Among the 2026 World Changing Ideas, there is no shortage of projects that are taking a thoughtful or clever approach to resource use. Some get creative—by, say, turning an invasive starfish into a deicer, or adapting oil and gas drilling to advance geothermal energy.
Others are rethinking how things considered waste can be repurposed, like Curio and Cecilia. And though the internet may not be a resource in the traditional sense, the way honoree Taara enables cable-free internet in remote places makes clear that it’s thinking about the impact of a key part of modern life.
Winners
Cape Station, Fervo EnergyThe first large-scale geothermal power project from Fervo Energy, Cape Station will begin feeding electricity to the grid later this year (working with Southern California Edision), with plans to scale to 100 megawatts by 2027. Unlike intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar, Cape Station—located in Beaver County, southwestern Utah—provides reliable 24/7 baseload power. Founder and CEO Tim Latimer—a 2026 Visionary of the Year—adapted advanced horizontal drilling techniques from the oil and gas industry to create geothermal wells where water is circulated through hot rock to generate electricity. As Fervo goes public on Nasdaq with a $3 billion valuation, Cape Station represents a breakthrough in making geothermal energy accessible and affordable at scale for meeting America’s clean energy needs.
NuCycle nuclear waste recycling, CurioRead more about how Curio is working to turn spent nuclear fuel into minimal waste and reenrichable uranium.
Wireless optical communication, TaaraRead about how Taara is making it easier to get fiber-speed internet to remote areas without needing to dig for new cable.
Honorable Mentions
Circular carbon from plastic waste, Cecilia
Digital manual for municipal utilities, LSPS Solutions
Ecoplanta, Mormedi
Hydrogen-powered data center, ECL
Starcrush, Star’s Tech
Explore the full list of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas, 191 projects that are making the world more accessible, equitable, and sustainable.
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