Technological innovations can help solve challenges related to water, energy, climate and sustainability. One of these solutions comes from the mountain ranges of Chile, where the startup Nilus has built four “artificial glaciers”.
With support from the CocaCola Company and the CocaCola Foundation, these glaciers use gravity to form ice cones that slow the rate of melting, thereby increasing water availability during dry periods.
The melting of the Andean glaciers, which provide water for 7 million people in the city of Santiago, is a growing problem.
Researchers from MapBiomas, the National Institute for Space Research and the Institute for Research on Glaciers and Mountain Ecosystems warn that 98% of glaciers in the Andes have shrunk this century.
Predictions suggest that many of these glaciers could disappear in the coming decades, spelling an ecological, economic and social catastrophe for Chile.
To address this challenge, Nilus has developed solutions that can reverse or delay the defrosting process. Harnessing nature and high technology, artificial glaciers attempt to restore Andean ecosystems, increase water availability and mitigate climate impacts.
Inspired by the Himalayas, where “ice stupas” have been built in highaltitude communities, Nilus plans to expand from 4 to 50 glaciers, storing more than 100 million liters of water per year. This could provide around 100,000 people with water during a threemonth drought.
With the potential to be reproduced in the future, artificial glaciers integrate nature and high technology in the mission to restore the ecosystems of mountain ranges like the Andes. Technology is reshaping the seasonal water cycle to increase its availability. It also mitigates climate impacts by storing and conserving water that feeds rivers, crops, communities and landscapes.
Water is an extremely important point in our global sustainability strategy. Since 2007, we have been committed to clear goals, investments and initiatives around the world based on three pillars of action.
The first is water efficiency in operations through waste reduction, better processes and regenerative use of water. Then water replenishment with projects, partnerships and solutions that help replenish the river basins in which we operate through conservation, protection and reforestation programs for forests and natural areas.
And finally, programs and projects that help expand water access and treatment for rural, riparian, isolated and/or lowincome communities.
We are one of the first companies to invest in the development of Nilus and help create a positive impact on the communities in which we have facilities, on the planet and in our operations.
Finding technologies like these are at the heart of our ESG strategy and reflect the way we do business.
Innovation has been an integral part of CocaCola’s 137 years of existence and supporting initiatives like Nilus allows us to continue to make a difference.