Project Details
Company Maturity Level
HiGi Energy: A carbon offset charcoal briquette made from invasive Water Hyacinth
HiGi Energy Corporation is a manufacturing startup company majoring in energy product, with eco-charcoals (clean solid fuels) as the first product of the company, deploying technologies fully developed with the supports from professors in the University of National Energy in Malaysia. There is no infringement of IP as HiGi owned exclusive right to deploy the technology. ADB will be the partner and by working together contributing to the greater success of the execution. Our technology has been recognized by US Department of State and awarded one of the best startups in GIST competition organized in Stanford University, Silicon Valley during Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2016.
What problem are you trying to solve? Who has this problem?
Invasive plant named “water hyacinth” could grow at average, 7.28 ton per hectare per day, depending on the optimum conditions, clogging more than 51 rivers out of 421 rivers in the Philippines and covered 20% surface area of the largest lake in the Philippines, Laguna De Bay. Particularly in Laguna De Bay, it disturbed aquaculture industry and caused damage to fishpen & fishcage to an economic loss of estimated to be PHP 1.8 billion according to Bureau of Fisheries & Resources. Simultaneously, 11.5 million population living (legal & illegal) around the lakeshore which they are vulnerable to floods due to clogging of water hyacinth mats to the current flow causing 400,000 people to have lost their homes.
Value Proposition
Water hyacinth mat blocks current flow by 45% to 75%, for water depth less than 2-3m. For water depth less than 1m, it blocks entirely. Its rapid growth is frustrated for no monetary value is found in the plants apart from handicraft making. As team of engineers major in renewable energy, we studied the plants’ properties and design machineries to convert the plants into clean solid fuels (charcoal briquettes) at economical-viable commercial scale. With a value chain developed from monetizing the plants, we are motivated to offer lower contractual cleaning & maintenance price to the local governments at high frequency than the current contractors. Despite lower price offer in the service, we are still sustainable as we are paid to source raw materials at inbound logistic stage, further adding value will enable us to sell the charcoal briquettes to the barbecue restaurants owners in Manila at a lower price compared to other available charcoal briquettes.
A Carbon-Offset Charcoal Briquette Made From Water Hyacinth. The solution is estimated to benefit ... More
Creates 25 new jobs during the lifetime on the project.
Goal 7 Affordable Energy: The amount of useful energy derived (12,000 MJ/day)
Goal 13 Responsible Consumption & Production:The amount (ton) of water hyacinth harvested per day (10 ton per day)
Jackie Yap, Founding CEO
Advisors
Investors
PROJECT SUMMARY
Organization Name
HiGi Energy
Legal Classification
Private Company
Country
Philippines
Sector
Energy Efficiency
Fund Raising Status
Active
Proposed Investment
USD 85,000 - Equity
Technology
Biomass
Last Update
November 7, 2017
A Carbon-Offset Charcoal Briquette Made From Water Hyacinth
The solution is estimated to benefit 455 fishpen operators & 1,599 fishcage operators span across 13,115 ha covering 2 municipalities & 1 city around Laguna De Bay. These are Binangonan in Rizal, Biñan in Laguna, and Muntinlupa City in Metro Manila at pilot stage. These two municipalities and one city accounted for 18.75 percent of the total number of 16 municipalities with fishpen and fishcage operations around the lake. For job creation, we estimate it to be around 25-40 decent jobs created for harvesters, and 15 jobs for processing & logistics. To achieve bigger impacts involving greater reach, it is assumed to involve the volunteering activities from college students in promoting the environmental efforts of clearing the rivers and water systems. By far, we had been invited to speak at De La Salle University, we strive to spread more to other universities.