Innovation

Livestock is the sector with the highest growth in the world which sustains the livelihood of 1,300 million people. However, it generates 18% of the total carbon dioxide (CO2) emmitions.

The development of sustainable practices in livestock industry could reduce emissions of methane gas up to 41%. Such alternative is the bio-digesters that convert livestock manure into bio-gas and bio-fertilizer.

Sistema Biobolsa helps small producers to convert natural waste from livestock into renewable energy, produce electricity and save money whilst avoiding the purchase of LP gas.

The bio-digestor allows obtaining low-cost fertilizer for plants and methane gas that is generated during the decomposition process and through a pipe is connected directly to the stove for cooking or to the necessary machinery.

The system is a tubular container made of a high density membrane resistant to the environment of the field and daily feeds on organic waste from the farm. Inside the reactor the manure is mixed with water and an oxygen-free environment is generated, where the same bacteria that is active in the stomach of pigs or cows flourish, which converts waste into methane gas and generates bio-gas.

During the process, biol is also obtained, which is a type of fertilizer that replaces the chemical products and increases the productivity in crops and improves the soil.

The system helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the use of firewood, which is the main source of combustion for 25% of the Mexican population, and helps avoid the contamination of basins and rivers and the creation of dangerous microorganisms.

Inspiration

To develop a system that helps farmers grow crops and generates bio-gas for other uses - was the initial idea behind this invention, inspired by the desire to help the world to be a better place by reducing air pollution and developing an alternative system that changes the use of animal feces.

Biobolsa started with the dream to change the traditional system that was old and very robust. "We wanted to make a change and make it cheaper, so we studied the actual systems and work on a prototype and improved that technology with research and development focusing on bringing an easy to use product and make it cheaper. When we had the best prototype we started to see how we were going to manufacture it and make it possible and develop a systematized way to sell it and to give benefits to farmers that they can easily see. Its an incremental system that was created by solving a set of milestones" *

Overall impact

Currently the company has installed 3,200 systems in the world and has treated more than four million tons of waste. It has offices in Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua and Kenya.

In five years, the company seeks to install more than 10,000 systems a year, only in Mexico and 50,000 worldwide. They focus now is on improving the distribution network, connecting with other players in the market, making alliances with government agencies, business leaders in energy and agricultural sectors in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean and seeking agreements with financial micro-systems.

Biobolsa is a B Corporation, the aim of which is to help create integral value for the World and the Earth, promoting forms of economic organization that can be assessed based on the welfare of people and society, simultaneously considering short and long term term effects of its business.

A community of almost 350 B Companies in the region provide a real example that it is possible to realize this vision and that together they are able to generate more than 5,000 million dollars annually while promoting legislative projects to help this new commercial business form; create awareness through university education and take this same conversation to the public. *

Business benefit

Biobolsa has established their own way to measure how much their clients spend on energy, waste treatment and on fertilizers. They set a very simple equation where the client can calculate the investment they need to do in the equipment in order to generate savings over a period of time. In addition Biobolsa offer a payment plan for the farmers so they don’t have to make a big one-off payment. As a result farmers are able to maintain a good cash-flow while increasing productivity.

Biobolsa also helps deal with the impact farming has on ecology of the world. For example it helps to reduce 85,000 + tons of CO2 emissions, eliminates 6.7 tons of feces produces by animals from the system and changes it into bio-gas and fertilizer that farmers can use for growing crops.

Social and environmental benefit

The objective of the bio-gas program is to promote the health, economic and environmental benefits that the bio-digestor provides to small agricultural producers and their communities through the good management of livestock waste, generation of eco energy and organic fertilizer whilst protecting forests, basins and water tables, promoting organic agriculture and reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG).

The Bioescuela was born during a challenge in Iniciativa México in which Sistema Biobolsa was to develop an educational model that would transform education in Mexico. This is how Bioescuela was born in 2011, as a practical educational program related to water, energy, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene issues, the program based on a series of integrated technologies and infrastructure interventions that are appropriately selected according to their circumstances. The "Bioescuela" was established in Huautla, Oaxaca and it seek to make it a replicable model for sustainability education.

Aspects that Bioescuela seeks to address in the future:

• Center for the transfer of appropriate technologies and knowledge for self-sufficiency

• Food self-sufficiency of the "Bioescuela"

• Appropriate education (complementary to that established by the SEP)

• Platform for the integration of key actors in community rural development

• Program of education in sustainability and environment

• Promote education for sustainability

* Interview with Alex Eaton/www.sistemabiobolsa.com

Interview

ALEX EATON, CFO