Environmental technology will make a major contribution to sustainability. In view of the growing population, and the challenges posed by climate change, many areas of daily life and the economy are facing profound changes. Environmental technology presents comprehensive solutions for resource preservation, enhanced efficiency, and environmental protection. For instance, it can reduce the reliance on pesticides in agriculture. Moreover, it can optimize the management of the increasingly scarce resource of drinking water.
Intelligent Transfer
GreenTech develops new technical solutions for a wide range of environmental technologies that are based on proven, robust automotive technology, and adapts it for other areas of application. This transfer happens as part of a practical approach that fosters the development of new and innovative products and solutions tailored to environmental applications. The spectrum ranges from proof-of-concept to very concrete projects that are already in the patent phase. And these activities will be successively expanded in the future, for example in areas such as circular economy, energy efficiency and mobility and transport. The basic idea is to unlock the technical capabilities of automotive hardware and software, including artificial intelligence (AI), for new applications.
Among the diverse engineering projects undertaken by the GreenTech team, the incorporation of artificial intelligence stands out as a pivotal aspect in enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. With its AI4Energy offering, Continental Engineering Services aims to revolutionize components, systems, and processes, thereby optimizing energy consumption and supporting carbon neutrality among our value chain. Through AI-driven insights, GreenTech can adapt and optimize energy utilization precisely where it’s needed, resulting in substantial energy savings across facilities.
Continental Engineering Services is not only focused on enhancing energy efficiency but also integrating circularity into its entire value chain. By refurbishing IT hardware for internal use and external partners, CES promotes resource conservation and minimizes waste generation. This approach aligns with the company’s commitment to circular economy and underscores its dedication to fostering environmental responsibility across its operations.
An organic approach to Weed Management
A look back shows that improvements in efficiency in agriculture have always been associated with higher mechanization. In order to ensure that the world’s population will continue to be fed in the future, it is now necessary to make further progress through new solutions and to reduce the impact on the material and water cycle. In the EU, for example the “Farm to Fork” is pushing to reduce the use of herbicides in agriculture (1). This will not succeed without innovation.
The biggest challenge in not using herbicides is weed management of young crops, which can quickly become overgrown by other plants. So far, ecological weed management has been based primarily on the use of mechanical hoeing systems, which, however, are difficult to use in row crops and close to emerging plants.
GreenTech has the potential to change that: The Weed Control System, an innovative attachment for tractors that is currently being tested detects weeds and eliminates weeds with high precision on an ecological basis. The system is based on automotive sensor technology, complex software and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The algorithms for controlling the system are trained on different “good plants” and eliminate any weeds with their ability to distinguish the plants. This ecological form of weed control uses experience and technologies from automotive technology, but above all software know-how as the basis for AI models. This development was advanced in just two years and very quickly led to the establishment of a functional model. When you consider that weed management is one of the major challenges in agriculture, the potential of this GreenTech solution becomes clear.
Revolutionizing Reforestation Efforts
Combining its commitment towards carbon neutrality and building a responsible value chain, Continental Engineering Services has partnered with Land Life, a leading nature restoration company, to pioneer large-scale reforestation technology. This collaboration signifies a remarkable leap forward in sustainable land restoration endeavors. By restoring ecosystems and mitigating the effects of deforestation, this innovative solution plays a pivotal role in preserving biodiversity, combating climate change, and promoting environmental sustainability on a global scale.
As the world faces escalating environmental challenges, this reforestation solution exemplifies the transformative power of technology in addressing pressing ecological concerns. Through collaborative efforts and pioneering initiatives like this, CES and its partners are driving meaningful progress towards a more resilient and sustainable future for generations to come.
In conclusion, Continental Engineering Services’ GreenTech division exemplifies a holistic approach to environmental sustainability by integrating AI-driven energy efficiency initiatives and circular economy principles. Through innovative solutions like the Weed Control System, which combines automotive sensor technology and AI to enable ecological weed management, Continental Engineering Services demonstrates its capacity to drive positive environmental change across diverse industries.
