Everlasting Technology

A smart biogas system that converts waste into cooking gas and uses IoT technology to enable users only pay for the gas they consume, enabling last-mile communities access clean energy.

The energy problem in Africa is primarily one of access, with large portions of the population lacking access to reliable and sustainable sources of electricity. This is especially true in rural areas, where many communities rely on traditional biomass fuels such as wood and charcoal for cooking and heating.

In Zimbabwe, the scale of the energy problem is significant. According to the World Bank, only about 30% of the population has access to electricity, and many households rely on traditional biomass fuels for cooking and heating. The majority of the population in rural areas is affected by this problem.

The factors contributing to the energy problem in Zimbabwe include a lack of on-grid infrastructure for most households in rural areas. Additionally, the economic crisis in the country has made it difficult for many households to afford the cost of electricity from the national grid. This is impacting many aspects of daily life, such as the ability to light homes and cook food, as well as access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

The consequences of the energy problem in Zimbabwe include poor air quality from indoor air pollution caused by the burning of traditional biomass fuels, a lack of access to reliable and sustainable sources of energy, and a lack of economic development due to a lack of access to electricity.

It's important to note that the energy problem in Africa is not just limited to Zimbabwe but many other countries in Africa face similar challenges and issues. According to the International Energy Agency, more than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity.

Our system is a compact, self-contained, multi-purpose home cooking unit that directly uses organic waste to generate electricity and cooking gas. The household system provides energy to cook all meals for a family, plus electricity for lighting, mobile phone charging, digital access, and other needs. This system is a hybrid version of the current biogas digesters but with improved technology and efficiency.

The system uses anaerobic digesters to convert organic waste into methane gas and liquid fertilizer and further uses the thermoelectric concept to convert the waste heat into electricity. The innovation is the first of its kind in the market and has the potential to transform and make an impact on the lives of off-grid households. We provide our system to users at a $0 initial payment cost and using our software and hardware IoT technology, users use the pay-as-you-go model to only pay for the energy they consume.

The target population for system in Zimbabwe is primarily rural, low-income households. These households typically rely on traditional fuels such as firewood and charcoal for cooking and heating, which can be expensive and environmentally damaging. According to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 90% of households in rural areas of Zimbabwe rely on traditional fuels for cooking. This can lead to indoor air pollution, which is a major health concern in the country. The same study found that over 60% of households in rural areas of Zimbabwe do not have access to electricity. This can limit economic opportunities and educational opportunities for children.

Our solution addresses the needs of this population by providing a clean, renewable, and cost-effective source of energy. Users use organic waste to generate clean energy for cooking and lighting, reducing the dependence on traditional fuels and decreasing the financial burden on households.

Our solution also addresses the issue of unreliable electricity by providing an alternative source of energy for powering homes and small businesses. This can lead to increased economic opportunities and improved access to education and information for children. According to a report by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, renewable energy has the potential to provide clean energy to over 2 million households in Zimbabwe, reducing dependence on traditional fuels and improving energy access.

Overall, our solution provides a sustainable and holistic approach to addressing the energy needs of rural, low-income households in Zimbabwe, improving their standard of living and increasing their overall well-being.

Our Innovation impacts a wide range of people in Zimbabwe , including:

• Rural communities: Many rural communities in Zimbabwe lack access to electricity, and our system can provide a cost-effective and sustainable solution for powering homes, businesses, and essential services such as healthcare and education.

• Low-income households: Our system can provide a more affordable and reliable source of electricity for low-income households,reducing the burden of high energy costs and improving the overall quality of life.

• Women and children: In many households, women and children are primarily responsible for collecting firewood and other traditional fuels, which can be time-consuming and dangerous. Our system can reduce the need for these activities and improve their safety and well-being.

• Farmers: Our system can power small scale irrigation systems, water pumps and other agricultural equipment, allowing farmers to increase their productivity and improve their livelihoods

Our team comprises a diverse and complementary group of experts. We are specifically positioned to take our startup from a national scale to Sub-Saharan Africa in the near future as it has proven in undertaking the pilot that it is capable.

The Everlasting Technology team is a combination of technical expertise and local knowledge. We have individuals with backgrounds in engineering, renewable energy, human-centered design, and agriculture, as well as those with experience working in rural, low-income communities in Zimbabwe.

Team members like Macdonald have experience designing and implementing renewable energy projects in Zimbabwe. He has worked on several projects in rural communities in Zimbabwe. He has a strong commitment to sustainable development and is passionate about improving the lives of low-income households. Jane is a community development worker with over five years of experience working in rural communities in Zimbabwe. She has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by low-income households in terms of energy access and food security. She has experience in community mobilization and capacity building and is skilled in working with community-based organizations.

We also have a pool of Advisors who include an energy expert and engineer who has experience working with the government of Zimbabwe on energy policy and regulation. He has a deep understanding of the energy sector in Zimbabwe and has experience in working with the private sector to develop sustainable energy solutions.

To date, we have conducted two research phases with rural households surrounding the Marondera (Mashonaland East) region in Zimbabwe.  This was done through interviews and  focus group discussions. We were able to understand and document the needs and challenges faced by our target population in terms of energy access and food security. We were also able to identify specific features and benefits that would be most valued by the target population and put issues such as affordability in implementing our solution. 

We have also collaborated with existing organizations such as Zimbiogas, who have been providing the current biogas systems in the Zimbabwean market which are an old and established technology with low efficiency. This provided us  an opportunity to learn about the challenges and successes of existing solutions and to gain a better understanding of the context and needs of the target population.

We are currently still engaging potential users in the design and development of the solution. We have been doing our pilot phases in our target communities so as to get specific feedback.

Our solution is a self-contained smart biogas system that converts organic waste into cooking gas and electricity and also uses IoT technology to enable users only pay for the gas they consume.

This solution is innovative because it combines multiple technologies to address a pressing problem in a comprehensive and sustainable way.

The use of thermoelectric technology will allow the conversion of heat produced during cooking to generate electricity. The smart system utilizes IoT technology to enable users to only pay for the gas they consume, which is a unique approach that addresses the issue of affordability and accessibility of clean energy in last-mile communities.

Additionally, the biogas system converts organic waste into cooking gas and electricity, which is a significantly improved approach to traditional waste management methods. This not only helps to reduce waste and pollution, but also provides a valuable source of clean energy.

Furthermore, the system could be catalytic by enabling broader positive impacts from others in this space. By providing a sustainable and cost-effective solution for last-mile communities, it could potentially change the market for clean energy and inspire other companies to develop similar solutions. Additionally, by reducing waste and pollution, it could also have positive impacts on the environment and public health.

We have a vision and mission to contribute to the renewable energy space in Zimbabwe and Sub-Saharan Africa at large. Over the next year, we aim to

• Increase access to clean energy for last-mile communities in Zimbabwe by 30% within the next year through the implementation of the smart biogas system in at least ten rural communities.

• Reduce dependence on fossil fuels by 20% within the next year by using the biogas system to convert waste into cooking gas and electricity in at least five urban areas.

• Decrease pollution by 15% within the next year by diverting waste from traditional disposal methods and converting it into a valuable source of clean energy in at least eight towns.

We will achieve these goals by continuing to develop partnerships with local governments, organizations, and NGOs, which are helping us identify the target communities and urban areas and also training local technicians and partners to operate and maintain the system. We are also conducting monitoring and evaluation of the system's impact and results and continuously seeking funding and investment opportunities to scale up the implementation.

The technology that powers this system is a revamped version of the biogas technology itself. Biogas is a type of renewable energy that is produced by the breakdown of organic matter, such as food waste or animal manure, in an oxygen-free environment. This process, called anaerobic digestion, produces a mixture of gases, primarily methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), which can be used as a source of clean energy.

The system uses thermoelectric technology to produce electricity from the heat generated during the cooking process.  Thermoelectric technology converts a temperature difference into electricity, typically using a device called a thermoelectric generator (TEG). These TEGs are integrated into the system, converting the heat from the cooking process into electricity.

The system also uses IoT technology to enable users to only pay for the gas they consume. IoT technology involves the use of sensors, connected devices, and internet connectivity using a global sim card to collect and transmit data. In this case, the IoT technology is used to monitor the amount of gas being used by each individual user, and then sends that data to a central system that calculates the cost and sends bills to the users which can be payed through mobile payments or agents.

Additionally, the system also uses advanced control systems to regulate and optimize the biogas production process, to ensure high-quality gas production and reduce energy losses. The system also includes safety features to prevent gas leakage and overpressure.

Overall, this solution relies on a combination of different technologies to efficiently convert waste into cooking gas and electricity, and to make the energy accessible to last-mile communities through the use of IoT technology, and ensure safety and optimal performance.

We have managed to collect in field data to over 2000 households. We are currently in pilot phase and we have installed our system in 15 rural households. We conducting monitoring and evaluation of the system's impact and results.

The pilot test is helping us receive feedback to enhance usability, and started traction, we have a minimum viable product with user traction and user feedback and iterations. We are now going for market validation and scaling product in 2023-2024.

We plan to scale up to 500 households by end of the 2023 year.

The barries that may limit our inmpact include:

legal barriers: lack of regulations and policies in Zimbabwe in place to support the implementation of the smart biogas system, and to provide incentives for users to adopt the system.
Cultural barriers: lack of awareness and education about the benefits and uses of the system among the target population, and lack of acceptance of the system due to cultural and social norms.
Market barriers: lack of competition and demand in the market for the smart biogas system, and lack of access to market information and data to identify the best target areas and populations.

SNV netherlands development organization - a not-for-profit international development organisation,provided us with a grant which we used for idea development and prototyping.

Biogas Industry Association of Zimbabwe (BIAZ) - BIAZ is a local
non-governmental organization with expertise in the promotion of biogas
technology in Zimbabwe. They have demonstrated their commitment to
supporting the our social enterprise by entering into a verbal agreement to provide technical assistance and support. BIAZ will contribute
its expertise in implementing our systems and will collaborate in
providing household training on how to operate and maintain the systems.
They will also support identifying potential landfill to source our
organic waste for pellets of our system and securing the necessary
permits and approvals.

Ministry of Energy and Power Development - The
Ministry is responsible for developing and implementing energy policy
in Zimbabwe. They have indicated a verbal interest in supporting our innovation and have committed to providing subsidies for installing our
systems. They will also support in securing the necessary permits and
approvals.

Rural Electrification Agency (REA) - REA is a government agency responsible
for promoting rural electrification in Zimbabwe. They have indicated a
verbal interest in supporting the project and helping us in mapping the
rural households.

Colgate University Thought Into Action Programme-
They are providing a pool of pro bono field experts located world wide
who have demonstrated their commitment to supporting the project.

The business model for the smart biogas system is a pay-per-use model, where customers only pay for the amount of cooking gas and electricity that they consume.

Our pay-as-you-go (PAYG) financing model can improve access to clean energy by making it more affordable and accessible to people living in poverty. The model allows customers to pay for services in small increments, by using mobile money, other digital payments, or our designated local agents, rather than having to make a large upfront investment. This can make the services more affordable and accessible to people who may not have the means to pay for them upfront.

The key customers for this system would are off-grid communities that currently lack access to clean energy sources. The primary beneficiaries of this system are individuals and households within these communities. The products or services provided to customers include clean cooking gas and electricity, generated from waste through the use of IoT technology. These products and services are provided through the installation and operation of the smart biogas system within the community. Customers would want or need these products and services as they provide a reliable and sustainable source of energy, which can improve their quality of life and reduce their dependence on traditional fossil fuels.

The path to financial sustainability for our social enterprise involves a combination of different revenue streams. The options include:

• Selling product through the Pay-As-You-Go model: The system generates clean cooking gas and electricity, which users pay for the amount they consume.

• Service contracts with governments: The system can be installed and operated under a service contract with the government, which would provide a steady source of revenue.

• Raising investment capital: The social enterprise plans to  raise investment capital from investors, who would be attracted by the environmental and social impact of the project.