The world’s soaring population is prompting a slew of transit innovations: wheel-free bullet trains, obstacle-sensing robot cars, 120mph passenger pods.

But in the Netherlands, there’s one leap forward that’s immediately practical and not the stuff of sci-fi; in fact, it’s already helping to cut down on emissions and shuttling close to a million passengers a day.

Read more: 33 ideas that will change the world

In January, the national Dutch rail service revealed that all of the country’s electric trains run on pure, renewable, wind energy – a grand idea that’s also being pursued in cities across the world. For a planet that’s already grappling with the effects of decades of using pollutant-spewing machines – which could possibly be even further exacerbated with rising car ownership and rising populations across the globe – these wind-powered trains could usher in a much-needed era of cleaner transport just in the nick of time.

Video by Howard Timberlake

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