Innovation

The innovation involves not only technology, but also more efficient products, services, business models, and intelligence, as well as other non-technical areas (Frankelius Per, 2009).

Kangxin Bioenergy Technology was established in Ganzhou, China, in 2016. "Our goal is to lead the Chinese biomass pellet energy industry and actively promote the wide application of new clean energy." Zhaowu Hong, the CEO, said.

Biomass pellet fuel is a renewable and environmentally friendly fuel that is used as a substitute for coal and fossil fuels. Kangxin Bioenergy Technology uses the roller granulator to compress all kinds of biomass, usually recycled sawdust waste, by pulverizing, de-doping, extruding, cooling, and finally making a granular biomass fuel. The operational process of this production method is simpler than the traditional method, and it is easy to roll out to large-scale production. “The fixed carbon content of biomass pellets is only about 15% while the burning rate of that is over 98%, and the ash content is only 5% of coal. Its biggest advantage is the zero emission of carbon dioxide.” Zhaowu Hong said. In addition, biomass pellet fuels play a pivotal role in improving local environmental quality and promoting local economic growth. It is characterized by high volatility and high carbon activity, while the cost is much lower than that of coal and fossil fuels. Biomass pellet fuel minimizes the damage to the ecological environment and is praised as "green coal."

Inspiration

“Our initial inspiration came from the environmental pollution of our city. Ganzhou is the largest manufacturing base for solid wood furniture in China, and the disposal of wood waste has long been the most worrying issue for the local government.” Zhaowu Hong said. The furniture manufacturing industry has also caused very serious environmental pollution while driving local community economic development. Both furniture manufacturers and community residents are eager to find a way to improve the quality of their surroundings. Therefore, through the introduction of advanced equipment and production technology and the use of rich local sawdust raw materials, biomass pellet fuel came out! Kangxin Bioenergy Technology takes the protection of the environment as its starting point and not only solves the problem of local wood waste disposal, but also creates a new type of clean fuel.

Overall impact

Biomass pellet fuel breaks through the disadvantages of non-renewable and seriously polluting traditional fossil fuels and is a landmark development in the field of renewable energy. At this stage, biomass pellet fuel can meet the urgent energy demands of industrial production and households and help them get rid of their heavy dependence on traditional fossil fuels. In addition, it helps promote energy diversification and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby easing the pressure on the environment. “The emergence of biomass pellet fuels has deepened people's awareness of clean energy. More and more factories and households are willing to use biomass pellets instead of coal as heating fuel,” Zhaowu Hong said. As a result, biomass pellet fuel not only improves the local ecological environment, but also enhances the environmental awareness of the people. In the long run, the wide application of biomass pellet fuels can promote the process of energy modernization and change the methods of energy production and consumption. It has positive significance for establishing a sustainable energy system, promoting economic development, and protecting the environment.

Business benefit

The biomass pellet fuel project generated the highest profit margin last year and has become the core business of Kangxin Bioenergy Technology. Prior to the launch of the innovation, their main business was to provide wood fibers for paper mills, with limited profits and a narrow customer base. However, the emergence of biomass pellet fuel has opened up the new energy market, and all those who use traditional fossil fuels are its potential customers. Kangxin Bioenergy Technology has become the leader of the local clean energy industry, and this has been followed by an increase in popularity and reputation, which is very beneficial for attracting high-tech talent and realizing industrial upgrades. In addition, the raw materials required for production are inexpensive and readily available, which reduces the amount of production and transportation costs for the business.

Social and environmental benefit

By comparing the information from the UN Global Goals and the interviewee, this innovation achieves the following goals in terms of social benefits:

First, the innovation of biomass pellet fuels subverts the traditional energy model and creates a new clean energy industry, which reflects Goal 9 (Sustainable Development Goals, 2015). In addition, “the biomass pellet fuel industry has become the second-largest pillar of industry in the area and has formed a good cooperative relationship with the furniture manufacturing industry,” Zhaowu Hong said. Therefore, the emergence and development of new industries will inevitably lead to local economic growth. At the same time, good cooperation promotes the efficient recycling of local sawdust waste and helps establish sustainable cities and communities. In this way, the innovation meets both Goals 8 and 11 (Sustainable Development Goals, 2015).

Given the fact that biomass pellet fuel is an affordable alternative to coal and fossil fuels with zero emissions of carbon dioxide, this innovation also satisfies Goal 7, Affordable and Clean Energy (Sustainable Development Goals, 2015).

Interview

Zhaowu Hong, CEO