What it does
Eco-Credits innovatively links real-time industrial pollutant levels to a measurable environmental credit score. Breached thresholds automatically generate "Eco-Credit" digital tokens—verifiable liabilities, transforming pollution into a quantifiable cost.
Your inspiration
Growing up in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh—a city often choked by industrial smog—I witnessed firsthand the public health crisis caused by unchecked air pollution. Over time, I realized that while existing systems and regulations aim to reduce pollution, they often lack immediacy, failing to hold industries accountable in the moment. Pollution becomes a regulatory checkbox, not an urgent signal for change. Inspired by the idea that accountability should be real-time, I built Eco-Credits: a system that gives emissions data meaning through measurable economic signals. This idea aims to shift environmental management from passive to proactive.
How it works
Eco-Credits operates via a three-tiered architecture: Real-Time Data Monitoring:System collects live pollutant data (e.g., CO, CO₂, SO₂, NO₂) via a compact IoT sensing unit (ESP32, industry-analog sensors). A web dashboard demonstrates the system's logic with simulated data. Sustainability-Based Credit Score Calculation: When pollutants exceed regulatory thresholds, our custom formula calculates a credit score using a “sustainability factor” (analogous to mole concept). This factor quantifies each pollutant’s environmental impact, converting excess emissions into digital credit score. Every gas is treated individually for granular accountability. Eco-Credit Tokenization (In-process): These credit scores are tokenized into “Eco-Credits” using blockchain smart contracts. These tokens are not offsets; they are transparent, immutable records of excess pollution—a digital ledger of environmental debt verifiable in real-time by regulators and stakeholders.
Design process
The project evolved through three key stages: Prototype Development: A compact sensing unit using budget-friendly electrochemical and NDIR sensors to detect CO, SO₂,CO₂ and NO₂. This data was streamed in real time via micro-controller ESP32 and displayed on a custom dashboard. Formula Design: I developed a “sustainability factor” to normalize emissions and calculate credit points based on environmental thresholds and pre-industrial to current industrial impact. This formula allows diverse pollutants to be compared meaningfully across various units. Blockchain Architecture (In Progress): The system is architected to integrate with Proof-of-Stake blockchains (e.g., Polygon) using smart contracts and oracles. The backend logic is designed to automate Eco-Credit issuance whenever pollutant data breaches thresholds.
How it is different
Eco-Credits brings a fundamentally new lens to industrial sustainability: 1. Atomic Sustainability: Each gas is tracked independently, ensuring hyper-precise accountability—not just a carbon average. 2. Real-Time Accountability: Unlike carbon credits or delayed fines, Eco-Credits operates immediately, issuing environmental credit scores the moment limits are breached. 3. Immutable Proof: By integrating blockchain, the system makes pollution visible and auditable—not negotiable. 4. No “Pay-to-Pollute” Loopholes: Eco-Credits aren’t tradable offsets. They are digital evidence of impact—a metric of responsibility, not permission. 5. Public CSR Integration: Companies can use Eco-Credits as a verified environmental performance metric, adding transparency to ESG reporting. 6. Adaptable & Scalable : Various pollution types can be monitored over large scale This system reframes sustainability as an ongoing, data-driven contract—not a one-time commitment.
Future plans
Eco-Credits will move to full implementation: Blockchain Infrastructure: Develop and audit smart contracts, secure oracle integrations. Pilot Deployment: Partner with industries and regulators for testing with actual CEMS outputs. Collaborations: Engage engineers, regulators, and environmental experts for refinementS. Expanded Scope: Adapt the system beyond air pollution. CSR Standard: Aim to become a credible sustainability metric for regulators and investors. Environmental Restoration: Eco-Credits will fund direct environmental damage restoration. This is more than a prototype; it's a complete system. This is the future.
Awards
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