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Using AI to eliminate protein allergies
CategoriesSustainable News

Using AI to eliminate protein allergies

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Although statistics vary, it is estimated that one per cent of the global population have coeliac disease, and finding suitable and affordable gluten-free foods can be challenging. Working towards elimination of gluten sensitivity and food allergies is biotech startup Ukko, founded by Professor Yanay Ofran and Dr. Anat Binur. 

Using AI-engineered proteins, the company plans to create new food products that no longer trigger an allergic response. By mapping exactly which portion of a protein causes the allergic reaction, the co-founders have been able to keep the useful portions while discarding the dangerous parts. 

AI analysis helped the co-founders create a gluten protein that did not trigger a typical immune reaction yet still gave baked goods their textures and flavours. If grown commercially, the modified gluten could form a new strain of wheat that would be usable in many types of foods.    

Ukko points out that gluten-free products are often less healthy than the original version because of added preservatives and extra sugar. Healthcare costs are rising as dietary sensitivities increase, so modified proteins could have positive long term health consequences as fewer people require care for allergies or gluten intolerance.  

The next stage of development is to apply protein modification to allergy therapies, focusing first on peanuts. Manipulated proteins could be used to help individuals build up their tolerance to the food without any of the potentially fatal side effects.

As Springwise has spotted, biotechnology is shaping many industries, with molecular-level innovation making it possible to grow cultured meat from 3D-printed edible ink, and new types of microorganisms designed to target disease-causing proteins.  

Written By: Keely Khoury

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A portable EV charger to eliminate range anxiety
CategoriesSustainable News

A portable EV charger to eliminate range anxiety

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: One fear for many electric vehicle (EV) owners is the thought of running out of juice miles from the nearest plug. Now, startup ZipCharge is poised to eliminate range anxiety with its ZipCharge Go portable charger. The company describes the Go as a ‘flexible and convenient charging solution’ for those without easy access to fixed charging points.

The portable powerbank was introduced at last years’ COP26 summit, and is about the size of a large suitcase. It weighs around 50 pounds, but is equipped with wheels and a handle, for greater portability. The idea is that users charge the Go from a household socket at a lower cost than using a public charger, then wheel it to where their car is parked. Once the Go’s power cable is locked into the car’s charging port, the device is secure, and its recycled plastic shell allows it to be used in all weather.

The ZipCharge Go can charge from any socket, and comes with a Type 2 EV socket. A 4-kilowatt-hour version will provide up to 20 miles of range after 20 minutes, and a higher capacity, 8 kilowatt-hour version will be able to provide around 40 miles of range. ZipCharge suggests this is enough for the average daily commute. The device can be charged up at home using an app, that allows users to schedule charging for off-peak hours, when electricity is cheapest.

According to a study by Ofgem, a lack of charging options at or near to home is a major factor in whether buyers decide to opt for an EV. A number of areas in the UK are installing charging points in streetlight poles or on streets, but these are often more expensive to use than home charging. The ZipCharge Go could help address those concerns. As the company says, “The best way to charge an EV is when you don’t need to. Top-up charge wherever you park, to avoid the visit to the charging station.”

As EVs become more popular, a number of innovators have turned to the issue of making charging more convenient. Some ideas covered here at Springwise include charging stations designed to include a range of amenities and AI-powered smart chargers designed to reduce the carbon footprint of charging. 

Written By: Lisa Magloff

1st June 2022

Email: info@zipcharge.global

Website: zipcharge.global

Reference

Electrification of heating processes could eliminate up to 30 per cent of industrial emissions
CategoriesSustainable News

Electrification of heating processes could eliminate up to 30 per cent of industrial emissions

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: The bulk of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions from industry are caused by just three sectors: petrochemicals and chemicals, iron and steel, and cement production. The reason these industries are so emissions-intensive is that they involve processes that require extremely high temperatures. Until recently, burning fossil fuels was the only way to achieve such levels of heat. But this is set to change.

Finnish engineering company Colbrook has developed ‘Roto Dynamic Heater’ (RDH) technology that uses electricity generated from renewable sources in place of fossil fuels in the highest-emitting industrial processes. The new technology can achieve process temperatures of up to 1700 degrees Celsius thanks to its high levels of energy efficiency. Such temperatures are sufficient to replace fossil fuel burning in processes where electrification was previously impossible.

The RDH technology is extremely compact, which means it can be retrofitted into existing facilities. And Colbrook estimates that if the technology was widely adopted, it could cut up to 30 per cent of industrial CO2 emissions.

“Today marks the beginning of a new industrial era,” Ilpo Kuokkanen, Executive Chairman of Coolbrook said when the RDH Technology was launched earlier this month. “We can roll out this revolutionary technology and achieve significant emission reductions in the most energy and CO2 intensive industrial processes,” he added.

The RDH technology Coolbrook is leveraging was developed over a decade by aerospace engineering and turbomachinery academics at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the UK, and the University of Ghent in Belgium. The technology recently completed a successful pilot project, and global building materials company CEMEX has announced that it aims to be the first commercial enterprise to incorporate it into its processes.

Other recent industrial emissions innovations spotted by Springwise include a nanonfiltration technology that reduces emissions from industrial chemical separation, solar-powered cement production, and the world’s first fossil-fuel-free steel.

Written by Matthew Hempstead

1st June 2022

Email: harri@coolbrook.com

Website: coolbrook.com

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