Tag: Biochar

After winning the Israeli Energy Tech All-Star in February 2023, Co-Energy received a VIP ticket to present at the Energy Tech Summit 2023, held in Warsaw, Poland on 26-27 April 2023.

The presentation was part of the Summit’s challenge for startup companies to show case new pathways to decarbonize and reach the target of annually removing 1 gigaton of carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere.

One of Co-Energy’s line of operation is converting organic waste to biochar, which is a great soil fertilizer that also sequesters carbon. Carbon sequestration with biochar is considered permanent and of high quality, making it especially attractive in the voluntary carbon markets.

Through its in-line continuous process, Co-Energy is able to convert millions of tons of biodegradable waste into biochar, meeting the 1 gigaton target quite easily.

As presented in the Summit, converting waste to energy holds many benefits: It is the most cost-effective method for waste treatment; it avoids future emissions in addition to removing already emitted greenhouse gases; it reduces scope 2 and scope 3 emissions as well; and it solves a huge problem of waste management.

Co-Energy is proud to be an industry leader in designing and creating technological solutions for converting different types of waste to a variety of energetic outputs.

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    • Very broadly speaking, climate-tech is the industry that deals with at least one aspect of climate change, and it can be mitigation, adaptation, monitoring, regeneration, or removal of greenhouse gas emissions.  

    The vast majority of the climate-tech industry still centers around the mitigation category. We see this in the problems and issues that companies are trying to solve and we see it in the financial attention those companies are getting, there is a staggering emphasis on investing in companies whose orientation is mitigating climate change effects.

    Waste-to-energy is a pillar component in the climate tech industry because it plays a vital role in every one of those climate tech categories, and especially in mitigation and decarbonization efforts.

    Waste to energy is offering huge opportunities and in a cost-effective way, that aligns financial interests with sustainability. This realization is gaining more weight and it is being reflected in the waste-to-energy market size.

    If we look back on the last three years, we can see this vividly. In an analysis done by Fortune Business Insights in October 2022, they estimated the waste to energy market size in 2021 to be 32 billion dollars and projected to grow to over 44 billion dollars by 2029.

    This market size does not grow in thin air, it’s the result of internalizing the benefits of waste to energy.

    To frame this market in the right context, two general remarks are in order:

    First, there is no magic bullet that can solve the climate crisis alone. It warrants consolidated efforts on everyone’s part, from a wide spectrum of topics that have to work together in a complimentary way.

    Second, we need to keep in mind that just like in any other industry, the climate-tech industry includes a lot of background noises. If we examine how the industry behaved in the last three years, after COP26 we saw a big hype around climate-tech, we had the political attention and we gained momentum and budgets, and there were a lot of investments, many of them through SPAC and seed round investments, and then through the second quarter of 2022 things shifted. It’s not that some bubble burst, but it definitely felt like the honeymoon period was over investors as well as the industry realized that dealing with climate change involves serious technical and technological challenges that are not so easy to overcome. So from Q3 of 2022 we see that investments are shifting to Round A, there’s more emphasis on passing the proof of concept stage.

    So with this mind, lets review how waste-to-energy can lead the way to decarbonize and mitigate the effects of climate change.

    Waste to energy is a game changer for the most critical factor in mitigating climate change, and that is decarbonization. Here are two examples: decarbonizing the energy sector, and supporting decarbonization through the carbon markets.

    First, lets look at the energy industry. There is so much going on in the energy market nowadays.

    The energy industry, as we know, is responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions, mostly through the burning of fusil fuels. And in massive scales. The US Energy Information Administration published in early January in a press release its prediction for a record global petroleum consumption in 2024, referring to gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, that will average to more than 102 million barrels per day in 2024. So fuel is not going away anytime soon.

    We also have dramatic rise in demand for electricity, projections are talking about increasing the demand from the current 27 tera kilowatts hour to 60 tera kilowatts hour in 2050, that’s just around the corner.  

    There is also rising demand for hydrogen as a source for energy, especially with respect to electric vehicles.

    The world is going to need a lot of energy, and that energy is required to be clean of greenhouse gas emissions. Waste to energy plants can contribute to meeting those rising demands. The problem of waste can become the solution for energy.

    The great thing about waste to energy is that it takes all the checklist we want out of our energy resources today, and adds another layer of eliminating the waste while we’re at it. If you think about waste as a renewable energy resource, it’s not that farfetched. Ironically, we can rely on having enough waste to generate energy more than we can rely on wind, or even the sun. We have SO MUCH waste it is a tremendous resource if you know what to do with it. And turning it to energy is a great way to go at it:

    Using Co-Energy’s plants you can use 1 ton of plastic waste to generate 500 liters of diesel, or 1.78 megawatt, or 150 kilograms of hydrogen. So in terms of meeting the demands AND making it clean and green, waste to energy is a powerful tool.

    Waste to energy can be a game changer for decarbonization efforts also when considering the carbon markets.

    Carbon markets are a great way to incentivize decarbonization, and as we move forward with technological advancements, we see more and more options to engage in those markets. What used to be reforestation as the only option is opening up to exciting opportunities for capturing carbon. What the carbon markets are looking for is stability, and stability goes hand in hand with reliability.

    Just like in any other market, carbon markets stakeholders look for clarity. Clarity and confidence in carbon trading will come from high quality projects that generate high volume of permanent carbon sequestration, and this is where waste to energy come into play with converting organic waste to biochar. Converting organic waste to biochar is a perfect use case for the carbon markets, as was expressed in the Wall Street Journal in their article about biochar and carbon credits recently published.

    In converting organic waste to biochar we prevent the emission of methane and CO2, we create a carbon sink, and we turn waste into a tradeable commodity with various agriculture applications and so on. And this is a far better option than any other option for treating organic waste. Through Co-Energy’s biochar plants you get tens of thousands of sequestered carbon that is removed from the atmosphere. A removal that is considered permanent. This is the kind of clarity and confidence needed in the carbon markets.

    Last but not least, it is important to address an issue that is sometimes overlooked but is really important and that is creating a safe work environment. We sometimes tend to talk in big titles about waste-to-energy and decarbonization etc., and when those words are translated to actions on the ground they involve hard working people doing a fantastic job in a rough environment, so when we as a community or a government choose which technologies we want to support, we need to also address the issue of how these technologies create a safe work environment. At Co-Energy this is something that we always keep in mind when we design and set up a project. 

    So to sum up, no matter what angle of the climate-tech industry you’re looking, whether through enhancing renewable energy resources, decarbonization efforts, smart waste management etc. The waste to energy sector has a lot to offer, and those few companies that have crossed the technological barrier can put forward projects that tie all the loose ends, present a solid business model and really make a change.

    Recent posts

    • For the second year in a row, Co-Energy sponsors the Wall Street Green Summit.

    As part of the summit, Co-Energy’s Vice President for Business Development participated on March 14th morning session on clean energy technologies, and presented Co-Energy’s waste to energy technology and its benefits in creating clean energy resources as well as for the climate-tech industry as a whole.

    Co-Energy is proud and honored to present side by side with the outstanding speakers that presented at the session and the summit as a whole.

    Energy Tech Review selected Co-Energy to be at the TOP 10 Waste to Energy solution providers for 2023.

    In it’s recent publication, the magazine featured an interview with Co-Energy’s chairman, Amir Cohen, introducing the work of Co-Energy and our unique perspective on converting waste to a high quality energetic product.

    The article notes that “The plants operate continuously, which is significantly more efficient than a batch-wise process, saving energy along the way. It has a sophisticated control system with remote options for preserving process stability in the presence of non-homogeneous waste. The output energy can be stored and released on time per the advanced requirements for integrating renewable energies in the smart electricity grid.”

    This is and exciting acknowledgement of Co-Energy’s endeavors in the waste-to-energy market, paving the way as top industry leader. With a track record of successful commercial capabilities and operational plants, we continue to shape the landscape of waste-to-energy.

    Or Earth Biochar is part of a large recycling park located in Eastern Israel. Co-Energy’s plant for organic waste operates in Or recycling park and converts organic waste into biochar. Co-Energy’s plant treats 3 ton/hour of wood chips mixed with sludge, to create high quality biochar for various agriculture uses.

    Receive heterogenous organic waste and covert it to a consistent stream of high-quality biochar, suitable for agriculture uses and offsetting the carbon credits.

    Use Co-Energy’s unique and innovative technology (IP protected) with remote control advanced monitoring.

    Use some of the heat generated in the process to maintain reactor temperature, thus operating in a circular-economy process.

    Treat all emissions, whether gas or liquid, in compliance with the most rigorous environmental standards.

    Project was completed in 2022.

    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.