Spain: last stop of the energy efficiency business mission

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The energy efficiency business mission led by the LCBA team in Colombia has arrived to an end in Spain . The team was able to visit companies implementing technologies in biogas, hydrolysis and waste recovery in the cities of Barcelona, ​​Valencia, Burgos and Madrid.

The Colombian representatives visited the following Spanish companies: 

  • BARCELONA

-WAGA: Finances, builds and operates WAGABOX under long-term contracts with operators of waste centers sharing with them the income from the sale of biomethane, according to the company, they produce and distribute the cheapest biomethane on the market.

-DFACTORY: Hub for the creation of a system that promotes the promotion and development of industry 4.0

-Leitat: Technology center that provides solutions with high added value to the technological challenges of companies and organizations.

-CAN MATA – PreZero: One of the most important waste dumps in Spain operated by the company PreZero, where the WAGABOX of the WAGA Energy company will operate, “This unit will inject 70 GWh of biomethane per year into the network of the operator Nedgia, which is equivalent to to the gas consumption of 14,000 Spanish households (or a fleet of 200 trucks). The project will avoid the emission of 17,000 tons of eqCO2 per year, by substituting fossil natural gas.” According to figures and company data.

-NATURGY – Biogas plant: It is the second Spanish biomethane generation plant from biogas and the first private initiative industry after Valdemingomez. Thanks to this renewable gas plant, the biogas produced by landfills is recovered to be injected into the city council’s gas network, benefiting families in the use of energy.

  • VALENCIA:

-RECIOIL: Company specialized in commercial management and advice on the exploitation of biogas and composting plants.

  • BURGOS:

-ANAGAS AGF: Biogas and compost plant designed, built and operated by AGF which processes the extracted biomethane transforming it into biogas to be injected into the NETWORK, they have created an innovative technology to reduce the size of the plant and to be able to make them from two containers for process a ton of waste per day and thus feed up to 4 homes.

  • MADRID

-ECONWARD: Global technology company specialized in the development of innovative, efficient and sustainable solutions for the treatment, recycling and recovery of biowaste.

-VALDEMINGOMEZ: Technological park that concentrates practically all of the urban waste facilities (RU) in Madrid, where the more than 4,000 tons that are generated daily in the city converge.

-PROMA INGENIEROS: Company dedicated to technical assistance, advice, research and development and application of results in the field of engineering of urban services and smart cities.

New partnership between Terra Santta and Paques

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Terra Santta Energia is partnering with the Dutch technology provider Paques to transform the left-over waste from the production of ethanol (which is vignesse stillage) into biomethane and digestate for biofertilizers.

For this reason, Terra Santta aims to carry out a project for the conversion of waste from the sugar and ethanol production called vignesse that will be transformed into biogas, and into biomethane. In addition, what is left from that process will be turned into digestate.
The project is structured in 4 phases:

1. Waste out of the ethanol (Vignesse) pre-treatment
2. Conversion of the pre-treated vignesse into biogas
3. Removal of the sulfuric acid (H2S) from the biogas through the compression of biogas to obtain biomethane
4. Conversion of the biogas waste into digestate and fertilizer.

The European company Paques will provide the technological solution, implementation and management of the project.

 

Meet Simon Brugger, Co-Founder and CEO at CellForm Germany

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LCBA joins the #EuropeanYearofYouth

Simon Brugger is a young German entrepreneur who founded CellForm, a company specialised in Flow Plates for Hydrogen Industry (Fuel Cells and Electrolysis Cells). This technology has a wide range of uses and is expected to play a key role in stationary, mobile and portable applications. We had the opportunity to talk to him and learn more about CellForm:

  • Could you tell us about yourprofessional background and why you chose to focus your career on Hydrogen Industry?
I studied process engineering in my bachelor degree in Stuttgart (University of Stuttgart) and General Mamagement in my Master in Friedrichshafen (Zeppelin University). During my time in Stuttgart, I was always fascinated by technological things that also have the greatest impact on society. And so I spent a relatively large amount of time as a research assistant at the institute doing research on plastics made from renewable raw materials. After my bachelor’s degree, however, it was clear to me that i wanted to gain a more comprehensive view of society and the economy and for this reason I decided to do a non-consecutive master’s degree at Zeppelin University. During this time, I first became aware of hydrogen in 2017. The subject gripped me so much that I spent my entire master’s thesis on hydrogen and fuel cells, in addition to my technical background, from a social, ecological and economic perspective. A internships at the strategy department at Daimler also underlined my passion for hydrogen.
  • Which is your main role at CellForm Hydrogen? 
I am Co-Founder and CEO. As the head of a pretty young company, this means I am involved in everything. My passion is our technology and R&D but I am also focused on our funding process, HR, technical sales and supply chain.
  • What kind of services does it provide?
We are manufacturing (forming and welding) bipolar plates for fuel cells and electrolysis with market leading condition in terms of stack efficieny and costs (the two main disadvantages about fuel cells and electrolysis stacks). We developed a new forming and welding technology that gives us the opportunity to implement geometries and features on these plates that are not possible with any other approach. The bipolar plate is the core component of a fuel cell and electrolysis stack. The substrat is a very thin metal foil (0.05-0.1mm thickness). This foil is pretty hard to form. We succeeded in the implementation with not only the most filligree and efficient Flowfield but also by reducing the thickness from 0.1mm (state of the art) to 0.05mm which saves further resources, weight and waste.
  • How does your projectcontribute to the environment?
Since we are able to produce plates that enable a +5% efficiency increase while using -50% of resources we are able to make hydrogen itself way better but also enable the hydrogen technologies in a wider application which also contributes a lot by replacing for example diesel generators.
  • Which was the main challenge you faced to launch your own business project?
Since CellForm is a very young company the lack of experience was the biggest obstacle before we had our first projects with leading fuel cell companies.
  •  Do you have any young talent that inspired your career?
CEO of Sunfire: Nils Aldag.

Interview: Amanda Moraes, Social-Environmental Coordinator at Acciona Energía Brazil

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Amanda Moraes, Graduated in Environmental Engineering and MBA in Corporate Sustainability, is currently working as Social-Environmental at Coordinator Acciona Energía Brazil. Amanda is specialised in environmental licensing and in environmental management. She is the responsible for the implementation of projects in Brazil aligned with company’s ESG strategies. #SheLeadsTheChange

  • Which is ACCIONA Energía main area of activity?

ACCIONA Energía is the largest global energy operator working exclusively in the renewable energy sector, with no fossil legacy. The company has commercial operations in 20 countries on the five continents, and has been present in Brazil since 2021. It works exclusively in renewable energy, with activities in wind, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, hydro and biomass generation.

As a result of more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, the company offers reliable and efficient solutions based on the most advanced technologies, such as green hydrogen and solar floating plants.

The company also sells 100% renewable energy on the electricity markets and through bilateral contracts with a wide range of customers, with a special focus on companies that want to reduce their carbon footprint.

In 2021 we entered the market in Brazil, a priority country for our growth pipeline in the coming years.

  • As socio-environmental coordinator, what is your main mission in the company?

My role is to translate the ESG strategies of the company for our projects in the country, being able to develop our projects with respect to the environment and the people around us and leaving a legacy beyond the generation of clean energy itself.

  • Could you tell us more about your professional experience in environmental and socio-environmental management?

I am passionate about what I do, and I feel that wherever I have been, I have made a difference and come out different, always with positive exchanges and mutual growth.

The environmental and social area goes beyond a profession, it connects me to my truest lifestyle and ideals.

I try in practice to contribute to the world that I believe in and to the revolution that I feel inside of me.

  • What other women have inspired you in your professional career?

I am the result of all the women I have crossed on my professional path and throughout the years I have lived, it is difficult to name names among so many, they all contributed to my growth and improvement, bringing me to where I am and pushing me to reach where I still want to go.

During my professional career I have also been encouraged to grow professionally, regardless of my gender. I recently joined ACCIONA Energía, where I have found several inspiring female colleagues.

Meet Lise Nicolas, Co-Founder of M. & Mme Recyclage

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Lise Nicolas is a young French entrepreneur with the aim of tackling climate change by helping companies that are willing to find and implement new sustainable solutions. She leads M. & Mme Recyclage start-up which provides information about plastic and plastic recycling. Lisa’s ambition is to break the myth around plastic recycling and change the consumption of plastics, specially in the packaging field, which represents 40% of plastic production.

1. Could you tell us about your professional background and why you chose to focus your career on recycling sector?

I did my first steps in the recycling sector through MINIWIZ, a Taiwan-based architecture, and design company that uses recycled plastic inside its projects. I joined them to led the development of an open-access recycled materials database. To help designers and architects to select the best plastic trash for their project regarding their properties. The purpose of the database is to address the disparity between sustainability, recycling, eco-consciousness, and the bleak market reality around its lack of financially feasible applications. We wanted to show the world the unlimited potential of trash by taking recycled material to the highest form of product engineering. Then I join the R&D team and initial conception of the Trashpresso recycling units. The Traspresso is a mobile and solar plastic waste semi-industrial recycling plant. It currently turns plastic trash into products. The highlight of this project was a recycling trip in a remote Tibetan area with National Geographic and Jackie Chan, but that was also when I realized that plastics manufacturers were using the recycling scheme as a parade to legitimize the disposable packaging.

2. Which is your main role at M. & Mme. Recyclage?

My main role is to provide information without financial drive interests about plastic and plastic recycling. To help companies that are willing to go forwards find new sustainable solutions. Meanwhile, I also have to share my knowledge about waste recycling reality and fight against greenwashing. In a world where the quantity of single-use plastic waste is constantly increasing, everyone must have quick and free access to the necessary knowledge to develop a critical mind and participate in environmental sustainability. My ambition is to break the myth around plastic recycling that exonerates all players (not just the consumer). We need to change our consumption of plastics, specially in the packaging field, which represents 40% of plastic production.

3. What kind of services does it provide?

We are a consulting R&D firm on environmental and recycling problematics. Anyone can benefit from our expertise in the following fields: recycling, plastics, bioplastics, ecotoxicity, construction of recycling machines, and recycling plants implementation.

We offer:

  • to support companies in their strategic directions of R&D and
  • the construction and improvement of recycling
  • to provide support on the search for recycled materials, suppliers, collection ..
  • research on recyclability, biodegradability, and the source of materials through scientific articles and technical
  • tailor-made training within your
  • scientific mediation through different channels: infographics, videos, texts… and

2. How does your project contribute to the environment?

Scientific illiteracy is socially constructed. That is why some people do not question their consumption of plastic or that we are witnessing “plastic bashing” (without dissociating fields such as medicine or transportation). My project responds to social-technical issues where the engineer is a crucial link in technical democracy. We wish to support a social demand for citizen participation concerning the main technical orientations (such as the circular economy bill). To be independent and free of machinery, to base my reflection on technics only and without any drive interest.

3. Which was the main challenge you faced to launch your own business project?

 The biggest challenge that we faced and are still facing is that we need to educate people on what is really happening in the recycling industry and what is financially and logistically feasible.

Ignorance about plastic management should stop. It leads to poor and polarized debates and wrong political decisions. For example, the plastic ban where people turned to cardboard instead of rethinking the usage: do we NEED this packaging. Another huge challenge is that one of the reasons for plastic recycling opacity is due to the opposite of interests of actors of the recycling scheme ( collectivity, plastics manufacturers, recyclers, incinerators,…). To be sure to base our work only on technic, and without any drive interest, we didn’t find a way to finance the vulgarisation part of our work, so we are using our savings generated by our consulting firm to back our work.

4. Could you tell us more about the Precious Plastic France Association?

Precious Plastic France is an association that federates and supports the ecosystem of French actors working to reduce plastic pollution and claiming to be part of a global community of small local plastic recyclers. Precious Plastic France aims to develop local recycling workshop. To reduce a maximum of plastics which were supposed to finish in nature, incinerators or landfills.

5. Do you have any young talent that inspired your career?

I have a lot of interest in the work and career of Jean-Marc Jancovici (The shift Project president), Aurélien Barrau ( Physicist & Philosopher) and Etienne Klein (Research director of CEA). I am still inspired today by their projects. On a different style, i am also a hudge fan of Orelsan’s career a french rap artist.

 

#EuropeanYearofYouth

Meet William Bergh, CEO at Cling Systems

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William Bergh is a young Swedish entrepreneur who founded Cling Systems, the B2B platform that connects the battery ecosystem to ensure batteries are reused, repurposed and recycled. We had the pleasure to talk with him and learn more about his circular economy business project:

1.Could you tell us about your professional background and why you chose to focus your career on circular economy? 

The circular economy is something that has always fascinated and really gripped me. Cling Systems was born out of a desire to close the loop of lithium-ion battery systems and a few different experiences from my professional and personal life informed the decision to start it. I studied engineering at Lund University in Sweden and when I was there, together with some friends founded Lund Formula Student’s very first electric formula racing team and developed the first electric driveline. That provided a fascinating preview of the challenges of developing and running a project and team focused on mobility. As my studies were coming to a conclusion, I did my Masters Thesis at Northvolt mapping the logistics of EV batteries and lithium-ion battery recycling. Those experiences got me thinking about how to change the perception of waste. I also spend some of my studies within Environmental Science in Hawaii which really provided a window into how we need to respect the environment. 

2.How does Cling´s B2B market platform work? 

We work to match supply and demand and eliminate as much friction as possible in the trade. This means assembling and structuring loads of battery data. Once a trade is established, we move on to managing compliant shipping, the transfer of liability, and safe payments. The regulations point is important as the supply chain is very extensive, given where battery materials are dug up, where they are refined, where they are manufactured in gigafactories – these often are on different continents so the industry is a global one. We have to stay nimble so who knows how it will look in 12 months’ time as the sector moves so quickly. 

3.Who can participate? 

There are so many players in the industry and it is constantly shifting, but at the moment we view the sell side as companies such as OEMs, fleet owners, insurance providers, diagnostic providers, repair workshops, and car dismantlers. The buy side is remanufacturers, repurporsers and recyclers. Within those groups, we assess and vet those looking to use our platform so that the buyers are professional players and trustworthy. We spend a lot of time building up relationships with other industry players and that is very important for us.  

4.How does your company contribute to the environment? 

A sustainable society is dependent on sustainable batteries. Sustainable batteries are dependent on circularity. Cling enables circularity. Enabling reuse, repurposing and recycling of EV batteries means that material that makes up new batteries does not need to be dug out the ground, often at considerable cost to the environment. Our platform will mean emissions are avoided and the more batteries we can exchange, the more we can contribute towards batteries being seen less as a cost or even waste, and more as an asset. By digitizing this waste, we can make it an accessible and valuable resource. 

5.Which was the main challenge you faced to launch your business project? 

Like any startup, getting funding for the business was a crucial requirement and we completed our seed fundraise of 2.3m USD led by Trucks VC and First Venture, as well as angel investors. Fundraising involves many parallel conversations and takes a lot longer than you think it will so that was a big challenge that we needed to complete. The investors are very supportive and have really helped us accelerate the vision we have for the company.  

6.Do you have any young talent that inspired your career? 

Many. There are incredible people everywhere that has inspired me – in my university classes, high school friends, and of course online and in newspapers. I think peer-inspiration often is overlooked. Look around, who do you see that inspires and motivates you? 

 #EuropeanYearofYouth #LCBA 

Entrevista: Luciana Mengo, Presidente de AFAMAC Argentina

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Luciana Mengo, Presidente de la Asociación de Fabricantes  de Maquinaria Agrícola y Agropartes de Córdoba (AFAMAC), ha dedicado gran parte de su vida al sector agroindustrial. Luciana es socia de Silos Mengo (Tres Eme SA), empresa dedicada a la ingeniería de postcosecha fundada por su padre en 1978. Desde su nombramiento como Presidenta, Luciana ha apostado por liderar el sector de manera justa y equilibrada.

Luciana Mengo #SheLeadsTheChange

  • ¿Cuál es su principal misión dentro AFAMAC? 

Las misiones gremiales empresarias tienen diferentes frentes. Dentro de los cuales yo destaco algunos como los más importantes. En primer lugar, sostener y mantener la indisocincracia propia de la institución para no perder los valores y principios que le dieron su propia IDENTIDAD. A partir de esa base que es de un trabajo continuo y permanente, es importante pensarla como un espacio de formación de proyectos y la concreción de los mismos, llevados adelante entre todas las áreas que la componen para beneficio de los asociados en su totalidad. Para dar cumplimiento a estas metas, es que contamos con una PLANIFICACIÓN ESTRATÉGICA a 4 años que vamos modificando y revisando, tanto los objetivos por áreas como el cumplimiento de los objetivos. 

  • ¿Cuáles son los retos que afronta el sector de fabricantes de maquinaria agrícola argentino en materia de sostenibilidad y economía circular? 

Dentro de los desafíos del sector agroindustrial argentino, es la de lograr la producción de sus equipos en fábricas con estándares de producción adecuadas con el respeto al medioambiente, al cuidado de las personas y a la contribución social de cada localidad en la que se radica. Desde el punto de vista del producto en sí mismo, los departamentos de ingeniería y desarrollo de nuestras fábricas, tienen objetivos claros sobre las demandas que existen a nivel mundial sobre los equipos que fabricamos. Junto con entidades gubernamentales y privadas, orientamos nuestros productos para dar cumplimiento a las demandas relacionadas con la economía circular, desde la manipulación de la basura hasta el comportamiento de los equipos. La tecnología y su implementación es un aliado fundamental en este proceso, como así también la formación de nuestros recursos humanos. Estamos transitando ese desafío, con la energía puesta hacia esos objetivos, el primer paso en la toma de conciencia ya es un hecho. 

  • ¿Qué acciones y qué grado de compromiso espera encontrar por los actores del sector para afrontar dichos retos? 

En cuanto a acciones ya están en curso. Las fábricas nos transformamos de manera permanente y cada objetivo relacionado con la transformación tecnológica en las empresas miran hacia este objetivo y este reto. No veo falta de compromiso, quizás lo que exista en las empresas más pequeñas con estructuras más chicas, lo urgente le gana lo importante, y se hace un poco cuesta arriba enfrentar todos los objetivos juntos, en una coyuntura de macro economía post pandemia, que afecta la provisión de mucha de nuestros insumos elementales para dar cumplimiento a la entrega de nuestros compromisos. Es una pena que con todo el potencial profesional y el espíritu emprendedor de nuestros empresarios tengamos que destinar energía y tiempo a temas que podrían ser más dinámicos y enfocarnos en el futuro. 

  • ¿Cuáles son las perspectivas económicas 2022 para su sector? 

Las perspectivas económicas siempre son buenas, si lo pensamos desde la posición de nuestro principal socio que es el productor agropecuario y los contratistas rurales. Es un sector que empuja y le da recursos al país. Desde el punto de vista macro, todo dependerá de los acuerdos que el gobierno logre para mejorar la economía del país, y eso derrame en la estabilidad económica no solo de las industrias sino también del bienestar de la gente que vive de su trabajo diario. Entendemos que el productor no deja de invertir, y con un dólar tan poco claro, es factible que sigan intentando buscar resguardo en un dólar industrializado. Pronto podremos saber mejor las expectativas cuando abordemos mejor el año y veamos la conducta del ambiente de demanda local y extranjera de acuerdo a la posición de las cosechas, sus rindes y sus valores. Somos un sector optimista en un contexto al que le damos pelea, y me refiero a dar ideas, proyectos y lo pensamos siempre a largo plazo. 

  • ¿Qué tipo de apoyo le ha resultado útil para avanzar en su carrera profesional? 

Sin dudas que el apoyo de mis socios que a su vez son mi familia. Somos segunda generación en mi empresa y mis hermanos han brindado el apoyo que necesito para poder continuar y cumplir con mis compromisos gremiales. Comencé hace muchos años, caminando en puntas de pie sin hacer ruido, escuchando y aprendiendo. Tuve la suerte de que personas generosas que ocupaban puestos de toma de decisiones compartirán no solo conmigo sus conexiones y conocimientos para andar este camino de dedicación y entusiasmo que ellos mismos se ocupan de renovar a cada momento. Se dan batallas diarias y nunca estamos solos. 

  • ¿Hay alguna mujer en concreto que le haya inspirado a nivel profesional? 

Son muchas las personas que inspiran a continuar y a admirar. Si debo referirme a mujeres las hay de todas las edades, mujeres que vivieron épocas más complicadas y se abrieron camino y otras que hoy están acompañando. Sería injusto mencionar solo una, porque no he encontrado ninguna en este andar que tuviese la intención de complicar mi formación, sino más bien todo lo contrario, siempre brazos abiertos. En nuestro sector hay más mujeres de las que pensamos acompañando y dirigiendo, en esta era digital y de comunicaciones tenemos la suerte de que cada vez se le da mayor visibilidad. Es una cuestión de humanidad y no de género. Todos estamos en el mismo plano, y todos vamos hacia lo mismo, una mejor sociedad más equitativa y justa.