3/ Natural technologies
Natural Living Foresight Report
Energy is the real economy
Future grids
Abundance and storage
Electrification and green electricity will replace fossil energy in the transportation sector, manufacturing and living. Home batteries or neighbourhood storage can create independent systems. Appliances become more intelligent; they will charge when energy is abundant and cheap.
The power grid will need significant transformation as society develops a carbon-free economy. Energy storage is the key to a stable energy future. Pumped hydroelectric, thermal energy storage, and hydrogen storage can reduce imbalances between energy demand and energy production.
Left to right, Offshore wind turbines by TNO, formic acid powered bus by Team FAST, Solar Pavillion by V8 Architects and Marjan van Aubel Studio
Renewables will have to scale up massively across all sectors from 14% of total energy today to around 40% in 2030.
World Energy Transitions Outlook Report
Opportunities
• Renewable energy is quickly becoming cheaper, opportunities for products that use alternative energy sources
Solar powered device
Self charging headphones that turns natural and artificial light into energy using Exeger’s Powerfoyle™
Adidas RPT-02 Sol
Hydrogen cartridge
A cartridge designed to transport and store hydrogen energy to power the home.
Prototype by Toyota and Woven Planet
Self-charging
Self-charging wireless earphones with a case powered by Powerfoyle solar cell material.
Phoenix by Urbanista
Home batteries
Energy storage system to store solar energy through the use of hydrogen.
Hydrogen battery by Lavo
Solar warmth
Charger for the solar blanket, a blanket that uses solar energy to create warmth.
Solar Blanket by Mireille Steinhage
Powered by the sun
Solar roof system that charges the vehicle’s battery using solar panels even while driving.
Sonata Hybrid by Hyundai
“You can look at nature as a catalogue of products which have all benefited from a 3.8 billion year research and development period. Given that level of investment, it makes sense to use it!”
Michael Pawlyn
Rethinkin food systems
Food
Nature-positive
Growing food seems natural, but the impact of our food systems is creating problems worldwide. A significant part of biodiversity loss is related to agriculture, as one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions come from food production. Agriculture also uses 70% of the world’s fresh water.
We depend on connected natural systems to provide balanced environments for our food to grow. Every time we grow vegetables in the ground, we take carbon from the soil and reduce its fertility. Alternatives to meat and milk, combining growing food and harvesting energy, vertical farms, the answers are already here.
Left to right, No Function Only Meaning by Camila Capra Mesalles, photo by Intentionally Elise, blueberries under solar panels by University of Maine Extension
The vertical farming industry is expected to grow to $9.7 billion worldwide by 2026.
Opportunities
• Building a more sustainable nature-positive food system will help to restore natural processes and biodiversity. It will also create resilience so that the food system is less affected by external shocks
Slaughter-free chicken
Eat Just is partnering with foodpanda to deliver cell-cultured meat directly to people’s homes.
Cell-Cultured Meat by Food Panda and Eat Just
Carbon neutral
Vegan carbon neutral oat milk.
Barista oat by Minor figures
Grow
Dish to grow micro herbs year round.
Patella Crescenda by House of Thol
Vertical farming
Year round indoor vertical farming, capable of growing
multiple crops on one platform.
Vertical farming technology by Plenty Unlimited Inc.
Upcycled food
Vegan beef made from upcycled grains, oats and nuts that would have been thrown away due to imperfections.
Unlimeat
Bulk
Buying in bulk to safe money, packaging and create good cooking habits.
Photo by Rabit Ridge Farm
Net zero retail
Consuming
From consumer to citizen
People become more knowledgeable and understand they have a role to play in creating more sustainable systems. They start making contextual decisions based on sustainability. Technology can help to personalize design, solve sizing issues and connect products and materials to the circular supply chain.
Resale helps brands deliver on both revenue growth and sustainability goals. Communities come together to repair, reuse and repurpose the products we all own. Gen Z is shopping to sell; they understand the lifecycle of products does not end with the first owner.
Left to right, Secondhand clothing by unknown, Scanatic by TG3D, care and repair station by Arc’teryx
“Being a citizen is an active state; being a consumer is passive.”
Roger McNamee
Opportunities
• To change the fashion system, people must change their approach to consumerism. Can something be really beautiful and aspirational when it is unsustainable?
• Create a personalized ecosystem instead of linear solutions
Chasing circularity
Circular sportswear made from regenerated cellulose that can be sent back to be remade.
Made To Be Remade by Adidas and Stella McCartney
Modular AI
Circular fashion system that uses fabric blocks to create different styles using AI.
Refashion by Solve Studio
Care
Dry-form washing tablet free from dyes, bleach, and harsh chemicals.
Blueland Laundry Tablets
Subscription system
Subscription-based service for fully-recyclable shoes made using over 50% biobased materials made from castor beans.
Cyclon by On
Repair
Wash and Reproof service to give clothes a longer life.
Lived Loved Repairs Service by Finisterre
Biotech
Biotechnology company creating microbial cellulose made from waste.
Nullarbor™ by Nanollose
For less, plan more
Priorities
Being present
Being in the present moment means that we are aware and mindful of what is happening at this very moment. Achieving the freedom to be fully aware needs work, which may sound counterintuitive. By being organized, you can be creative and spontaneous without being distracted by random thoughts, stresses or concerns.
The human brain is for having ideas, not holding them. Journaling or creating a second brain can free your mind to be present and creative. Early morning walks don’t just happen; setting priorities frees time for what you see as priorities.
Left to right, Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte, Morning walk by Dom Francis Pellegrino, photo by Moleskine
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.”
F. M. Alexander
Opportunities
• Living a simple life is not easy. Create structures for people to organize their lives
Quiet materiality
Smart devices that blend cohesively in the home with textile and ceramic-like surfaces.
Connectivity Concept by Deutsche Telekom and LAYER
Low-tech
A low-tech e-ink laptop for when you need to disconnect.
Freewrite Traveler
Playful nostalgia
Turntable that works with smartphones, place the stylus on
the screen and it starts playing.
TurntT by Yamaha Design Studios
Dumb
A simple phone with FM radio and MP3 player.
5710 XA by Nokia
E-ink
An e-ink tablet that imitates the feel of paper.
reMarkable 2
Phone-less
Analogue timepiece with music to make you wake up better.
Oneclock
