Every day our researchers read through the top innovation headlines and provide their expert opinions on important developments and industry news. Our analysts then evaluate news based on potential importance ranking the developments from Truly Disruptive to Ignore.
On Fridays we highlight our Lux Take on the top news for the week. Check out our thoughts on the latest emerging technology and innovation news for the past week below.
DNV to Develop Standards for Floating Photovoltaic Systems That Help Accelerate Adoption
Karthik Subramanian, Research Associate
Lux Take: Very Important
“Via two joint industry projects, DNV will formulate standards for two parts of floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems: 1) the anchoring system and 2) the float design and testing standards. These projects are a continuation of a study conducted by DNV in 2021 that highlighted key considerations that are to be met while deploying FPV systems, which will be used as a starting point to define design standards. The dual use of land and water bodies for power generation (e.g., agrivoltaics) has always inhibited the environmental integration of renewable energy sources due to the lack of a framework. Similar to the case with agrivoltaics, reference standards will allow state authorities to devise subsidies or incentives that promote energy generation along with the optimal use of resources, especially if they work as part of a project under development.”
NACFE Finds 50% of Class 8 Trucks in the U.S. Are Ready for Electrification
Christopher Robinson, Director, Research
Lux Take: Very Important
“NACFE (the North American Council on Freight Efficiency) found that 50% of Class 8 regional haulage trucks are ready to be fully electrified today. This is actually a slight downward revision ofNACFE’s claims in 2021 that 70% are electrifiable after conducting additional interviews with fleet owners but comes as diesel prices are increasing rapidly. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s analysis suggested 42% zero-emission-vehicle adoption across all types of trucks but notably considered diesel prices of roughly USD 3/gal — roughly half of prices today. Fleet owners are generally sensitive to fuel costs, and as electric trucks are finally being commercially launched, clients should expect swift adoption due to favorable economics.”
New Bipartisan Bill to Aid Plant Biostimulant Research and Approval Process
Deepesh Bista, Ph.D., Analyst
Lux Take: Very Important
“The Plant Biostimulant Act of 2022, introduced by U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta and Jim Baird, would create a uniform process for biostimulant approval and path to market. This bill would help define biostimulants at the federal level, helping regulators approve new innovative products to improve plant health, crop yield, and tolerance to abiotic stress and made available to American growers. As the world embraces sustainable agriculture practices, biostimulants will minimize the current problem of fertilizer supply chain issues. The bill has bipartisan support and is likely to have legs for approval. This bill, along with the recent USDA announcement to support American-made fertilizer, is a path in the right direction for biologicals.”
Japan’s Ritsumeikan University Discloses Environmentally Friendly Thin-film Solar Cells
Karthik Subramanian, Research Associate
Lux Take: Very Important
“The copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cell developed at the university eliminated the use of cadmium sulfide buffer layers from the solar cell. This new approach replaces cadmium sulfide with an oxidized layer of CIGS that is formed using an air-annealing process. Researchers claimed that this process is efficient, affordable, and reduces manufacturing time. Thin-film solar cells have fallen out of favor over perovskites and organic solar cells due to a lack of performance improvements and toxicity concerns, respectively. While claims of affordable manufacturing need verification, considering the cells were fabricated in a lab, removing toxic elements from the solar cell could help it regain some market share, provided they can be commercially scaled and show improved efficiencies.”
Vestaron Closes Usd 82 Million Series C for Further Development of Spear
Deepesh Bista, Ph.D., Analyst
Lux Take: Average Importance
“Led by Ordway Selections and Cavallo Ventures, Vestaron’s funding will be used for further development of Spear for the row crop market and contact-kill applications for soft-bodied pests like thrips, mites, and aphids. The funds will also be used to bring Spear’s new insecticidal active ingredients Basin and Dictate to market by 2023/2024. Recently, Vestaron launched the use of Spear in Mexico and submitted it for approval in Canada and the EU. With strong trial data and solid distribution partners like Nutrien, Helena, and Wilbur-Ellis, Vestaron is ready to capture this emerging market. Vestaron has successfully refined the delivery and effectiveness of novel peptide-based formulations for crop protection, whereas similar companies using this technology are still in the developmental phase.”
Apple, Google, and Microsoft Will Support New Standards for Passwordless Sign-ins
Nardev Ramanathan, Ph.D., Senior Analyst
Lux Take: Average Importance
“These three tech giants plan to support a common passwordless sign-in standard created by the FIDO Alliance and the World Wide Web Consortium. When implemented, consumers can use FIDO authentication on their mobile devices to sign in to an app or website on a nearby device, regardless of the operating system platform or browser used. Passwords not only create friction by needing multiple passwords for different sites, but 80% of all breaches occur due to password vulnerabilities. Passwordless authentication methods could eliminate most of these breaches, not just for the consumer but for enterprises as well. Clients leveraging digital platforms to engage end-users should consider aligning to these standards, but should monitor how they are implemented.”
Cubicfarm Systems Partners with Deloitte to Create a Carbon Market Ecosystem for Indoor Farming Systems Targeting Livestock Feed
Laura Krishfield, Senior Research Associate
Lux Take: Average Importance
“CubicFarm Systems works within two models of controlled environment agriculture (CEA), including container farm systems for growing leafy greens and a feed division called HydroGreen for producing cattle feed at an enterprise scale. Through CubicFarm’s deal with Deloitte, HydroGreen will supply carbon credits to companies using its HydroGreen Vertical Pastures technology, which is seen to reduce methane emissions in dairy feeding by about 24% on a per-unit-milk-output basis and in beef cattle feeding by about 48% on a per-kg-weight-gain basis. Clients should note the opportunity as carbon trading for CEA could drive the growth of the industry, but be aware that the economic viability of CEA technology for feed production remains uncertain.”
