Andrea Hurtado
Mauricio Leal
enrique ortiz
Universidad de Monterrey
Blanca Camargo
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SOLBEN offers technologies to strengthen the production of various bioenergy sources based on a product diversification model. They have experience in the identification and use of raw materials that can be converted to bio fuels, fostering the transition of Mexican companies to the low carbon economy.
"It is the creation of fossil fuels, they are made entirely of plants. From fuels to plants, they do not have the same emissions when they burn fossils" - Daniel Gomez, 2017.
In 2008 Mr. Gómez founded SOLBEN, a biofuel generation company with which 80% of Mexican biodiesel plants operate.
SOLBEN markets technology to produce energy from the extraction of seed oils such as jatropha, sunflower, peanut, or soybeans. It also carries out research for the development of systems for the treatment of waste and production of biogas or ethanol. It is a company that focuses on the development of technology for the production of biofuels. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel similar to petroleum diesel that can be produced from any animal or vegetable oil; they are sustainable.
To be more specific, SOLBEN produces a fuel made completely out of plants, so the innovation is that the cars can use this fuel instead of gasoline, and using this fuel generates only 20% of emissions than regular gasoline does. The impact of this fuel to the environment is less than that of gasoline, because it is burning plants, not chemicals.
This is an innovation because before SOLBEN , there was not even one producer of biodiesel in Mexico, so there where no options to buy a bio fuel in almost the whole continent, and SOLBEN gave the opportunity to everyone that wanted to take care of the environment, not just create a new option of fuel for the people, it is also cheaper to produce so it sells cheaper than gasoline. "Biodiesel already existed, but there were no biodiesel producers in Mexico, the majority and competition are in Asia. This was the first," said Daniel Gómez in his interview.
The inspiration of this innovation arose when the owner of the company, worried that the city of Monterrey was one of the most polluted cities in the world, wanted to make a small change, and being very passionate about biodiesel, thanks to one of his chemistry classes at the university, decided to develop, along with four of his friends, a machine that could help in some way the environment.
"My three partners and friends: Guillermo Colunga, Antonio López, and Mauricio Pareja. Everything started inside a biodiesel club, we were four people crazy about biodiesel, and whenever we went to congresses and events and asked about Mexican technology they said of that there is not. For that you have to go to England, Germany, the United States, you care and you take a good commission. And we always had this concern about why buying international technology when you can develop Mexican technology and this was when we began to develop the technology to generate biodiesel through animal and vegetable oils", said Daniel Gómez in the his interview.
The services are intended to provide technical support to individuals and/or companies interested in the production of bio fuels and the use of their waste (solid, liquid, organic, inorganic, food, industrial, etc.). Also, to demonstrate that Mexican youth can develop high-impact technology at the international level. To inspire Mexicans to exploit their ideas, their ambitions, their personal or group innovations, to see beyond their own lives, to see the needs that exist in the world and the needs that people need.
The impact of the biodiesel is that reduces 80% of the toxic pollutants and greenhouse gases in comparison to the ones of gasoline, and can be use in any diesel car. This fuel is produced with plants and organic waste, so it is like making your trash into fuel, and also it can be obtained from certain plants, that means that we can produce it as long as we have plants and organic waste. One clear impact is the reduction of toxic pollution and greenhouse gases in the city of New York, because is estimated that 6,000 cars use biodiesel in this city, and several industries obtain their biodiesel from SOLBEN.
The benefit of the company is that they have many alliances with several companies that help SOLBEN in the development of their innovations and in the development in the community, and all of these to make SOLBEN a socially responsible company. Here are some examples:
Societal benefit:
At present, Mexico and many developing countries have seen the need to go to European and North American companies to obtain technologies in the bio-energy industry. At the moment SOLBEN has more than 30 national suppliers, generating 15 direct jobs and 30 indirect jobs in the projects it carries out. On the other hand, the sustainable communities program aims to revive rural economies marginalized, using idle land and providing the Mexican countryside producer with the possibility to participate in the production chain beyond agriculture alone.
Environmental benefit:
This fuel produces less toxic pollutants than gasoline, so it pollutes less, and also is produced of plants, organic waste, and/or vegetable oil. This means is a renewable product, and also sustainable, not like gasoline that its made out of petroleum.
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Daniel Gomez, Founder
