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Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development initiative - Winners
Powering Agriculture: An energy great challenge for Development
In its inaugural round, more than 475 organizations from 80 countries applied to the Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development initiative, offering market-based, clean energy innovations for the agricultural sphere in developing countries. Each of the winning organizations received awards of between $800,000 and $1.5 million. In total, there are 11 winners from this contest.
Powering African Bamboo, Ethiopia
Problem
In Ethiopia, there are more than one million hectares of bamboo. Recognized as a fast-growing and largely sustainable raw material, there is an increasing global demand for bamboo as a wood substitute for a variety of construction and furnishing applications. However, bamboo resources are often poorly managed. Most in the industry have limited knowledge of modern value-added processing techniques, which limit their earning potential.
Clean Energy Solution
African Bamboo is developing an environmentally friendly bamboo thermal modification process called ThermoBoo. Through this chemical-free process, decay factors such as rot and insects are virtually eliminated, and the thermally-modified bamboo fiber can be further processed into sturdy panels that can be marketed to a range of domestic and international buyers. The ThermoBoo process involves the combustion of biomass dust—a technological approach that is completely new to Ethiopia. Through the project’s successful implementation of a pilot processing facility, African Bamboo envisions developing a replicable model that can lead to prospective business opportunities throughout the region.
Impact
The success of this project will lead to new opportunities for export, employment, and manufacturing in Ethiopia. In addition to its socio-economic impact, bamboo cultivation of native species plays a significant role in reforestation by stabilizing soil. African Bamboo uses environmental impact assessments to ensure the continued promotion of bamboo’s environmental benefits, and the minimization of the company’s ecological footprint.
Organization
African Bamboo is a forestry, wood, and bio-energy company located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, among Africa’s largest reserves of bamboo, African Bamboo develops innovative applications for bamboo, particularly for industrial and commercial uses. The company was established in 2012 as a subsidiary of Fortune Enterprise PLC which, since 1961, has been a manufacturer of wood and metal products in Addis Ababa.
Further Links:
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/african-bamboo
Camco Advisory Services, Tanzania
Problem
In rural areas of Benin and Tanzania, access to modern energy services is extremely limited. Without electricity, farming communities are slow in their adoption of modern agriculture practices—resulting in sparse irrigation, lagging food production, and few opportunities for value-added processing and refrigerated storage. Though some communities depend on fossil fuel-based technologies to meet their energy needs, perpetually escalating fuel costs—coupled with adverse environmental impacts—necessitate the exploration of more affordable and sustainable options.
Clean Energy Solution
Village Industrial Power (VIP) Plants are mini-grid systems powered through the combustion of biomass waste produced at local agricultural processing facilities. The VIP Plants generate mechanical/electrical/thermal energy for use in a diverse range of agricultural activities—processing fruit, palm, rice, and cocoa; dairy pasteurization; purifying water; and powering irrigation pumps. The VIP Plants will be assembled/sold in partnership with local manufacturers, and owned/operated by local Energy Service Companies (ESCOs).
Impact
The project will result in the establishment of 50 agro-processing centers and village mini-grids capable of producing between 10 and 50kW of electricity for homes, social services, and businesses. It is anticipated that the VIP Plants will service more than 5,000 agrarian families. This clean energy solution will contribute agricultural development and low-carbon economic growth that improves food security, financial stability, environmental sustainability, and women’s empowerment through new entrepreneurship opportunities.
Organization
Camco Clean Energy is a sustainable energy development company with offices across Africa. It is experienced in providing rural electrification through solar, biomass, small hydro, and biofuel technologies, addressing traditional charcoal production and consumption. Camco will co-implement activities with Gazogen, Inc—a firm that specializes in the development of biomass fueled co-generation plants.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/camco
The Earth Insitute, Columbia University
Problem
In Senegal, farmers currently use two practices for watering crops: the labor intensive method of flood irrigation with wells and buckets, or the cost- and energy-intensive method of using diesel-powered motor pumps. Neither of these options is ideal in a country with immense solar resources that can be harnessed and used to transform irrigation practices in the country and region.
Clean Energy Solution
Earth Institute’s solution will enable a small group of farmers to use a central solar energy unit to power multiple AC pumps for irrigation. The proposed solution takes advantage of the benefits of solar without the high costs associated with DC-powered pumps and battery storage. This power will be accessed by farmers with prepaid electricity cards issued by a micro-utility, and sold through local vendors who will benefit from a small commission. Recognizing that a major obstacle to technology adoption is financing, a tariff-based financing model will allow customers to cover their appliance loans in small payments added into their micro-utility bills.
Impact
This innovation will reduce the price of energy for irrigation significantly while reducing the carbon intensity of irrigation and the labor expended on it. These benefits are particularly powerful when looking at the demographics of Senegal’s agricultural workforce, which is more than 85 percent women.
Organization
The Earth Institute at Columbia University harnesses scientific research, education, and practical solutions to create a more sustainable world through innovation and critical thinking. Earth Institute has partnered with The MDG Center West and Central Africa (WCA)—an organization established to assist WCA countries develop and implement operational strategies aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/earth-institute
Earth Spark International
Problem
Seventy-five percent of Haiti’s population lacks access to electricity, and farmers frequently lose value of their crops for want of infrastructure and processing equipment. Where processing facilities do exist, they are typically diesel-powered and expensive to operate. This imposes a severe limitation on farmers’ ability to process agricultural goods, maximize the value of their products, and improve their livelihoods.
Clean Energy Solution
EarthSpark has developed a solar-diesel hybrid micro-grid system that will increase access to affordable, reliable electricity for value-added agricultural processing. By providing technical guidance and facilitating access to financing for local partners, EarthSpark will assist agribusinesses in upgrading to efficient electric mills so the processing of rice, sorghum, coffee, and corn can be modernized. The project first focuses on breadfruit crops that typically rot due to lack of processing. Converting the fruit to flour or chips extends the shelf life by months and significantly increases its value and marketability.
Impact
By reducing agricultural waste and enabling value-added processing, the project will boost agribusiness incomes as well as provide surrounding residents with access to electricity, through a pre-paid smart metering system. The project will demonstrate a sustainable business model for operating a local micro-grid, for agribusiness’ upgrading to efficient electric mills, and for breadfruit processing.
Organization
EarthSpark International is a U.S.-based, nonprofit organization with over four years’ experience working with communities, businesses, and government to bring energy access to Haiti’s unelectrified population. Through its local brand Enéji Pwóp, EarthSpark is an established and recognized brand in Haiti with the track record and infrastructure to scale up its clean energy and micro-grid activities. For this project, EarthSpark has partnered with the Haitian agro-processing company Entreprises La Foi.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/earthspark
International Development Enterprises
Problem
Globally, more than 800 million farmers manually lift and haul water to irrigate their farmland. These farmers can drastically decrease their labor and expand their irrigable area by employing motorized pumps. Currently, the most accessible and affordable pump solutions are four to seven horsepower pumps powered by increasingly expensive fossil fuels. Consequently, many farmers are either unable to provide sufficient irrigation to their crops, and/or must allocate a sufficient portion of their income to environmentally-hazardous fossil fuels.
Clean Energy Solution
iDE’s Clean Irrigation Solution (CIS) can compete with fossil fuel pumps both in terms of cost and enhancing agricultural productivity. CIS’s universal piston pump can run on a variety of power sources—solar steam power, photovoltaic power, and grid-connected alternating current (AC) where available. The system accesses groundwater from deeper depths than conventional pumps, and maintains a slow, steady discharge rate. iDE will work with local businesses to sell and service the CIS.
Impact
iDE’s goal is to compete with fossil fuel-powered pumps currently on the market, and ultimately shift famers’ preference toward clean energy pumping solutions. This consumer shift would have a remarkable environmental and socio-economic effect on agrarian communities. Using the CIS instead of a fossil fuel engine can reduce annual carbon emissions by as much as 250 kilograms per 1,000 irrigated square meters.
Organization
iDE has over 30 years’ experience in developing appropriate agricultural products and engaging the private sector to supply these products to smallholder farmers, improving long-standing agricultural practices. This project is implemented in partnership with PRACTICA Foundation—a Dutch organization that has a focus on the commercial application of technology in the field of water and energy, and Futurepump Ltd.—a UK manufacturer of efficient irrigation pumps.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/ide
Motivo Engineering, India
Problem
Although farm productivity in India has grown steadily over recent decades, crop yields are still just 30–60 percent of the best crop yields in many other countries. Agricultural productivity could be significantly boosted by creating more accessible agricultural machinery, and by providing a mobile energy source that runs on inexpensive renewables to meet multiple farm needs such as harvesting, cold storage, and transportation.
Clean Energy Solution
Motivo is developing a “Swiss-Army Knife” system—the Hybrid Agriculture/Road Vehicles with Electricity Storage and Transformation (HARVEST)—that solves a wide range of agricultural mechanization and power-related problems. HARVEST is a multi-purpose platform that provides power for plowing, well-drilling, cold storage, and transporting crops to market. The system utilizes power from varied energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, micro-hydro turbines, or the grid to enable increased productivity all along the agriculture value chain. The entire system is operated at the community level, and facilitated by mobile communication technology for scheduling, billing, and payments.
Impact
HARVEST democratizes opportunity in agriculture by making available to entire communities huge gains in productivity that are enabled through mechanization and reliable power. Varied energy sources will reduce reliance on increasingly-expensive imported diesel, and the system itself will create new skilled jobs for men and women in rural areas in deploying, managing, and maintaining the HARVEST equipment.
Organization
Motivo Engineering specializes in electro-mechanical systems to solve complex challenges across diverse market segments. Motivo’s partner, the KVK Foundation, will draw on their extensive rural development experience in India to introduce new technologies to rural villages, while its partner Feuerlabs will offer their expertise in remote data connectivity to develop a management platform for new technologies.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/motivo
Eco Consult, Jordanien
Problem
Jordan is considered to be one of the ten most water-scarce countries in the world. As water becomes scarcer, its availability for agriculture is expected to decrease. Hydroponic technology, an intensive form of agriculture, uses much less water than conventional farming and offers an excellent opportunity for farmers to increase their income while reducing their water use. Although farmers have expressed their interest in this new technology, its application in Jordan is still limited.
Clean Energy Solution
ECO Consult has developed an integrated model of hydroponic and photovoltaic farming to compete with conventional greenhouse technology and drip irrigation systems. To make the technology attractive to large-scale commercial farms, ECO Consult will retrofit a multi-span greenhouse with advanced hydroponic technologies and photovoltaic panels to generate enough power to operate the lighting, pumping, and air moderation systems.
Impact
ECO Consult’s beneficiaries include large commercial farms as well as small household farms. As more farms adopt these new technologies, the value of their agricultural produce will increase, while their use of scarce natural resources will decrease. Simultaneously, as more rural households adopt this technology at a small-scale, they will realize additional sources of income and new employment opportunities for women and youth.
Organization
Established in Jordan in 1995, ECO Consult is a leading development firm with more than 15 years of experience working in Jordan and the Middle East. Past work includes projects in public sector reform, private sector development, local governance and development zones, energy, water, and environment.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/eco-consult
Rebound Technology, USA
Problem
Post-harvest, physiological obstacles such as ethane production, respiration and microbial attack make getting high quality horticultural products to market a significant challenge. Removing field heat from these products can double shelf-life and reduce spoilage rates that often exceed 40 percent in developing countries. Unfortunately, current off-grid cooling technologies are expensive, energy intensive, and difficult to maintain.
Clean Energy Solution
SunChill is a novel, off-grid refrigeration solution enabling increased agricultural productivity by: (i) Removing field heat from crops immediately following harvest, and (ii) Providing continued product cooling at local markets and/or central processing facilities. This clean energy solution transforms 50°C solar thermal energy into 10°C refrigeration using water-based refrigerants, zero electricity and local, non-precision components. These characteristics enable production of a low cost, low-maintenance technology that reduces spoilage and benefits smallholder farmer livelihoods.
Impact
SunChill is one of the first developing world technologies that reliably removes field heat without a high-cost electrical supply. The low-cost system enables increased horticultural production both for domestic and export consumption, generating additional income for smallholder farmers and increased access to nutritional fruits and vegetables while generating both manufacturing and service based employment.
Organization
Rebound Technology develops tailored refrigeration technologies designed to meet global energy market dynamics while reducing fossil fuel dependence. To successfully design, build and deploy SunChill technology, Rebound will leverage critical partnerships. The Energy Institute’s (Colorado State University) product development experience will support R&D, TechnoServe’s business solutions focus will drive host nation outreach/support, and Mozambique Organicos research farm will provide the primary venue for SunChill deployment and in-field testing.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/rebound-tech
Promethean Power Systems, USA
Problem
In India, $10 billion worth of perishable foods are wasted annually because of unreliable cold-chain supply networks. A major obstacle in setting up cold chain networks is the lack of reliable electricity to run refrigeration systems in villages and farming areas. Diesel generators are often used to provide electricity for milk chilling, a non-ideal solution with high operating costs and negative environmental impact.
Clean Energy Solution
Promethean’s refrigeration solution uses a thermal energy battery pack that charges on solar power and/or a few hours of grid electricity. This provides cold storage around the clock despite inconsistent access to electricity. Dairy processors can collect raw milk from remote dairy farmers and keep it cold in a rapid milk cooler, reducing the time that milk is unchilled by 75 percent. Promethean will design and deploy the refrigeration systems in collaboration with India’s largest private dairy and one of India’s largest solar installers.
Impact
India is the largest producer and consumer of milk in the world. Increasing access to milk while decreasing bacteria and spoilage supports food security and consumer health in India, where 42 percent of children under the age of five are malnourished. This project will improve access to forward markets, higher income for the dairy farmers, and wealth creation through increase in herd size.
Organization
Promethean Power Systems designs and manufactures refrigeration systems coupled to their thermal batteries for agricultural commercial refrigeration applications in off-grid and partially electrified areas of developing countries. Promethean is working in partnership with the Hatsun Argo—India’s largest private dairy company, and Orb Energy—a leading solar energy system provider in India.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/promethean
SunDanzer Refrigeration, USA
Problem
Due to limited electrification in rural areas, 85 percent of Kenya’s 800,000+ dairy farms do not have access to refrigerated storage and transportation. This deficiency in the distribution chain results in less than half of the milk produced reaching dairy processors. Of the milk that is processed, up to 30 percent of it may spoil without appropriate cold-storage options. Consequently, many dairy farmers and processors unnecessarily may lose significant earning potential from their operations.
Clean Energy Solution
Recognizing the need for affordable cold-chain technologies, SunDanzer is developing a small-scale portable cooling system tailored for use in the Kenyan dairy market. The system comprises a photovoltaic refrigerator (PVR) that uses solar energy to cool a chest refrigerator. This technology may use a battery for energy storage or phase-change materials—substances which are capable of storing and releasing large amounts of energy—or a combination of both. SunDanzer will evaluate freezing phase-change material into“milk packs.” The portable milk packs retain their cold temperature overnight, and in the morning, farmers use them to keep collected milk cold in sterilized aluminum milk containers as they transport it to dairy processing facilities.
Impact
This clean energy solution aims to increase dairy farm productivity and income by significantly decreasing milk spoilage. Effective cold-chain storage lowers bacteria count and improves milk quality for consumers. These improvements can play a major role in the livelihoods of approximately one million smallholder dairy farming families in Kenya.
Organization
SunDanzer has 14 years of experience with off-grid refrigeration needs, including developing the world’s first battery-free solar powered refrigerator. Winrock International is a leader in agricultural development and has more than a quarter century of experience with renewable energy based rural electrification. It has supported the installation of more than 80,000 rural renewable energy systems around the globe and has three offices in Kenya.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/sundanzer
University of Georgia Research Foundation, USA
Problem
Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, the dairy industry suffers from lack of proper refrigeration options. Large dairies cannot export milk to neighboring markets due to international standards requiring milk be cooled within four hours of production. Small farmers may lose 20–50 percent of milk to spoilage due to lack of cold-chain facilities. There is limited access to electricity for refrigeration units, and kerosene and solar-powered options have proved too expensive and difficult to operate.
Clean Energy Solution
UGARF has developed a refrigeration unit powered on biogas—which is extracted from cow manure. The unit regenerates zeolite plates, which retain their capacity to capture water vapor from the evaporative milk chilling process. Partnered with Smallholder Fortunes, UGARF is refining the design of the refrigeration unit, and testing it with farmers in Uganda. UGARF will work with local manufacturers to secure financing and bring production of the units to commercial scale.
Impact
This project has numerous social, economic, and environmental benefits. Refrigeration units will benefit dairy farmers by decreasing milk spoilage and increasing production and profits. Captured biogas can be used for lighting and cooking—saving income that would otherwise be spent on kerosene, and replacing the use of wood and charcoal for cooking. Also, by extracting biogas from cow manure, greenhouse gas emissions from fermenting cow manure is mitigated.
Organization
The UGARF is a nonprofit entity housed within the University of Georgia (UGA) in the United States that enhances UGA’s excellence as a research and higher education institution. Smallholder Fortunes is a small-scale dairy farm located in Wakiso District, Uganda.
Further Links
To read more in detail, please click:
http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/smallholder-fortunes-thermogenn
