Industry Edge
This sector is mitigating existing industries
How we define it
The Industry Edge sector encompasses technologies that mitigate traditional production industries (manufacturing of industrial and consumer goods, chemical production, etc.) by reducing emissions and resource consumption, capturing and recycling waste streams, and addressing other environmental impacts.
Why it matters
Clean industrial processes: GHG Scope 1 emissions and other environmental impacts generated by industry operations can be mitigated by developing specific cleantech or adopting cleantech from emerging sectors. For example, hydrogen-based production, CCUS, electric arc furnaces, direct reduction iron processes, and biomass as a reductant are technologies needed to decarbonize steelmaking.
Mitigating industrial operations: New technologies to capture various greenhouse gases (e.g., N2O) from chemical and industrial processes similarly require cleantech and new systems engineering. Examples include paper products made with green chemical processes, concrete that includes sequestered carbon material mixed with cement, and energy-efficient operations.
Circular economy: Regulatory demands for water use management and clean-up, waste-stream mitigation, capture and reuse, and recycling and reprocessing of materials present a huge opportunity to develop cleantech solutions. Examples include reprocessing waste carbon fiber and depleted batteries, discharging potable water, adopting precise sensors, and leveraging Big Data management.
Metrics
Project Drawdown
The cleantech for this sector contributes to 8 Project Drawdown solutions and the reduction/sequestration of 79.39 - 93.28 gigatons of carbon equivalent (2020-2050).
Drawdown Solutions: Alternative Cement, Biochar Production, Composting, Recycled Paper, Recycling, Refrigerant Management, Waste-to-Energy, Water Distribution Efficiency
Key GRI Environmental Standards
Sustainable Development Goals Target 6.3, Target 6.4, Target 9.4, Target 9.5, Target 12.4
