MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

CONVERTING BIOWASTE TO CLEAN ENERGY

One-line solution summary:

BIOWASTE TO CLEAN AFFORDABLE ENERGY AND FERTILIZER

Pitch your solution.

Aquatic weed has covered over 30% of the fresh water Lake Victoria. Lack of an organised system of aquatic weed harvesting has resulted into undesirable water surface cover, difficulty of beach access for local fishermen, crude dumping of aquatic waste leading to heaps along the lake shores where clean-up is left mostly to natural water waves. In addition, there is massive and rapid decline in food security. Demand for organic fertilizers is high. Bentos Energy is a manufacturing business involved in recycling waste biomass into affordable, clean, smokeless charcoal briquettes. Therefore there is huge demand for affordable clean green energy .

The innovation is a process of recycling biomass from dumpsites and harvested water hyacinth that is collected from the lake cover and mixed with paper sludge from industries and charred waste biomass to form a unique resin that is extruded into smokeless affordable charcoal briquettes.

Film your elevator pitch.

What specific problem are you solving?

The specific challenge we are we are addressing?

Access to Affordable clean Energy -Every year 15,000 Kenyans dies from respiratory related diseases numbers higher than Malaria, HIV and Aids
Waste management -Nairobi generates 30 metric tones every day of which 72% is bimass
Reduce deforestation -Kenyas current forest cover is only 7.2% and the recomended UN bench mark is 10%
Youth and women unemployment Food Security cuuerntly stands at 60% in kenya
Foood Security- Kenya currently only has 30% arable land due to poor soli condition that require soil conditioning

What is your solution?

The main challenge is that invasive aquatic weed has covered over 30% of the fresh water Lake Victoria whereas the Nairobi dumpsite (Dandora) receives 30 metric tonnes every day. Lack of an organised waste management system o has resulted into undesirable water surface cover, difficulty of beach access for local fishermen, crude dumping of aquatic waste leading to heaps along the lake shores where clean-up is left mostly to natural water waves. In addition, there is massive and rapid decline in food security.Rrecycling waste biomass into affordable, clean, smokeless charcoal briquettes. There is huge demand for affordable clean green energy and organic waste is hugely abundant and readily available.

The innovation is a process of recycling harvested water hyacinth that is collected from the lake cover and mixed with paper sludge and charred waste biomass to form a unique resin that is extruded into smokeless charcoal briquettes. The results are practically efficient, smokeless and cheaper source of energy with numerous advantages.

Over 800 jobs have been created along the value chain
4150 mature trees have been saved
3000 fishermen can now navigate landing beaches to access fish markets
430 tons of waste biomass has been harvested from the dumpsites

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

This project serves fisher men along the shores of Lake Victoria, refugees in norther Kenya, farmers in western Kenya and families living near the dumpsite in Nairobi as follows:

Eutrophication, ammonia and phosphorus emissions are mitigated during the process of collection and sorting of organic waste reduces Disease incidents in habitation bordering dumpsites. Challenge of navigating and accessing the fresh water lake by reducing negative climate change through the reduction of eutrophication and promoting growth of aquatic life.

Social impacts result from the procurement and production steps of the value chain and primarily target towards improvement of livelihoods of organic waste collectors. The technology will afford 2000 youth direct employment along the supply value chain . They comfortably afford using cheap, long-lasting and smokeless charcoal briquettes.

Bentos Energy products are manufactured from aquatic biomass thus reducing undesired aquatic weed on the lake cover and this addresse SDGs. . In the first year, over 430 tons of water hyacinth will be recycled. This will translate to 4150 mature trees; this is equivalent to 161.85 tons of CO2 saved from the environment. Bentos Energy will benefit from this program by building new networks, further innovation and training on climate change mitigation.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Enable small and new businesses, especially in untapped communities, to prosper and create good jobs through access to capital, networks, and technology

Explain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Challenge and your selected dimension.

The challenge of waste in land fills is being addressed by lifting it to be processed into clean fuel and fertilizer

Access to landing beaches along lake Victoria is now easy and livelihoods along the

Incomes and livelihoods of those living next to the dumpsite is improved because the evvironment is clean and most of them have been enrolled into NHIF ( National Insurance Health Fund to get basic health cover and the their families.

The concept of recyclin has tranformed livelihoods

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Nirobi Kenya

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Growth: An organization with an established product, service, or business model rolled out in one or, ideally, several communities, which is poised for further growth

Who is the primary delegate for your solution?

Youth and Women from the under privilaged communit