Asia Is Churning Out Sustainable Innovations

Asia may not have been famous in the last century for innovation as most “innovation” came from the western hemisphere. Today, however, Asian economies are increasingly coming up with innovative solutions to the needs of contemporary times. Sustainability is a top priority as the world wakes up to the damaging consequences of irresponsible and unrestrained production. From edible packaging to Block Chain chicken, some of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly innovative products came from Asia last year.

Singapore introduced a one of a kind air conditioner (AC).  A team of researchers at the National University of Singapore was able to develop a sustainable AC. It uses water as a substitute for refrigerants.  The prototype was successfully able to maintain temperatures up to 18 degrees while consuming 40% less electricity. It also has an added advantage of producing clean, drinkable water as a byproduct.

Indonesia has been increasingly investing in innovative technology across most sectors. A country of over 260 million and a large and rising middle class presents a perfect environment for innovative solutions. As the homegrown large unicorn firms invest in innovative technologies such as AI and robotics, small startups are coming up with their own kind of innovations.

The Philippines isn’t far behind, either. The startup culture has picked up pace in the Pacific economy in recent years. A local startup that goes by the name of HiGi Energy was able to introduce an innovative and sustainable energy solution just last year. Hyacinth is a water pest that is found frequently in local waters. The founder of HiGi saw an opportunity in this problem and devised a way to harvest this water plant to create energy briquettes. These energy briquettes can provide sustainable energy solutions to the local population on the Archipelago who are forced to rely on coal burning for their heating and energy needs.

All in all, there have been substantial developments in recent times across Asia that have firmly established the continent as a significant player in the sustainable innovations domain on the world stage.