Problem

Climate change is placing hardship on 3 billion people in poverty. Dysentery and spread of disease can be prevented if they could just boil water, keep food chilled, and power small appliances. For every tonne of carbon dioxide we emit into the atmosphere, we sacrifice $212 in environmental degradation and negative social impacts.

Solution

ET Microgrids mitigate waste by disposing of biomass in an oxygen-deprived process that produces syngas, which is used to power a small electrical generator to power appliances. The heat produced can keep homes warm at night and boil water to prevent disease. Biochar is the leftover byproduct, which is used to filter water and rejuvenate damaged soils. We sell ET Microgrid leases to top carbon producers, providing them sellable carbon credits to offset carbon taxes. ET Microgrids are deployed to end users in impoverished communities to generate power for small appliances, heat to boil water, and biochar to filter water and enhance agricultural soils. Together, the ET Microgrid is a sustainable energy system that creates a path to world equalization.

How it works

Carbon Credit Customers can buy an annual subscription for each ET Microgrid. Each ET Microgrid offsets up to 250,000 tons of carbon per year. End users get a portable microgrid that provides constant 5kW electricity, heat for boiling water, and biochar material for soil remediation. Carbon rich biomass (such as corn) is heated in an oxygen starved process that produces synthetic natural gas and biochar.

The biochar is removed and tilled into the farm soil because it behaves as a sponge that soaks up water and atmospheric carbon and provides greater crop yields. The syngas feeds a small turbo genset that produces 5kW of electricity and heat. The heat can be used to boil water, to heat a residence, or cook food. Carbon offset data is tracked by two analog computers for taxes and reporting.

Carbon spot prices for eligible types:

• Energy Efficiency – 8.20€/tCO2e + 1€ Fairtrade premium
• Renewable Energy – 8.10€/tCO2e + 1€ Fairtrade premium

Waste byproduct: Biochar

Biochar has added value as a byproduct of producing syngas from biomass. Activated carbon is the key material for small scale water treatment. ET-Grid servers can generate carbon with BETs above 500 square meters per gram. Assuming poor quality raw water, about 1 Kg activated carbon is needed per person per year. (30,000 people per server).

The spent carbon can then be used in soil enhancers. In a typical operating scenario about 100 kg activated carbon (of a Possible 400 kg/day ) can be coproduced with electricity.

Market

As of 2015, the Carbon Trade Economy was worth €5Trillion and set to grow. 3 billion people live in impoverished communities within 2 km of a water source but do not have the ability to boil water or power appliances to chill food.

Competition

Within distressed regions, diesel generators are used. They are too costly for communities with limited access to fuel, and provide no benefit to the environment.