LAS VEGAS, NEV. — Amid the ping pong‑playing robots, self‑driving cars, and autonomous baristas, dozens of companies at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) are unveiling cutting‑edge technology designed to directly impact life in desert communities.
Over the years, CES has become a proving ground for sustainable innovation with ideas and products aimed at regions facing extreme heat, water shortages, and rising energy demand.
Watch: Climate reporter Geneva Zoltek checks out sustainable tech at CES 2026
While many homes already have solar panels, companies like Jackery displayed their solar backup generators as another layer of protection.
"The way energy spaces move now, people need to own more of their own energy," Rachel Stotts, Jackery's PR manager, told Channel 13.
"And in California of Nevada with heat spikes and brownouts and stuff like that where the power is turned off or goes out, everybody needs backup," she continued.
Jackery already sells portable solar gear in retail locations, but their newest debut technology feels straight out of science fiction: a Mars Rover‑style robot that autonomously roams to locate optimal sunlight and keeps itself charged.
But not every eco‑friendly innovation at CES is ready for store shelves yet.
But Flint, a "paper" battery company, is set to go into mass production soon.
"Right now we're building a production facility for 300 million batteries in Europe," Flint's CEO Carlo Charles, told Channel 13.
The razor-thin battery is small and light — as thick as a few strands of hair.
"Batteries are a behind-the-scenes kind of problem," Charles said, "You don't see them every day. It's inside your devices, inside your TV remotes, and you rarely see them. And the thing is, the battery problem is so big that the materials we need for batteries will run out by 2030. So why are we so dependent on batteries that will one day be so hard to source?"
Flint batteries are engineered without lithium, nickel or cobalt in effort to reduce environmental harm and health hazards.
"One of the most important things for the world to transition to green energy is cost, right? And the cost of today's batteries for solar farms and more is very expensive and it's very dangerous," Charles said.
On the convention floor, some of these inventions might look like novelties (the ping pong playing robot might come to mind). But for communities living with climate issues like blazing summers, challenging water demands and more, they could become essential tools in the years ahead.
It goes to show that while the innovation on display at CES isn’t just about what’s next, it’s about racing to meet challenges we’re already facing.
