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Bio-digester supplies energy to 3000 farms

The principle of action of the digestive system of a cow served as a model to Camilo Pagés and Alexander Eaton to create a container that receives organic waste, mostly livestock manure, where it is mixed with millions of bacteria to obtain natural gas integrated mostly of methane, called biogas, as well as a high quality bio-fertilizer.

The biodigester, commercially called Biobolsa (bio-bag), transform the waste in a container made of high density geomembrane where polyethylene components and bacteria generate gas that is used as fuel for stoves or heaters, and even in the form of electricity.

Alex Eaton, one of the creators, said in an interview that technologies such as the anaerobic Biobolsa have been used for decades in industrialized farms, and now seek to bring its benefits to small and medium producers, who generate 99 percent of the country’s food and 80 percent globally.

“We have visited families who have small farms for subsistence, or less than a hundred dairy cows, those families are without access to credit or financing. They also make up the social fabric of rural areas, as the caretakers of watersheds, land and soil. This is a way of empowering them in climate change, soil management, food safety, water pollution and more.”

In very simple terms, Alex Eaton explains that his technology is a huge bag of 15 meters long and two meters wide and two more in height, which can contain up to 40,000 liters of liquid capacity, and treat one ton waste per day.

However, they have adapted it to specific needs and created smaller Bio-bags of two by two meters, working with 20 kilos of manure. “The system is modular and can interface, it also is deployable and adjustable. On average, the return on investment is contemplated in a year and a half, and if you consider that the material used for the Biobolsa lasts longer than 20 years, there is much room for profit,” says the journalist with a graduate degree in environmental protection.

He adds that there are many small producers who are not aware that there are economic and environmental options to leverage what usually is waste, in this case, that the manure can generate revenue.

The first Biobolsa was placed in 2007 in Jalisco (center state of Mexico), the patent was achieved in 2010 and to date it has profited with nearly 50 million pesos, says Alex Eaton. He adds that by the end of the year they will be covering 3000 farms, just in Mexico, while acknowledging that they have a presence in nine countries of Latin America, and have implemented two pilot plants in Africa.

Biobolsa technological transfer includes training and implementation, as well as monitoring its operation and efficiency.

The Mexican anaerobic technology has had support from various foundations and government institutions for its development and implementation, which have managed to provide partial subsidies to stakeholders. “Today we manage a credit fund with zero rate for small producers to participate,” says the ecologist of American origin.

Biobolsa has received several international awards, both scientific as for social entrepreneurship, among others, the Network Business in Development (BiD Network), of Holland, which gave an award for 10,000 euros which served to give a major boost to the company.

“We have improved the process and have a number of engines for generating electricity. We already have a contract to produce light for the electrical network of the Federal Electricity Commission in Cuernavaca (south of Mexico City), through interconnection with biodigesters to produce five, 10 or 15 kilowatts. “We want to impact four million homes that, we estimate, could use Biobolsa today in Mexico” refers Alex Eaton.

From: Sciencedaily.com

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Post time: Feb-01-2020
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