Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. There are two statistics that you need to know about climate change.
- The first is 52 billion. Fifty-two billion is how many tons of greenhouse gases the world typically adds to the atmosphere yearly (a general increasing trend).
- The other is zero. Zero is the goal we must strive for.
Could Israel be the country that finally puts fossil fuels to rest with the dinosaurs?
Sustainability is quickly becoming a buzzword, but what exactly does it imply? I think of it as “progress” without diminishing and jeopardizing future generations. As resources become scarce and emissions continue to rise, we frequently turn to examples of other countries that have dealt with similar issues.
Fortunately, technology and entrepreneurs can assist us in addressing this issue in various ways. From renewable energy sources to more efficient transportation options, Israel is one of the prime examples of a country that has already used technology to address the issue of depleting resources, whether through food technology to combat food production issues or desalination to address water scarcity. This is classic of the “startup nation” mentality – solid academic research backed by industrial buy-in to profit from limited and diminishing economic resources.
There are numerous innovative areas where Israeli technology is helping to combat climate change; this blog will primarily cover Food/Ag Tech and Clean Energy.
Why is Israel’s Food-Tech and Ag-Tech innovation sector crucial for sustainability around the globe?
Israel is ranked 1st in the world in precision Agriculture. Precision agriculture enables farmers to use agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, herbicides, tillage, and irrigation water. More efficient input usage results in higher agricultural production and/or quality while reducing the environmental pollution.
The historical innovation of Israeli water tech has facilitated the development of Israel’s strength in precision Agriculture. According to the first global UN-led work on food security, Greater resilience is required to ensure the sustainability of future food supply. Traditional industrial agriculture is significantly beyond the planet’s capacity for output. Moreover, its concentration on short-term outcomes and overreliance on synthetic chemicals has a severe, detrimental influence on the climate and biological systems required for human survival.
The following cutting-edge precision agriculture and food-tech startups are recognized globally as contributing to the fight against climate change:
- N-Drip:
A gravity micro-irrigation system that uses existing flood irrigation infrastructure for drip irrigation. N-Drip uses field topography and gravity power to reduce conversion costs and boost operating efficiency, conserving water and fertilizer while increasing yields. N-Drip won the Transformational Business Awards’ overall award for disruptive technologies. - Viridi X:
Reduces farmers’ irrigation risk. Viridi X merges water potential data with weather, irrigation systems, and soil factors to automate a crucial farming activity. Automating and simplifying irrigation enhances farmers’ production, resource use, and sustainability. - Hargol FoodTech:
Grasshoppers are at least 70 percent protein and full of health benefits, says Hargol FoodTech founder and CEO Dror Tamir, who started the company after learning that grasshoppers provided a sustainable protein alternative with numerous advantages.
Hargol sells two products: one is the whole grasshopper, sold to restaurants and food producers, and sometimes retail chains as a snack, and the other is a protein powder, sold as an ingredient.
Clean energy and collaboration
The U.S. The Department of Energy (DOE) has funding for projects through the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program, which promotes US-Israel collaboration in bringing renewable and energy-efficient technologies to market in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Energy and the Israel Innovation Authority. The plan explicitly emphasises climate change mitigation through innovation that scales up carbon-free technology and reduces the climatic impact of natural gas and other linked infrastructure, such as carbon capture and leakage reduction measures in natural gas networks. The BIRD initiative proves that the more resources and ideas we share with worldwide partners, the closer we go to the clean energy solutions needed to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Several BIRD Energy ideas have reached commercialization in the last seven years; here are a few startups at the forefront of the renewable revolution:
- BreezoMeter develops a location-based air quality collection and analysis technology. The company utilizes proprietary algorithms to aggregate data from multiple sources, offering it to businesses to increase user engagement and sales.
- Raycatch offered AI diagnostics for solar energy and was recognized by the World Economic Forum for designing and developing potentially world-changing technology as a tech pioneer.
- BrightSource Energy built the world’s largest solar electricity generation installation in California using nanoparticle coatings developed at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
- Aquarius Engines This Israeli company, is based on its patented free-piston linear engine (FPLE). AQUARIUS Engines develops, manufactures, and supplies non-fossil, low GHG generators featuring monitoring and remote management software. Its primary market is communication infrastructure.
- Ecowave power, The proprietary technology developed by the Tel Aviv-based startup, collects energy from the ocean and sea waves and converts it into affordable, zero-emission renewable electric power. EWP is working on projects in the United Kingdom, Gibraltar, China, Chile, Israel, and Mexico.
With its advanced economy based on competitive research & development and the emphasis on innovation culture, the Israeli technology industry is at the forefront of change. It provides a glimpse towards a better, more sustainable future.
About the Author
Vanshika has an academic background in Data Science, Statistics (Minoring in Economics) and is passionate about sustainability. She leads sustainability verticals at the Israel Economic Mission to the West Coast.
Write to Vanshika Patel at vanshika.patel@israeltrade.gov.il
