The 6 Key Areas of Cleantech

Cameron Brown
Aug 23, 2017 · 4 min read

Have you ever found yourself desperately grasping for the right words to explain what cleantech is?

It’s one thing to be an advocate of cleantech or to work in the space, and another to be able to describe it clearly with ease.

Cleantech is a broad industry encompassing many different things. It’s important we’re clear on how we define it to ourselves, and how we talk about it with the people in our lives.

After reading and absorbing this post, you should be able to explain what cleantech is to your grandma in under five minutes in a way she understands.

How is cleantech defined?

Clean technology refers to any process, product, or service that reduces negative environmental impacts through significant energy efficiency improvements, the sustainable use of resources, or environmental protection activities.” — Wiki

In Short

Technology that’s good for the environment.

The 6 Key Areas

In order to achieve sustainability — a world system that meets our needs now without making it harder for future people to meet their own needs — we’ll need a combination of intelligent policy and innovation.

Cleantech seeks to develop technology to address challenges in the following interrelated areas.

1. Water

Image: Source

We need a clean, abundant water supply.

Primary Challenges:

2. Transportation

Image: Pedego Electric Bikes

How we get around including individual choices of transport, infrastructure, and public transportation options available to us.

Primary Challenges:

3. Energy Generation and Storage

Image: Jonathan Potts

Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Primary Challenges:

4. Waste and Sustainable Materials

Image: Repurpose Compostables

What we do with products and materials that are no longer useful, and what products and materials are made of.

Primary Challenges:

5. Built Environment

Image: Source

The physical infrastructure of roads, runways, airports, bridges, and rail lines we need to travel. Real estate also falls into this category, as well as things like stormwater capture and waste-related infrastructure.

Primary Challenges:

6. Agriculture and Food Services

Image: Freight Farms

How we grow, distribute, and consume our food.

Primary Challenges:

The source of the information above can be found and explored deeper here: Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation

Never Fumble Your Explanation of Cleantech Again

Learning how to talk about cleantech is a skill that requires practice. Your next move, of course, is to go forth and discuss. Tell your grandma about it. Share it with your classmates. Tell your co-workers about it.

And then subscribe to Cleantech Rising and always have something interesting to share.

The more we learn about, think on, and discuss these topics, the more momentum we feed into the sustainable future we’re striving for.

Cleantech Rising

Cleantech Rising sheds light on the world's greatest environmental issues and the advanced technology to solve them. We connect people who are passionate about sustainability to jobs in the cleantech industry.

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Cameron Brown

Written by

I care about people and the environment that surrounds and connects us — writer + environmental activist + cleantech advocate + design thinker

Cleantech Rising

Cleantech Rising sheds light on the world's greatest environmental issues and the advanced technology to solve them. We connect people who are passionate about sustainability to jobs in the cleantech industry.

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