What makes Kristian P. Olesen a Global Shaker?
Norwegian scientist Kristian P. Olesen has created something straight out of science fiction: a spray that can turn desert sand into fertile soil.
His clean tech company, Desert Control, uses its sprinklers to disperse Liquid Nano Clay (LNC) across affected land. The clay and water combination creates a 40-60cm layer in which soil can retain water and can be effective for five years.
Desert Control claims it can shorten the time for arid soil to become fertile again from seven years to seven hours — and that if LNC were used on just 1% of the land targeted for regeneration, 26 million tonnes of CO2 would be captured each year.
Similarly, the website adds that there is water retention of up to 65%, meaning less water is required, there costs are reduced, soil becomes more robust and higher yields are achieved.
The company has been designated one of the World Wildlife Foundation’s ‘Climate Solvers’, and was recently awarded first prize at ClimateLaunchpad, a clean-tech business competition that attracted hundreds of entries from 28 European countries.
“This process doesn’t involve any chemical agents,” Olesen told the BBC. “We can change any poor-quality sandy soils into high-yield agricultural land in just seven hours.”
Tags: Drought, FarmingLast updated: June 17, 2019
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