Founded by Prince William and David Attenborough in 2020, the Earthshot Prize honours five global changemakers working to provide innovative solutions for climate and environmental issues. Winners are granted £1mn for their work. 
 

Canadian-based Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems (ATS) was recognised for its technology to capture and convert industrial waste heat into sustainable electricity without the need for moving parts. It won the ‘Fix Our Climate’ Prize at this year’s Earthshot Awards Ceremony, held last week in Cape Town, South Africa.  

Unlike traditional methods relying on turbines, ATS’s solution has no moving parts, making it a cost-effective, sustainable and scalable technology capable of avoiding millions of tonnes of CO₂ emissions.  

The technology is claimed to tackle one of industry’s ‘most overlooked inefficiencies’: the loss of 60% of all industrial energy as waste heat. The company estimates that this unused energy is equal to the energy needs of four billion homes – twice the total number of households worldwide.

‘Receiving the Earthshot Prize is an extraordinary honour, validating our mission to transform how industries reduce their environmental impact,’ notes Kelly Adams, Chief Executive Officer, ATS. ‘[It] will allow us to accelerate our impact, expand our reach into industries such as manufacturing, steel, cement and chemical production and advance our mission to eliminate CO₂ emissions worldwide.’

Building a waste-free world

Meanwhile, Kenyan-based Keep IT Cool (KIC), which uses solar-powered refrigeration to help cut harvest waste for farmers, won the ‘Build a Waste-free World’ Prize.  

KIC addresses the challenge of food spoilage by providing refrigeration systems that help small farmers and fishers preserve their produce. The company installs solar-powered cold storage units where fish are landed, ensuring the catch stays fresh, and then manages the transport to markets, reducing spoilage and food waste.

KIC also connects farmers and fishers directly to retail markets, brokering agreements with retailers to ensure timely purchase of the produce. This system provides income security for both types of workers, as KIC agrees on a guaranteed price at collection, eliminating the dependence on middlemen and fluctuating prices based on the condition of the catch.

KIC currently works with eight fisher cooperatives representing 4,500 members. As a result of their efforts, they’ve saved 25% of the catch that would have been wasted, and 3,600 have seen their incomes increase by more than 15%.

KIC measures its success through the reduction of food waste and post-harvest losses (PHL), as well as avoided emissions from reducing spoilage, clean energy use and hybrid trucks. Currently managing 250,000 kg of produce per week, KIC has achieved a 98% reduction in PHL for 1.5mn kg of food since 2022.  

The other Earthshot Prizes were awarded to Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative (‘Protect and Restore Nature’ Prize); the Green Africa Youth Organization (‘Clean Our Air’ Prize); and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (‘Revive Our Oceans’ Prize). They were selected from nearly 2,500 nominees across 75 countries.  

Speaking during the Awards Ceremony, Prince William, said: ‘I believe our world can be rich in possibility, in hope, and in optimism. That is why The Earthshot Prize exists. To champion the game-changers, the inventors, the makers, the creatives, the leaders; to help them build upon the amazing things they’ve already achieved; to speed their innovations to scale and to inspire the next generation to create the future we all need.’