Volvo develops trucks with fossil-fuel-free steel
CategoriesSustainable News

Volvo develops trucks with fossil-fuel-free steel

Spotted: Since their creation, fossil fuel vehicles have been a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions. While we are beginning to lessen the environmental cost of road transport by travelling in fossil fuel-free cars, auto manufacturers still rely on fossil resources when building their products. And, with the Paris Agreement giving automakers until 2040 to produce net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the entire value chain of vehicle production, this is an issue.

In a bid to resolve this, the Swedish steel manufacturer SSAB has harnessed new technology that leverages electricity and hydrogen to create fossil fuel-free steel. As steel is elemental to assembling cars and trucks, this innovation gives auto manufacturers a chance to fulfill the Paris Agreement and achieve net-zero emissions.

Showing its environmental commitment, Volvo Trucks has become the first truck manufacturer in the world to use fossil-free steel. The hydrogen-produced steel will be placed into the frame rails that form the backbone of Volvo’s electric trucks, where all the other main parts are mounted. Once the availability of fossil fuel-free steel increases, Volvo claims it will then be introduced in other parts of the truck.

“Our journey to net zero emissions includes both making our vehicles fossil-free in operation and over time fully replacing the material in our trucks with fossil-free and recycled alternatives,” says Jessica Sandström, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Volvo Trucks.

Volvo began their small-scale introduction of the SSAB steel in May 2022 and it became commercially available the following month, just nine months after the first fossil-free vehicle concept was unveiled.

Springwise has spotted other innovations seeking to decarbonise steel, such as the implementation of AI within steel and cement plants, and using green hydrogen to manufacture green steel.

Written By Georgia King

Reference

An Australian startup develops enzyme-based technology that can break down plastics
CategoriesSustainable News

An Australian startup develops enzyme-based technology that can break down plastics

Spotted: What if there was a way to help eliminate the global plastic crisis without having to significantly compromise any of the conveniences we’ve grown accustomed to in our everyday lives? Meet Samsara Eco. With enzyme-based technology that can break down plastics, the Australian enviro-tech startup may have just what we need. The company’s innovative solution can break down single-use plastics into harmless organic molecules that can be easily recycled or composted.

This ‘cradle to cradle’ solution offers a way to recycle plastics sustainably, recreating them into new plastic or upcycling them into more valuable commodities. Enzymes—organic substances that catalyse bio-reactions—are the key to the technology. The enzymes break plastic ‘polymer’ molecules down into their constituent parts – known as ‘monomers’.

Samsara’s process is carbon neutral, and can be performed at room temperature. This is a significant benefit compared to other advanced plastic recycling processes – which require large amounts of heat. The startup therefore offers a more sustainable method of recycling, estimating that it will save 3 tonnes of carbon emissions for every tonne of plastic recycled using the process.

Founder and CEO of Samsara Eco Paul Riley explains that the technology ensures that plastics no longer need to be made from fossil fuels or plants, and won’t end up in landfills or oceans. He explains, “The motivation behind this work comes from our concerns about the environment, especially relating to carbon emissions and plastic waste, combined with our love of enzyme engineering – being able to design proteins to do new and useful things.” 

Founded in 2021, the startup has a team of 13 composed of scientists, engineers, and researchers from the Australian National University in Canberra. The startup’s long-term vision is to extend its technological capabilities to infinitely recycle other oil-derived plastic products such as clothes made from polyester and nylon.

Other innovative recycling technologies recently spotted by Springwise include a decentralised network of advanced recycling sites, a chemical-free process for turning plastic into a building material, and a water-based recycling process for hard-to-recycle plastics.

Written By: Katrina Lane

Website: samsaraeco.com

Contact: samsaraeco.com/contact-us

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