Author: Aviv Dekel

Co-Energy continues its endeavors to promote climatech. As opposed to other fields of the hi-tech industry, in climatech a surgical pin point solution approach won’t work. It will fail due to either lack of technological scalability or due to lack of financial attractiveness. We at Co-Energy advocate for a holistic point of view on climatech, where a strategic vision that encompasses waste treatment, clean energy production, decarbonization etc. is the best option to present a technology that works in large scales and offers an attractive ROI.

Companies, investors and governments alike need to choose sustainable solutions not because of some martyred position on the importance of mitigating climate change effects, but because sustainable solutions are the wise financial choice with better economy at their foundations.

This is Co-Energy’s philosophy on climatech, and it has proven itself time and time again. We appreciate the opportunity to take an active role in the climatech industry and happy to do it in person after two years of communicating remote.

Aviv Dekel, VP Business Development & Marketing, and Dean Solomon, Co-Founder

More news

  • Co-Energy and ValVeri AG set up a Joint Venture to Produce Hydrogen from Plastic Waste

    Co-Energy Presents at Energy Tech Summit 2023

    Co-Energy launches Plastic-to-Energy Project

    Co-Energy Sponsors The Wall Street Green Summit

    • Co-Energy is a proud sponsor of the Wall Street Green Summit 2022, held online during the final week of March 2022. During the fourth day of the Summit on March 31st, in the morning panel dedicated to discussing ClimateTech Solutions and Innovations Day, Co-Energy’s COO Ms. Aviv Dekel presented Co-Energy’s perception on connecting the dots between waste treatment, clean energy production, and de-carbonization.

    In her presentation, Aviv discussed how waste treatment technologies need to breakthrough existing methods, while committing to rigorous environmental standards and abandoning old solutions such as landfilling or incineration. In parallel, clean energy production must present a cost-effective model which meets current challenges such as Hydrogen production at 2$ per Kg, energy storage and fuel production not based on fossils. And the thirds vector of the cleantech industry is the de-carbonization goals, which need to expand, greatly expand, and realize the true potential of net negative technologies.

    And all three of those vectors must work together in a cost-effective business model otherwise they’ll stay as distant dreams. If we can achieve a fast return on investment on a waste-to-energy system that also generates net negative – it’s a win-win-win situation. For sustainable technologies to work they need to be green in profits, not only in environmental terms. Co-Energy’s presentation is available on YouTube, and we look forward to continue the dialogue on the cleantech industry, its challenges and amazing leap forward.

    During the last two weeks of January 2022 Co-Energy’s team members participated in the San Francisco Cleantech Forum 2022. Amongst the fascinating sessions on clean tech ground breaking technologies in a variety of fields and applications, we were excited to showcase Co-Energy’s novel technology which lies at the intersection between sustainable waste treatment, clean energy production and maximizing decarbonization potential.

    The forum provided a wonderful opportunity to meet with partners and colleagues from around the world, and expand Co-Energy’s outreach to North America.

    We look forward to continue being part of the frontline companies who lead the way in the cleantech industry.

    Biochar is a carbon-rich material, made out of organic material like wood, sewage sludge, cattle manure, dry produce etc. or a combination of those. The organic material undergoes a pyrolysis process, in which the material decomposes in an anaerobic environment at about 500°c. It is worth noting that Co-Energy’s plants, working at 500°c are much safer than the usual pyrolytic systems, who operate at 700°c. When we think about cost-effective and useful ways to deal with organic waste – converting it to biochar is by far the best solution.

    Applications of Biochar to Agriculture

    Biochar’s main application in agriculture is to use it as a substrate, a substance that is added to the ground during the preparation phase in order to increase the ability of the root to absorb its necessary nutrition from the soil. Since biochar is a highly porous material, which means that it itself absorbs and maintains water and minerals, the roots grow within it very easily and get their critical materials from the biochar. This characteristic of biochar makes it very efficient and attractive to areas with scarce water conditions, such as deserts or in cases of drought. The biochar actually holds on to water within it, thus reducing the reliance on irrigation, and prevents water from seeping to the sandy ground.

    Biochar vs. Compost

    When considering whether to replace compost with biochar, there are three main rationales that tip the scale in favor of biochar.

    First, it is much easier and faster to produce biochar than compost. Compost is made of very specific types of animal manure, and it can take up to eight months of preparation, not to mention the resources required for its production in terms of infrastructure and sunlight. Biochar, on the other hand, is almost an instant process. By using Co-Energy’s systems, you will be able to convert 1 metric ton of dry organic material into roughly 350Kg of biochar in less than an hour.

    Second, due to the nature of its preparation process, compost must be prepared in completely dry and sunny location. Unfortunately, sometimes rain contaminates the compost preparation process, and the result is an under-prepared compost. While this may sound mild, the consequences of using an under-prepared compost on the ground can actually be quite detrimental to the plant, in such a case the under-prepared compost take away microelements from the plant, instead of feed it to the plant. With biochar there is no such risk. The preparation process of biochar is done in a closed chamber and a controlled environment, no matter what is the weather outside. Biochar helps the plant obtain NPK and is more reliable than compost.

    Third, in terms of health considerations and produce quality, biochar is the cleanest substrate you can add to the ground. Compost can transfer pathogens such as Verticillium Wilt, accelerated dissolution for MITC, fungus and seeds. These unwanted guests are not capable of appearing in biochar, simply because none of them will survive the 500°c environment in which it is made. 

    Carbon Footprint and CO2 Emissions

    Not only does biochar have no carbon footprint, it actually reduces CO2 emissions because it absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere.  

    Recent posts

    • We are excited to share a short video clip that presents Co Energy and our activity, including pictures from our system installed at Shachaf plant in Northern Israel.

    We have previously advocated for employing waste-to-energy technologies as means for reducing the huge capacities of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and plastic waste. We have also argued that traditional perceptions about the limits of renewable energy resources should allow innovative and out-pf-the-box thinking, thus regarding MSW and plastic waste as a renewable energy resource.

    Now it is time to take the concept of waste-to-energy to the next level and utilize it in a smart, efficient and financially attractive manner. This is what we at Co-Energy have invested years of research and development into. Of course, on paper all the sustainability technologies sound great. Actually making them so in real life is a completely different story, and it requires expertise, sophistication and creativity.

    Incorporating cutting edge technology while maintaining an outstanding return on investment rate, Co-Energy offers the ideal solution to MSW and plastic waste. The most significant advantages of Co-Energy’s plant are:

    1. Common solutions to MSW and plastic waste are landfilling and combustion. Both raise strong resistance and actually being put out of use by many countries, leaving the problem still unsolved. Co-Energy realizes the principle of thermal decomposition of organic materials in such a way that allows it to efficiently convert organic materials that were previously optimally converted by an un-aerobic or gasification processes. This simplifies the process both in terms of OPEX and CAPEX, putting into use simpler equipment and sophisticated control systems thus reducing safety issues.
    2. Co-Energy’s process is a continues one, and does not rely on batch feeding. Most of the solutions currently available use big and bulky equipment, that is works in batch process. Batch process is less desirable than a continuous process, mainly for the following reasons: in batch processes it is impossible to fully control the composition of gases emitted as a result of the process; batch process requires heating and cooling the reactor before and after each batch; between batches the reactor needs to be cleaned and prepared for the next batch etc. The process in its entirety is unstable and damages the resiliency of the system in whole.
    3. Co-Energy’s plant’s emissions levels are very low, well below the required standard, and they are expected to decrease even further as R&D efforts progress and more improvements are inserted into the equipment.
    4. Co-Energy’s system includes an advances control system that monitors the process in real time and makes sure that the end product is consistently the same. This is not to be taken for granted, not at all. Co-Energy’s system is designed to convert organic waste into energy. Organic waste is by definition not homogeneous and can never be one, which greatly challenges the ability to anticipate let alone control the energetic products. The stability in Co-Energy’s process and consistency of products puts it in the forefront of waste-to-energy reliable technologies.
    5. Co-Energy’s system does not require pre-sorting and pre-separation of the waste and plastics. All MSW and plastics as is will go into the plant. Thus, Co-Energy’s system saves vast amounts of money and time that is commonly wasted on sorting waste to its various components. The residues of the process, which are estimated at around 5% of the MSW, being mostly non-organic materials, metals and glasses, will be omitted automatically from the process and will be transferred to recycling without the costly and prolong pre-treatment phase.

    After many decades of considering sustainable industries as lacking a sound financial basis, it is time to move forward and embrace the new era in which sustainability is profitable. Co-Energy enables this and presents the new generation of waste-to-energy technologies.

    We are extremely proud to announce that Co-Energy’s abstract entitled Preserving Marine Life with Waste-to-Energy Technology: An Industry Point of View by Co-Energy Ltd. has been selected for poster presentation at the prestigious 6th International EcoSummit, scheduled to be held in Gold Coast, Australia, on 14-18 June 2021.

    The EcoSummit conferences have a long and respected legacy dated back to 1996 when the first EcoSummit was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since then the Summit has been considered a hub for scientists, industry and professionals, as well as policymakers from various disciplines, to brainstorm and consider ways and means to solve the integrated environmental, social and economic problems of the world.

    The theme for the 6th International EcoSummit is “Building a sustainable and desirable future: Adapting to a changing land and sea scape”. As the program of the summit elaborates, the summit focuses on the sustainable solutions to the most pressing problems of our time. Co-Energy’s presentation will demonstrate Co-Energy’s unique business model which generates financial profit with extremely fast return-on-investment rate, thus making sustainability and cleaning the ocean from plastics attractive even from a pure economical perspective.

    Co-Energy wishes to challenge the traditional thinking which identifies environmental preservation with philanthropy and sustainability motivation alone, and demonstrates how environmental preservation can also have a sound financial prospect, if the right technology is employed and utilized. We are excited and looking forward to present in the Summit.

    We have grown costumed to think about renewable energy as energy that is produced from replenished natural sources. We rely on solar power as we know the Sun will continue to shine. We use wind turbines to produce electricity because we assume wind will continue to blow. The emphasis in renewable energy resources is, however, not so much on their naturalness but rather on their renewablness.

    What if we could find a source of energy that is man-made and could fit this category? What if there was something that its presence, now and in the future, was absolute and certain almost as sunlight, and perhaps even more reliable than wind? Well, there is one. Actually there are two. It is time to rethink the definition and perception of what renewable energy sources are and expand our minds so as to include the most common man-made replenish source of energy – waste and plastics.

    Waste, or more precisely Municipal Solid Waste in general, and plastics in particular are the perfect sources to produce energy. Using Co-Energy’s modules, you can use MSW and plastics to produce either fuel (i.e. diesel) or electricity, and we hope that soon enough our R&D efforts will enable the production of hydrogen, ethanol and methanol.

    The quantities of waste and plastic are sky rocking, and it is safe to say that as long as mankind is here, waste and plastics will continue to be here as well. Education for wise consumption and recycling are important, and should be kept and expended. It does not contradict Co-Energy’s efforts to view waste and plastics as a source of energy. In fact, they are complementary. Let’s take for example the current reported amounts of global plastic waste generated from the packaging industry alone, without an additional ounce of waste, is 141 million metric tons. That could suffice to produce enough electricity to match 52% of the annual consumption of electricity by Germany. Think of it. For six whole months Germany could rely only on plastic waste from packaging industry as its national source of energy. This could be life changing to millions of lives around the world, especially in developing countries.

    Co-Energy’s system has the ability to transform these numbers from ink to reality, while freeing the world from dependency on fossil fuel. We believe that waste and plastics are with us to stay just as much as sunlight and it’s about time to take the lemon and make it into energy. If it fits the logic of renewable energy and behaves like a source of renewable energy – waste and plastics should be considered a source of renewable energy.

    During the past weeks we have been working diligently to raise public awareness for Co-Energy’s module, which provides a proven, financially beneficial solution in the field of waste-to-energy.

    In December 2019 we had the honor of presenting our system before a delegation of members of parliament from South Africa, who expressed great interest in Co-Energy’s system. The combination of efficient waste treatment on the one hand, which does not require prolong and costly sorting processes, and the availability of an independent energy generation capability, has the potential of answering two of South Africa’s major challenges.

    Meeting with members of Parliament from South Africa

    As South Africa has been suffering from governmental initiated blackouts, the ability to produce energy in the form of electricity or fuel, without dependency on the central grid, holds many advantages. The minimal requirements Co-Energy’s plants need in order to do so make it even more feasible.

    In January 2020 we had the privilege of meeting with civil society entrepreneurs and industry leaders from Ghana. The meeting was fascinating and reaffirmed what we at Co-Energy had known since the moment we started to design our system – it has to be a user-friendly interface and the plant must be built from the most outstanding materials in order to ensure minimal maintenance. At the end of the day, we want our clients to be independent in adjusting the plant to work according to their needs and capacities.

    Meeting with industry leaders from Ghana

    We are excited to continue meeting people from around the world, understanding their needs, and presenting to them the opportunity of an environmental and financially profitable method to treat waste and produce energy at the same time.

    The term Waste-to-Energy (also known as “WTE”) describes the process of using waste as a source for production of energy. This definition encompasses three pillars – the waste; the process that waste undergoes; and the energy that is produced as a result of that process. In this paper we will briefly discuss each one of these pillars and show how Co-Energy’s module can maximize the potential of each step in itself and of the process as a whole.

    The Waste

    Municipal Solid Waste, also known as MSW, is the main source of the waste-to-energy process. Modern life generates huge amounts of waste on a daily basis. Along with desired education and raising public awareness to the importance of limited consumption and recycling; waste treatment strategies are becoming a growing concern for municipalities worldwide.

    Waste-to-energy as a waste treatment strategy is a great way turning a nuisance into a resource. Furthermore, when done properly, waste-to-energy has a sound economic rationale that can produce significant income from the selling of energy. Using Co-Energy’s solution, the expected return on investment is dramatically short and the profit projections are high.

    MSW is usually composed of the following nine types of materials: (1) papers including uncoated corrugated cardboard, paper bags, newspapers etc.; (2) glass including flat glass and various colors of glass bottles and containers; (3) metal including steel cans, major appliances, used oil filters etc.; (4) electronics including brown goods, computer related electronics etc.; (5) plastics including PETE containers, HDPE containers, plastic trash bags etc.; (6) other organics including food, leaves and grass, manures, textiles etc.; (7) construction and demolition including concrete, asphalt paving, lumber etc.; (8) household hazardous waste including paint, used oil, batteries etc.; and (9) special waste including ash, treated medical waste, tires etc.

    Sorting MSW to its different components so that each could be treated is a long and costly process. One of the key advantages of using Co-Energy’s plant is that sorting is not required, thus saving time and money to waste treatment entities. It also shortens the process, making it efficient and simple in terms of the logistics it requires.

    The Process

    The process of turning waste into energy can take several forms. The most common method is by incineration, in which organic waste is combusted and energy is produced as a result. Incineration was originally adopted as an advanced alternative to landfilling, in which waste is buried underground, a method that is widely regarded as inefficient and damaging to the environment.

    The process of waste to energy we at Co-Energy use is pyrolysis, a chemical process known since the 18th century. Pyrolysis is the thermos-chemical decomposition of material at 400° Celsius, in an aerobic environment, that is in a complete lack of oxygen.

    The temperatures required for pyrolysis are substantially lower than those required for conventional gasification or other methods like plasma arc. This is another advantage of the pyrolysis method. It lowers the costs of the process, enhances the lifespan of the plant, and contributes to safety aspects of the plant’s operation.

    In addition, the emissions level generated as a result of the pyrolysis are significantly lower than those generated by incineration based processes.

    The Energy

    The two most common forms of energy generated at the end of the Waste-to-Energy process are fuel and electricity. The future development of Co-Energy’s plant will also enable the production of methanol and hydrogen, thus bringing it in line with the evolving trends in key markets such as vehicle and transportation.

    The low costs of the process allow the producer to sell the energy, whether fuel or electricity, at competitive prices. It is worth mentioning that some of the energy produced by Co-Energy’s plant can also be used to power up the plant itself, making the whole process self-sustained.

    Conclusion

    Employing waste-to-energy methods is a vital part in a full and comprehensive perception of sustainability. It complements other important segments like recycling and educated consumption habits. It enables us to continue rely on a continuous supply of clean green energy, while not exhausting Earth’s natural resources. 

    Having said that, in an economically driven world, waste-to-energy models have to prove they are economically profitable otherwise they won’t realize their potential.

    Co-Energy’s solution meets each of the challenges that rendered waste-to-energy methods not attractive as business models, first and foremost the reliance on sorting of waste. It takes waste-to-energy to the next level and offers a sound prediction with a significantly fast return on investment predictions.