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Climate issues are at the heart of global political issues, but also economic ones. Tech is not to be outdone in the field, whether it is called Greentech or climateTech. According to a report by London & Partners and Dealroom, 2021 was a record year for ClimateTech investments with more than 32 billion invested. A dynamic that is felt in Europe, but also on the African continent.
This year’s AfricaTech Awards gave a special distinction to start-ups tackling climate change. Award-winning Kenyan Bonnie Mbithie with her computer waste recycling initiative. He is convinced that new technologies can play their part in preserving the environment.
« I believe that technology has a big role to play. But it is very much linked to climate change. The more technologies we have, the more it affects climate change. If there’s no one right way to deal with technology waste, there has to be a balance between how we consume it and how we deal with it when it’s no longer working. »
Many African start-ups have activities related to the environment. Among them, based in Brazzaville and Pointe Noire, GreenTech Africa has developed a natural hydrocarbon absorbent. The latter is made from water hyacinth, an invasive species in Congolese waterways.
« Our absorbents have a greater and greater absorption capacity compared to synthetic absorbents that can be found on the market. And here on the European market, there are many more synthetic absorbents. And we come with this added value. »
Greentech is also of interest to multinationals
Technology in the field of the environment is of interest to small entrepreneurs, but also to large companies such as TotalEnergies. At the beginning of 2022, the company committed to reducing its methane emissions by 50% by 2025. And for this, it is counting on innovation: “ Auséa is the most efficient sensor in the world today “says Louise Tricoire, in charge of the fight against CO2 and methane emissions at TotalEnergies.
Since 2017, Total in partnership with the CNRS and the University of Champagne Ardenne has been developing Auséa, a smart sensor: ” This sensor was developed to improve our knowledge of our methane emissions, we then miniaturized it and carried it on a drone and therefore developed these back-calculation algorithms, explains Louise Tricoire. This led us in 2021 to do real tests on onshore and off shore platforms. “, adds the director.
Campaigns will be conducted at various Total sites in Congo, Angola and Gabon. ” One of our campaigns allowed us to identify a leak in Nigeria on a storage tank and there, we suddenly reduced by 4 000 tons per year a leak of methane. »
This technology is already of interest to the partners of the French energy giant.