cleantech

Cleantech, short for clean technology, refers to products, services, and processes that reduce environmental impact and improve resource efficiency. It encompasses technologies aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy and water, reducing waste, and promoting sustainable production and consumption across sectors.

The scope of cleantech includes energy generation from renewable sources (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal), energy storage (batteries, pumped hydro), energy efficiency in buildings and industry, transportation technologies (electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, hydrogen), water and wastewater treatment, waste management and recycling, sustainable agriculture, green chemistry, advanced materials, and grid modernization with smart meters and demand response. Lifecycle environmental benefits are a key consideration in evaluating cleantech solutions.

Markets and investment in cleantech are supported by venture capital, private equity, corporate R&D, and public funding. Policy instruments such as subsidies, tax incentives, carbon pricing, procurement programs, and regulatory standards help accelerate adoption. The sector seeks to decarbonize energy systems and other industries while improving productivity and resilience.

History and terminology: the cleantech label gained prominence in the early 2000s and is often used interchangeably with green tech or environmental technology, though it specifically emphasizes scalable, market-ready solutions with measurable environmental benefits.

Examples of cleantech technologies include solar photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, battery energy storage, electric and hydrogen-powered transport, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC, wastewater treatment with resources recovery, desalination with energy efficiency, recycling technologies, and carbon capture and storage.

Challenges include high upfront costs, long development timelines, regulatory and market risk, infrastructure compatibility, and the need for robust metrics to avoid greenwashing.