Green solvents are environmentally friendly chemical solvents that are used as a part of green chemistry. They came to prominence in 2015, when the UN defined a new sustainability-focused development plan based on 17 sustainable development goals, recognizing the need for green chemistry and green solvents for a more sustainable future. Green solvents are developed as more environmentally friendly solvents, derived from the processing of agricultural crops or otherwise sustainable methods as alternatives to petrochemical solvents. Some of the expected characteristics of green solvents include ease of recycling, ease of biodegradation, and low toxicity.

Although not an organic solvent, water is an attractive solvent because it its non-toxic and renewable. It is a useful solvent in many industrial processes. Traditional organic solvents can sometimes be replaced by aqueous preparations. Water-based coatings have largely replaced standard petroleum-based paints for the construction industry; however, solvent-based anti-corrosion paints remain among the most used today.

Supercritical water (SCW) is obtained at a temperature of 374.2 °C and a pressure of 22.05 MPa. It behaves as a dense gas with a dissolving power equivalent to that of organic solvents of low polarity. However, the solubility of inorganic salts in SCW is radically reduced. SCW is used as a reaction medium, especially in oxidation processes for the destruction of toxic substances such as those found in industrial aqueous effluents. The use of supercritical water has two main technical challenges, namely corrosion and salt deposition.

Supercritical carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most commonly used supercritical fluid because of its relatively easy to use. Temperatures above 31 °C and pressures above 7.38 MPa are sufficient to obtain supercriticality, at which point it behaves as a good nonpolar solvent.

Ethanol is used in toiletries, cosmetics, some cleaners and coatings.

. Bioethanol, made industrially by fermentation of sugars, starch, and cellulose is widely available. Biobutanol (butyl alcohol, various isomers) is also produced by fermentation of sugars. Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) is a specialty solvent that may be obtained from hemicellulose.

Ethyl lactate, made from lactic acid obtained from corn starch, is notably used as a mixture with other solvents in some paint strippers and cleaners. Ethyl lactate has replaced solvents such as toluene, acetone, and xylene in some applications.

Lipids (triglycerides) themselves can be used as solvents, but are mostly hydrolyzed to fatty acids and glycerol (glycerin). Fatty acids can be esterified with an alcohol to give fatty acid esters, e.g., FAMEs (fatty acid methyl esters) if the esterification is performed with methanol. Usually derived from natural gas or petroleum, the methanol used to produce FAMEs can also be obtained by other routes, including gasification of biomass and household hazardous waste. Glycerol from lipid hydrolysis can be used as a solvent in synthetic chemistry, as can some of its derivatives.