Source : Mouser Electronics
In November 2024, the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2024 (COP29) announced the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action, whose first three objectives are “…leveraging digital technologies and tools for climate action…building resilient digital infrastructure…[and] mitigating digitalization’s climate impact.” 1 The conference and its declaration underscore a growing global commitment to clean technologies, or “clean tech”—technologies designed to mitigate or reverse the environmental impacts of human activity. 2, 3
As global communities continue to expand the use of existing and new technologies, it’s important to create innovative solutions that lessen the impact this may have on the environment and humanity. This article provides an overview of sustainable technologies Mouser has previously explored and how each is critical to the overall goal of clean tech.
Energy Storage
Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectricity play a substantial role in clean tech. By 2022, total renewable electricity generation exceeded 8,500TWh, over 600TWh (nearly 8 percent) more than in 2021.4 To integrate more renewable energy into the grid, innovations are needed in energy storage systems and backup power sources.
Traditional mechanical energy storage systems (ESS), like pumped hydro and flywheel, are effective and simple but subject to cost and efficiency constraints. Thermal solutions, such as molten salt systems, show advantages in heat storage and are becoming more feasible with ongoing advancements. Hydrogen storage is gaining momentum with improvements in electrolysis materials, reducing the need for expensive components and bringing the technology closer to widespread adoption.
Meanwhile, battery technologies are rapidly evolving. While lithium-ion batteries have been favorable, concerns over safety due to thermal runaway now stipulate newer topologies. Technologies like lithium iron phosphate (LFP), sodium ion, and solid-state batteries are poised to improve power density, charge/discharge speed, and safety profile.
Energy Infrastructure
Increased emphasis on renewable energy also has a major impact on the grid. Initially designed for one-way power flow, traditional grids tend to struggle with inefficiencies, lack of flexibility, and limited ability to integrate renewable energy.
Smart grids that use digital technologies, sensors, and software can better match electricity supply and demand in real time while minimizing costs and maintaining stability and reliability. 5 Advanced sensors, two-way communication, and real-time data analytics can help optimize energy use, integrate renewable sources, and improve grid resilience.
The most distinct feature of smart grids is an ecosystem of distributed energy resources (DERs). The smart grid infrastructure must account for numerous small, scattered sources of energy that integrate into the grid.6 These DERs enable localized energy generation and storage and are often managed through microgrids to support the adoption of renewable energy and enhance grid resilience.
Microgrids are an ingenious solution for channeling growing energy generation toward enhancing energy security. By operating as localized, self-sufficient systems, microgrids ensure that energy is generated, stored, and distributed closer to where it is consumed.7
A larger parent smart grid must establish communication with the microgrids to ensure grid reliability and efficiency. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems provide two-way communication for real-time energy management, accurate demand forecasting, and adaptive power flow adjustments. Industry 4.0 elements like the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and artificial intelligence (AI) are also being incorporated into electrical grids to create an Internet of Energy (IoE).8
Smart Transportation
Like electrical grids, vehicles have gone digital. Modern vehicles are now equipped with sensors, software, and connectivity features that enable communication with each other, infrastructure, and even the power grid. Integration of this vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication paves the way for enhanced vehicle performance, safety, and efficiency while supporting emerging technologies such as autonomous driving and energy management.9
As vehicles integrate with smart grids, they become not just energy consumers but also active participants in the energy ecosystem, contributing to grid stability, improving energy efficiency, and supporting a sustainable future.
Air & Environment
Air quality has taken center stage with current climate change concerns. While air pollutants contribute to chronic environmental issues, immediate concerns regarding indoor air quality (IAQ) are often more pressing, as poor indoor air conditions can lead to significant health problems.10 Indoor air quality can be two to five times worse than outdoor air quality. Improving IAQ is crucial, especially in spaces where people spend significant time, such as offices, homes, and schools.
Advances in sensor technology have made IAQ monitoring more accessible and cost-effective. Air quality sensors are now smaller and more accurate. IoT and AI are helping improve the data-driven accuracy of sensors. There is also a trend toward wireless sensors, which are preferred for flexibility, especially in retrofitting existing buildings. Selecting the right sensors and balancing cost, performance, and power efficiency are crucial to providing meaningful and actionable data.
The immediate goal of IAQ monitoring is to provide actionable insights. For example, sensors can help identify sources of pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dust, or mold and prompt simple fixes—such as relocating equipment or improving ventilation—rather than costly overhauls.11
Innovating clean tech in this segment has broader implications. Integrating advanced sensors into an IoT network enables real-time monitoring and maintenance of both air and water quality. Evolving sensor technology lays the foundation for automating environmental monitoring systems, providing enhanced reliability and precision.
Industry 5.0
The digitization of industries under Industry 4.0 with IoT, 5G, AI, and machine learning (ML) technologies introduced a profound wave of efficiency. The new industrial revolution—Industry 5.0—aims to leverage the creativity of human experts in collaboration with efficient, intelligent, and accurate machines to obtain resource-efficient and user-preferred manufacturing solutions.12
Collaborative robots (cobots) are key to this revolution. Unlike traditional robots, cobots work alongside humans, enhancing productivity and human roles rather than replacing them. Cobots operate under supervised autonomy and direct strategic and creative decisions to humans. This approach enables workflow flexibility that was missing in Industry 4.0. It also means efficient use of labor and materials by optimizing production processes.13
What manufacturing flexibility really means is the freedom to quickly scale production and align with fluctuating consumer demands, reducing overproduction and associated waste. This “just-in-time” approach minimizes excess inventory, promoting sustainability.
Semiconductor Materials
Many of the advances in clean tech are driven by innovations in materials. For example, wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors are improving energy efficiency across numerous sectors, including automotive, power management, renewable energy, industrial, communication infrastructure, and aerospace and defense. Materials like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) minimize energy losses during power conversion due to their high switching frequencies, low conduction losses, high breakdown voltages, and minimized parasitic capacitance. SiC and GaN are also more thermally efficient as they can operate at high voltages and temperatures while generating less heat than silicon devices.
WBG semiconductors and their evolving topologies are imperative to the prevalent high-energy density trend. GaN, specifically, enables higher power densities due to its smaller physical footprint and ability to operate at higher temperatures and voltages. GaN topologies can achieve power densities of up to 40W/in², decreasing the number of components needed in power electronics systems.14
What Lies Ahead
As the global push for greener solutions accelerates, attention will begin to expand toward other emerging segments in the clean tech domain.
Energy Generation
Advancements in renewable energy technologies are changing how energy is produced, stored, and used. Developments like perovskite solar cells, floating wind farms for deepwater installations, and improved geothermal systems are expanding renewable energy applications.
Emerging solutions like solar coatings, algae-based biofuels, and waste-to-energy systems are unlocking new avenues for energy generation. We’ve also seen the first net energy gain for nuclear fusion, suggesting potential commercial applications in the not-too-distant future.15
The energy sector is also leveraging agricultural residues, food waste, and other organic materials as energy sources. Biomass can be transformed into gaseous or liquid fuels, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Efforts to enhance conversion processes, particularly through fermentation and pyrolysis, are gaining momentum.16
Energy Efficiency
The world is also seeking ways to make better use of this energy. For example, smart buildings increasingly employ IoT devices and AI to optimize energy usage. These technologies enable real-time monitoring and automation of building systems, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting.
Concerns and resolutions over energy efficiency also influence appliances and other energy-hungry devices. Manufacturers are adopting stricter energy efficiency standards and including them in their interconnected smart ecosystems.
Meanwhile, consumer electronics are shifting toward low-power designs that prioritize functionality without excessive energy use, addressing the consumer demand for sustainability and regulatory requirements.
Urban Air Mobility
As cities strive to adopt cleaner, more sustainable solutions to combat congestion and reduce emissions, many are turning to urban transportation. Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, such as air taxis, are one example. Though still in the early development stages, this sector is rapidly advancing.
Urban air mobility innovations extend to sophisticated air traffic management systems tailored for crowded urban airspaces and supporting infrastructure such as vertiports and charging networks. As eVTOL technology matures, it stands to redefine urban mobility, merging sustainability with innovation.17
Sustainable Agriculture
New technologies are also creating a more efficient, sustainable, and productive agricultural sector. Sustainable agriculture addresses challenges such as resource scarcity and environmental impact while improving crop yields and quality. Smart farms can collect real-time data on crop health, soil conditions, and weather patterns using satellite imagery and IoT devices.
AI and ML can analyze this data to optimize irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. Meanwhile, GPS-guided automated machinery, including self-driving tractors and drones, can directly carry out the recommended actions with high precision.
Urban agriculture adapts these farming technologies to bring sustainable farming to cities, though urban food production systems need to maximize space utilization to be profitable. Vertical farming techniques are evolving in this realm. Robotics and automation handle routine tasks, enabling precise control of growing conditions and nutrient delivery, dramatically improving efficiency and sustainability in controlled environments.
Water & Wastewater Management
Smart water distribution systems and advanced treatment technologies conserve resources by minimizing water loss and allowing for the reuse of wastewater, which directly mitigates the strain on natural water sources. Rethinking water distribution and treatment also presents the opportunity to develop a network of interconnected systems for managing water called “water grids.”
Similarly, advancements in recycling and waste management, such as waste-to-energy technologies, create sustainable inputs in various sectors. By converting organic waste into energy or compost, these technologies contribute to a circular economy that benefits agricultural productivity while reducing our reliance on landfills and reducing emissions.
Digital Citizenship
As clean tech solutions rely more on digital technologies, ensuring cybersecurity and data privacy has become more important. This includes implementing robust security measures to safeguard personal information and operational data, which is crucial for maintaining consumer trust and regulatory compliance.
To foster more sustainable practices, it’s important to teach people about digital literacy. Human resources across various sectors should understand how to effectively use technology to monitor energy consumption, manage resources, and engage in environmentally friendly behaviors.
Green Computing
Increased reliance on AI in clean tech solutions poses another challenge: pressure on data centers to manage growing computational power demands. The push for energy efficiency in data centers is gaining momentum as organizations seek to reduce their carbon footprint. Advancing cooling techniques, virtualization, and energy-efficient hardware are now unavoidable for optimizing data center infrastructure.
Companies are also developing programs to recover valuable materials from old electronics while promoting device longevity through repairability and modular design. As part of these efforts, awareness campaigns aim to educate consumers about how to dispose of e-waste.
Moving Forward Together
As the world continues to grow with new technologies, the industry will need to create innovative solutions that lessen their impact on the environment and humanity. This will take teamwork within and across sectors. The foundation for this sustainable approach has been laid through the technologies Mouser has covered in previous Empowering Innovation Together series. Through evolving energy storage methods, smart grid expansion and developments, advances in sensor technology, the human-robot interactions of Industry 5.0, and more efficient semiconductor materials, we can meet the challenges and set the stage for a greener future.
To learn more, visit www.mouser.com
