SimGas makes and installs domestic biogas systems in farms and rural households in East Africa, using livestock manure as the main input.
The problem
There are between 5 and 10 million smallholder livestock farmers in East Africa, and they are heavily dependent on wood as their primary energy source. This demand is a major driver of deforestation and soil degradation in the region.
The solution
The anaerobic digesters produced locally by SimGas convert livestock manure into biogas – which is used for cooking, as well to power appliances such as lamps and milk chillers – and a rich organic fertiliser worth an estimated $300 per household per year. SimGas claims that each system can replace up to five tonnes of wood per person annually.
The impact
Since its foundation in 2009, SimGas has installed more than 1,500 biogas systems in Kenya and Tanzania; each installation includes a biogas stove, which is delivered on receipt of each customer’s first down payment. The firm’s local biogas system factory can produce up to 10,000 units per year.
The biogas-powered milk chillers developed by SimGas is helping livestock farmers bottom lines, too. “One cubic metre of biogas can cool up to 10 litres of milk per day. There is a need for storage and cooling since the distribution of milk is limited to certain times of the day (it gets dark at 6pm and roads are bad),” explains Sanne Castro, CEO of SimGas. “The biogas milk chiller means it can be stored, chilled overnight and transported the next day.”
EIT Climate-KIC’s role
EIT Climate-KIC accepted SimGas onto its Accelerator programme in 2012, after a thorough pitch and introduction through EIT Climate-KIC’s partner Yes!Delft. At the time, the priority was to find a greater level of investment to move the company on from being a start-up. EIT Climate-KIC provided a grant, a move that helped attract major corporate shareholders by demonstrating SimGas’ credibility. “To get letters of recommendation from people who were recognised in industry and who could lend some credibility to a new venture – this informal support was crucial,” says Castro.
Another major avenue of support was the masterclasses provided as part of the Accelerator programme. “One, in particular, was a marketing masterclass, not just about segmentation but about positioning yourself as an entrepreneur to attract investment. It was about understanding where you are in relation to the rest of the innovation landscape and your competitors,” says Castro. “I really enjoyed the discussion with coaches and those within EIT Climate-KIC. There’s a high level of authority, knowledge and expertise in the field. There was always constructive feedback and sometimes that is the best thing that you can have.”
Fruit production — like all agricultural practices — must...
Agricultural supply chains are critical when it comes to...
Food security will be a defining issue in supporting...
As climate change and extreme weather events become more...
The E-USE project has designed and created six pilot...
Our Smart Sustainable Districts team and our partner community...
Our Smart Sustainable Districts team and our partner community...
Refurbishment is a necessary step to reach the ambitious...
With EIT Climate-KIC’s support, the Bulgarian capital Sofia has...
The Smart Sustainable Office project has developed a suite...
Munep2 has developed innovative planning software that helps transport...
Ambitious sustainability goals characterise the urban development plan of...
Matchmaker links private investors with suitable urban sustainability initiatives,...
Low Carbon City Lab is a global innovation hub...
Facade Leasing is a pilot project that aims to...
Plans to build the EU’s first recycling facility for...
Place’In, a web-based tool for planning and costing circular...
EIT Climate-KIC Demonstrator project Microalgae Biorefinery 2.0 is an...
EnCO2re is a flagship programme within EIT Climate-KIC’s Sustainable Production...
French-Tunisian start-up nextProtein converts insects raised on a diet...
Dutch start-up Meridia, a graduate of EIT Climate-KIC’s Accelerator...
Cycle Farms is an all-in-one insect farming system producing...