Here’s the short and direct answer: climate tech is evolving fast, with 2026 ushering in notable advances. Highlights include groundbreaking direct air capture (DAC) startups going commercial, integrated desalination-and-hydrogen systems emerging, AI boosting emissions accountability, and policy shifts enabling long-duration storage and CCUS growth.
Electricity demand is surging, largely driven by AI and data centers, prompting renewed interest in gas plants—but there’s a pivot underway. Utilities are fast-tracking pumped hydro, long-duration energy storage, and grid upgrades to balance rising demand and keep emissions in check.
Simultaneously, carbon markets and industrial policy are supporting CCUS rollouts. Governments are ramping up incentives for capturing, storing, and utilizing carbon emissions, especially in hard-to-abate sectors.
AirMyne offers a liquid-based DAC system that’s energy-efficient and designed for commercial scaling. Backed by strong pilot data, it’s poised to expand in 2026 and help meet gigaton-scale removal targets.
Indeed, DAC is ramping globally—with forecasts anticipating up to 93 operational plants by 2030 and between 6.4 to 11.4 million tonnes of CO₂ captured annually.
A clever innovation surfaced: systems that integrate waste-heat-driven desalination with green hydrogen production. Industrial areas facing water scarcity, heat constraints, and decarbonization pressures could treat these as interconnected challenges rather than standalone issues.
If these pilot projects scale, they could serve as industrial blueprints—turning constraints into multi-output advantages like freshwater and clean fuel.
A batch of climate tech innovators are leading the charge:
Patent filings are up—millions of patents filed in climate domains highlight growing R&D. Energy transition technologies, carbon capture, and environmental monitoring are expanding rapidly, with over 10,000 companies participating in clean tech deployment.
Investment patterns show a shift: while early-stage rounds declined, larger later-stage and growth investments—especially in fusion and low-carbon fuels—continue to attract capital. Overall, investors poured over $13 billion into climate tech in early 2025.
“Technological innovation is essential for advancing climate resilience… it empowers communities and businesses with the tools and solutions needed to effectively respond to extreme weather and climate events…”
— Megan Kuczynski, Founder and CEO, ClimateTech Connect
This quote underscores the shift toward resilience-focused innovation—whether through storage, DAC, or hybrid systems like desalination-hydrogen combos.
These forums will likely feature many of the technologies highlighted above and accelerate real-world applications.
2026 marks a turning point in climate tech. From DAC startups scaling operations to smart co-located systems like desalination-hydrogen loops, innovations are trending toward integrated, multi-output solutions. AI and investment trends are aligning to support these shifts. As conferences like ClimateTech Connect and Mumbai Climate Week convene, collaboration and deployment should accelerate.
Next Steps
– Investors can monitor startups in DAC, biochar, methane reduction, and geothermal.
– Policymakers should support hybrid systems and long-duration storage via incentives and fast permitting.
– Innovators should explore dual-use technologies (e.g., desalination-hydrogen) that maximize resource value.
Q: What’s the most exciting DAC development in 2026?
AirMyne’s liquid-based, scalable DAC system is gaining attention due to its energy efficiency and pilot readiness. It reflects a shift toward commercial-scale carbon removal.
Q: How are energy storage solutions evolving?
Pumped hydro is seeing revival via large new U.S. projects, and storage is becoming essential for balancing AI-driven demand spikes, reducing reliance on gas peaker plants.
Q: What’s unique about waste-heat desalination and hydrogen systems?
They cleverly combine fresh water and clean fuel production using industrial waste heat—turning environmental constraints into multivalue solutions.
Q: Is funding for climate tech improving?
Funding is consolidating—seed and Series B rounds dipped, but growth and later-stage investments remain strong, driven by major deployments and hybrid tech value.
Q: Which climate conference should I follow this spring?
ClimateTech Connect (Washington D.C., April 2026) and Mumbai Climate Week (Feb 17–19, 2026) are key venues for trend spotting and tech rollouts.
Q: How does policy align with these innovations?
Governments are promoting CCUS, storage, and grid upgrades. India’s budget supports CCUS and renewables. Permitting is speeding for pumped hydro, reflecting policy catching up to innovation.
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