycle them. The source lists complete information about Apple’s approach from design to disassembly. (Source)

• Futurecraft Loop, a complete recyclable shoe project, initiated by major market player Adidas. (Source)

• As a leader in Tech Industry Microsoft is also not behind in environmental preservation using technology. It uses recyclable material in refurbishing their servers incorporated in their data centres. It demonstrates the application of circular principles. (Source)

Sustainable Technology Trends 2024: Renewable Energy Innovations

• Renewable Energy Innovations are the most widely observed and applied Sustainable Technology Trends. It is the driving force behind the fight to combat climate change and supporting global economic growth simultaneously.

• These innovative trends focus on making use of natural resources like wind, sunlight, and water to make power, and minimising environmental impacts correspondingly.

• The dependency on natural resources for producing electricity is still mammoth, it can be observed in the graph attached below.

(Image Source: Our World In Data)

• Renewable Energy Innovations are in alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. To be precise, Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and Goal 13 (Climate Action), these goals focus on generating eco-friendly energy with low carbon emissions.

• Solar Photovoltaics (PV) capacity increased by 345.5 GW in 2023 (73% of renewable expansion), primarily led by China, who alone added 216.9 GW. (Source)

(Image Source)

• Big giants like Tesla, First Solar, Longi Green Energy, from China, are leading the way of Solar Energy Growth worldwide.

• Whereas wind power generation reached 1017 GW in 2023, a 13% growth from 2022. Orsted’s Projects (offshore wind farms) and GE’s Haliade-X (high capacity wind turbines) are some examples.

(Image Source)

• Green Hydrogen is another alternative to the use of fossil fuels, produced using water electrolysis. Big giants like Siemens and Shell have invested heavily into the sector.

• Worldwide Renewable Energy capacity reached 3865 GW in 2023, Solar energy contributing 73%, followed by wind energy with 24%, while other factors like geothermal energy, bio energy account for the balance percentage. (Source)

(Image Source: IRENA)

• Google and Microsoft are among those tech giants who have achieved 100% renewable energy operations through initiatives like RE100.

• Despite these efforts the demand of energy throughout the globe is increasing day by day and energy generation is still not up to the mark. 

• Sometimes geographical disparities arise problems for growth, for example Asia, primarily China is leading with renewable energy generation while Africa hasn’t been able to show much growth, only by 4.6% (62 GW). (Source)

Also Read: The Electric Vehicle Revolution: Driving Toward a Sustainable Future

Sustainable IT Strategies 

• Sustainable IT Strategies account for those strategies which are aimed at reducing environmental impact involved in IT operations. 

• It is achieved through e-waste management, renewable energy adoption, application energy efficient hardware, building Green Data Centres, Sustainable computing through sustainable software development, and many others.

• Through the technology of liquid cooling, energy efficient data centres are developed using energy efficient hardwares. By this they are made to consume less power. 

• For example, tech giants like Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are using Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.10. This is extremely low as compared to industry standards of 1.57. Shifting to these energy sources can cut down emissions globally. (Source)

• E-waste is often ignored in the IT sector and goes unnoticed. Only 20% of the waste out of 54 metric tonnes of waste globally is recycled annually, as per IBM (Source). For recycling hardware, companies like Dell and HP have implemented lifecycle strategies for their e-waste management.

• Apple, a major tech giant, has reduced its carbon footprint (over 55% reduced since 2015) by switching its operations on renewable resources (Source). Similarly Microsoft aims to become Carbon negative by 2030. 

• Green coding practices usually involve energy efficient algorithms to reduce load and power consumptions due to it. Green Data Centres are those setups which are totally aimed at using energy efficient practices.

• Adopting these strategies not only reduces overall carbon footprint, but it also saves a considerable amount of cost. As a rough figure, the saved cost would be around 30%.

Sustainable Technology Trends 2024: Generative AI for Sustainability

• Generative AI for Sustainability is one of its powerful applications which is changing the landscape of development globally. 

• Generative Artificial Intelligence is transforming sustainability by bringing a revolution into various fields primarily agriculture, energy and manufacturing. 

• AI is used to design materials with a low carbon footprint and reducing the waste involved in the manufacturing sector.

• Google uses AI in its data centres for cooling technology and saves a considerable amount of energy. While Tesla uses AI in manufacturing, reducing waste and putting its resources to the best sustainable use.

• AI usage in agriculture through precision farming increases crop yield by 10-15% by reducing consumption of water and pesticides. This is termed as Sustainable Agriculture.

• The impact of AI adoption and Generative AI have increased dramatically since last year. The use of Generative AI by organisations (in at least one function) doubles in 2024. (Source)

• Let us take a look at some of the statistics about the application of Generative AI for Sustainability:

(Image Source: Exploding Topics)

Sustainable Technology Trends 2024: Sustainable Transportation 

• The transportation sector is a big contributor to the overall global carbon emissions. Along with the development in globalisation and urbanisation, the need for an eco-friendly transportation system has also gained attention. 

• Sustainable Transportation is the demand and production of an eco-friendly transportation system leaving minimised or no carbon footprint. With pollution on the rise, the global market is rapidly shifting towards the use of sustainable transportation systems.

• The sales of Electric Vehicles (EVs) rose tremendously in the previous years symbolising the shift of manufacturing units as well as consumers. From just 4% share in total sales in 2020, the number rose to 18% in 2023. And it is expected to increase even more by the end of 2024. (Source)

• In terms of region, China, US and Europe are the key players responsible for bringing up the sales number as they are shifting aggressively towards the new sustainable transportation trend.

(Image Source: IEA)

• Development of a sustainable transportation system varies geographically as the government policies differ from region to region.

• In terms of manufacturing, key manufacturers include Tesla and Volkswagen heading the manufacturing globally.

• Sustainable Transportation goes hand in hand with the development of infrastructure, green fuels and integration of AI with it. BP and Shell are focusing on hydrogen and biofuel technologies as the green fuel.

• Sustainable Transportation also develops sustainable logistics, with Electric cars, Electric buses, trucks and automated systems are also a part of the transportation system. 

• For example, DHL has initiated electrification of most of its vehicles as a part of the Sustainable Transportation Development.

• Mobility as a Service (MaaS) companies offering cab service globally primarily led by Uber are offering sharing rides and EVs, Electric Bicycle and sustainable public transport solutions to common people.

Sustainable Technology Trends 2024: Water Purification & Conservation Technologies 

Water purification and conservation technologies are deployed to ensure a sustainable future, providing clean, safe drinking water while preserving this precious resource. 

• Advanced filtration systems, such as reverse osmosis and UV purification, remove harmful contaminants and bacteria, making water safe for consumption. 

• IoT in water management – IoT based sensors successfully monitor real time water quality. These sensors are responsible for reducing water losses and come with very less maintenance. For example, NEREID In-Line (a multi parameter sensor) by Alternativ Engineering. (Source)

• Meanwhile, AI optimised smart water management tools use real-time data to detect leaks, optimise usage, and reduce waste, helping communities and industries lower their water footprints. For example, Idrica is successfully implementing smart water management tools. 

• Desalination Innovations uses renewable energy sources to convert saltwater into freshwater.

• Greywater recycling and Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) are other forms of sustainable trends used for water purification and conservation.

These innovations not only protect public health but also contribute significantly to environmental sustainability, offering scalable solutions to tackle global water scarcity challenges.

Challenges in Achieving Sustainability 

No matter how diligently we strive for sustainable technology, we will never be able to achieve complete success. The reality of our world runs far deeper than what we think we know.

Sustainable Technology Trends 2024: The word ‘sustainable’ itself is a deceptive term, masking the continuous struggle of the human race to move forward, working tirelessly to slow down the degradation of our environment, and yet, degrade it will, inevitably.

The more urgent question is not how we can sustain resources, but why, in the first place, must we always worry about sustainability? Why are resources so inherently limited on this planet? These strained resources have been the root cause of immense human conflict, throughout history, fueling wars and disputes across the globe.

The singular source of true sustainability and replenishment of everything is the Almighty God alone. Though it may sound preachy and outdated in the age of science today, the fact remains that despite rapid technological advancements, we have yet to find foolproof solutions to any of the world’s never-ending challenges, be it environmental crises or even the global battle against infectious diseases. What is our true solution then?

Where Can We Find True Sustainability?

Jagatguru Tatvdarshi Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj discloses the sole reason for all our sorrows – moving away from Supreme God Kabir, our Creator. The most shocking truth about our time on Earth, the planet we care so much about, is that this is our place of exile and not a place of sustainability. 

Impermanence is the defining trait of Earth and all its inhabitants. From the age of Satyug to the present Kalyug, we have witnessed an inevitable decline in everything – whether in the environment around us or in the moral fabric of society. This is precisely why we will never truly achieve sustainability, despite our best efforts. The very nature of this planet is to degrade, and no technological advancement can halt that process indefinitely.

Our constant yearning for sustainability stems from a deeper, forgotten truth about our origin – we once lived in a realm, Satlok, where everything was self-replenishing, nourished by the divine powers of God Kabir. In that perfect realm, abundance was not just a blessing, but a natural state. So, how did we lose our place in that paradise, and why are we now exiled in a world defined by scarcity and decay? Answers to all these questions are hidden behind the mystery of Creation of the Universe. 

Learn more about this unbelievable yet the absolute truth of human existence on Earth through the impeccable spiritual discourses of Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj:

To learn more about the true spiritual knowledge given by Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj visit www.jagatgururampalji.org 

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