Pitch
Create a cottage industry using small inexpensive solar concentrators to convert waste into saleable products.
Description
Summary
After developing a design for a small (<1.5m Diameter), inexpensive parabolic solar concentrating dish. Develop an industry for developing nations utilising micro loans and local manufacturing to create a new business model using low technology and solar power to convert waste to useful products.
Category of the action
Reducing emissions from waste management
What actions do you propose?
Create a design for a low cost easily to produce parabolic solar concentrator. The design could be easily created by pressing thin sheetmetal with a high chrome finish. The rigidity of the dish could be ensured using a brace/support bracket that can be easily built from local materials ie. bamboo, timber, scrap metal.
After the design is finalised introduce the model into developing nations and spread the business model through micro loans and independent business people.
The concentrated energy of the dish (¬1Kw) can be used for a variety of purposes. It can be used to create charcoal from organic matter through pyrolisis, heat water, sterilise water and equipment, reduce the volume of waste through pyrolisis, create biogas through pyrolisis, cook food, produce electricity using a thermocouple, reduce the volume of sewerage and create a saleable product (fertiliser) through dessication and sterilisation.
Who will take these actions?
NGOs, Government Aid agencies, universities
Where will these actions be taken?
Developing countries, third world countries, refugee camps, disaster zones, places with high unemployment and lack of services. Counties preferrably located near the equator or with large amounts of sunlight.
What are other key benefits?
Creates employment, provides services that are otherwise unavailable, uses renewable energy, reduces waste volume, reduces resource consumption, improves health and quality of life for those who use the system.
How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?
What are the proposal’s costs?
Design and development of a construction process can be completed by university students. An Initial trial in a developing nation with pre-built concentrating dishes brought into the country and project staff onsite for a number of weeks could be delivered for well under $10,000.
Establishment of a local production facility would be entirely dependent upon the country chosen and availability of resouces and equipment but equipment costs sould be no greater than $5000. This is assuming a human powered press and wooden dies are used.
Time line
Anytime.
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