Examples of climate tech scaling today

Switzerland just turned its railway tracks into solar power plants. A startup called Sun-Ways installed removable solar panels between active train tracks in Neuchâtel. Special machines can lay 1,000 square meters in hours while trains keep running, generating clean energy without consuming new land. The scale potential grabbed me: if you used this across Germany’s 33,000 km rail network, the system could generate 6.2 TWh a year, which would be enough to power 1.8 million households—just by using the space that’s already there. This is exactly the kind of hardware climate tech that excites me. It solves multiple problems at once: The panels integrate with existing infrastructure, avoiding land use conflicts. They're removable for maintenance. And they generate power where transmission lines already exist. The Swiss transport authority is running a 3-year test to verify track wear and safety. Meanwhile, South Korea, Indonesia, and Japan are exploring similar pilots. Which transport network would you try this on next?

Can physical innovation scale fast enough to meet our 2040 climate goals? This edition of the Hardware to Save a Planet Newsletter, features conversations with 11 climate hardware founders who are turning bold ideas into real-world impact, right now in 2025. From Allan Adams at Aquatic Labs making ocean carbon removal measurable, to Scott Mercer at Focused Energy bringing fusion down to earth, to Luke Iseman at Make Sunsets cooling the planet from the stratosphere. These aren't future promises. They're deploying solutions today. We explore how Curtis VanWalleghem at Hydrostor evolved underground energy storage from pilot to commercial scale, how Cole Ashman at Pila Energy democratizes home battery systems, and how Greg Williams at Sublime Systems is reinventing cement to be both cleaner and stronger. Jason Chua at Range Energy electrifies trailers instead of replacing entire truck fleets, while Nehali Jain at Antora Energy stores renewable electricity as glowing hot carbon blocks. Randol Aikin, PhD at Remedy Scientific Inc. standardizes land decontamination, Ross Bonner at Transaera, Inc. simplifies building cooling systems, and Johanna Wolfson at Azolla Ventures provides the catalytic capital that makes it all possible. The Hardware to Save a Planet newsletter is where we dive deep into the climate hardware solutions shaping our energy future, straight from the innovators who are turning bold ideas into reality. 🔗 Subscribe below to join the conversation on real-world climate solutions! 👇

So, what is climate tech, really? Too often when people hear “climate tech” they picture rocket science, futuristic inventions that will one day pull carbon out of the sky or reinvent how we power the world. And yes, we absolutely need those. But to get on track, we need both: breakthrough innovations to abate and capture about half of emissions, and much faster deployment of existing technologies to tackle the other half. It’s not either or. It’s both. Neocrete is a great example of the first category. Cement is responsible for around 8% of global emissions. Neocrete has developed a moonshot alternative that can cut cement out of concrete, potentially decarbonising one of the dirtiest industries on the planet. This is bold, transformative climate tech in action: reducing emissions, boosting livelihoods, and building resilience. Cleaner and cheaper, and already happening! But just as critical are the practical, scalable solutions that can be rolled out at speed. Take Agros, replacing millions of diesel water pumps with solar pumps. Farmers save 25% on costs, emissions fall, and suddenly you have a decentralized energy transition at scale. Or Zentide, cultivating seaweed. Seaweed acts as a powerful carbon sink while helping farmers cut fertiliser costs, reduce nitrous oxide emissions, and increase yields. That’s the beauty of climate tech. It’s not just about moonshots in the lab. It’s also about down-to-earth solutions that cut emissions, boost livelihoods, and build resilience. Climate tech is not something for the future. It is already here, already working, and the real question is how quickly we choose to scale it.

🌍 Climate Adaptation Tech: Europe’s Hidden Investment Gem 💧🔥🌾 When we talk about climate tech, most of the spotlight goes to mitigation—clean energy, carbon removal, EVs. But there's a parallel revolution brewing in climate adaptation—and Europe is at the forefront. I’ve spent my career across both and see a better time than ever to focus on emerging adaptation technologies so have been researching this a lot lately. From early flood detection in the Netherlands, to AI-driven drought forecasting in Spain, to wildfire risk management in Southern France, a wave of startups is rising to meet the realities of a changing climate. This isn't speculative. It’s pragmatic—and it’s being backed by policy, capital, and necessity including the rising costs underinvestment. 🇪🇺 The EU is allocating billions through initiatives like the European Climate Adaptation Mission. 🌱 Insurance, agriculture, water management, and urban planning are all demanding adaptive solutions. Allianz has repeatedly warned how escalating climate risks could destabilize financial system from mortgages to supply chain finance. 💼 And the investor landscape is still relatively uncrowded—meaning early-stage access with upside. Exciting to watch some fast growing companies targeting this space like Climate X, Hydrosat, Muon Space, Pano AI and more. Adaptation tech is often viewed as niche but the reality is it’s pervasive and one of the most investable frontiers of resilience. #ClimateTech #Adaptation #Resilience #EUInnovation #SustainableInvesting #VC #ImpactInvesting #EuropeanStartups

Some really cool european climate-tech startups, doing interesting things: Northvolt: A Swedish battery manufacturer and Europe’s best-funded climate tech startup. It secured a huge loan to expand its factory in northern Sweden, which will more than double the capacity of Northvolt Ett from 16 gigawatt hours. The total debt and equity raised by the company now amount to $13 billion. Electra: €304 million Series B- Paris-based Electra specializes in EV charging. The funding will be used to expand its network of charging stations across Europe. This round has brought the company to unicorn status. Aira: €145 million (€87 million in Series B in October last year, extended by an additional €58 million). Another Swedish startup supplying heat pumps and home energy tech to consumers. Despite being just over a year old, it has secured significant funding, supported by billionaire entrepreneur Harald Mix and his firm Vargas Holding. New investors include Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek. Soly: €30 million. A Dutch startup, Soly sells and leases solar energy systems. The funding round was led by ArcTern Ventures and Fifth Wall, with participation from Shell Ventures and ABP. Real Ice : Very interesting! A Welsh startup working on technology to refreeze parts of the Arctic ice. Partnering with the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Climate Repair, Real Ice aims to preserve and restore Arctic ice by spraying water drawn from beneath the ice onto its surface. Their approach also involves close collaboration with local communities for insights and knowledge. #climatechange #climatetech #climateaction