What will a net zero world of 2050 look like? How will engineering help us get there?
Three engineers who are building the world of tomorrow talk about the innovations they're developing today, and the role they'll play in getting us to net zero. Watch and learn how advances in processing waste, heat storage and clean energy are helping to cut carbon emissions and adapt to a warming world - reducing costs and improving energy access and food security in turn.
The Royal Academy of Engineering is supporting these ambitious change makers in different ways on our mission to harness the power of engineering to build a more sustainable and inclusive world. Find out more about them, and their vision, below.
Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu
Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu is founder and CEO of IntelliDigest. She combines biotech and deep-tech software to develop a user-friendly, odour-free system to convert food waste to climate friendly chemicals.
In 2020, Dr Kanu was awarded a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowship and became a member of our Enterprise Hub, receiving a bespoke package of support and equity-free funding to help develop and grow IntelliDigest.
More information: Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu at the Enterprise Hub
Dr Adriano Sciacovelli
Dr Adriano Sciacovelli is an Associate Professor in the University of Birmingham's School of Chemical Engineering and a member of the Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage. His research focuses on the design of new materials and devices to store hot and cold thermal energy for more efficient and sustainable energy systems.
In 2021, Dr Sciacovelli received Royal Academy of Engineering funding for a collaborative project with German partners to realise the value of energy storage in future low-carbon grids.
News release: Academy announces new UK-Germany collaborative projects on energy transition
Dr Priti Parikh
Dr Priti Parikh is an Associate Professor at UCL's Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction. Her work has helped equip engineers with the skills needed to address global challenges, with a particular focus on water, sanitation and energy infrastructure for resource constrained settings such as slums and rural communities in Africa and Asia.
Since 2019, the Royal Academy of Engineering and Bboxx have funded Dr Parikh via a Senior Research Fellowship to improve energy access in Kenya, Rwanda, Togo and the DRC through an improved understanding of solar energy consumption.
News release: Academy announces 2019 Research Chairs and Senior Research Fellowships