Meet The 2021 Global Innovation Challenge Winners

Energy is one of the most crucial  requirements to both sustain society and imagine a more sustainable future, with electricity generation being imperative to how we live our day-to-day lives. In 2018,  electricity accounted for 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions and while 90% of new energy coming onto the grid in the US this past year was renewable, fossil fuels still account for nearly 60% of all energy generated. The time is now for our energy infrastructure,  utilities, and usage to be disrupted and evolved.

Examples of possible solutions: Active energy systems: building-integrated photovoltaics, solar thermal, smart grid integration, transmission and markets, energy storage, energy efficiency.

Buildings and their construction are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions globally, and within NY State account for approximately 36 percent of the state’s overall greenhouse gas emissions.  Additionally, energy consumption from electricity use, heating, and cooling all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. By focusing on energy efficiency measures, new buildings can often reduce their energy consumption by up to 25 percent and old buildings by up to 16 percent. With coordinated initiatives and policy emerging around the world (with one example being Local Law 97 passed by NY City Council assigning an annual emissions cap for buildings starting in 2024), there is a significant need and opportunity for ideas that can catalyze the transition needed.

Examples of possible solutions: HVAC, integrated energy management, electric furnaces, maintenance methods, tech-connected incentive models, thermal management, novel methods/materials of construction.

With global demand for food still on the rise and rising emissions paralleling that increase, we face the challenge of sustaining our current level of production while transitioning to more regenerative and sustainable practices and processes.  Agriculture, another sector at the forefront of global emissions, accounts for 5.3 to 5.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in New York. Consumer demand across the U.S. has dramatically shifted in the past decade, creating a huge opportunity for solutions that can offer sustainable practices at scale.

Examples of possible solutions: soil management, livestock methane reduction, aquaponics, scaling regenerative agriculture, sustainable fertilizers, alternative proteins.

Transportation accounted for 16.2% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally in 2016, with the majority of that coming from road transport. In New York, the transportation sector is the source of approximately 36 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Cities across the globe including New York are tackling emissions by supporting electric vehicles, prioritizing pedestrian and micromobility options, investing in infrastructure, reducing congestion, and upgrading and expanding public transportation systems. All of these focus areas are a great opportunity to explore the best sustainable solutions shaping how people get around.

Examples of possible solutions: Catalyzing EV charging, efficiency in urban planning/traffic, optimizing public options.