Sierra Leone demonstrator

Freetown

What are the identified needs?

Food security and proper food waste management is a major challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa. Freetown needs better access to renewable energy and natural fertilizer for sustainable agriculture, as well as improved food waste management and water purification. 

What solutions will ENERGICA bring?

ENERGICA will demonstrate a containerized Waste Transformer bio-digester in Waterloo, to demonstrate the efficient implementation of renewable energy technology to match local contexts needs, to divert food waste from landfil, and produce renewable energy and liquid natural fertilizer from that same food waste in urban setting. The improved technology solution will be: 

• Redesigned to increase efficiency and local operations  

• Locally operated and ready for replicability 

• Providing clean energy for a local water purification solution 

This low-tech solution will be scaled up for urban use, aligning with local policies and addressing Water-Energy-Food nexus challenges. 

Biodigester and water purification system

What are the identified needs?

The Waste Transformer in Aberdeen is a new biodigester that turns food waste into clean energy through a natural digestion process. Think of it like a giant stomach filled with helpful bacteria that “eat” leftover food and produce biogas (similar to natural gas) as a result. The Waste Transformer biodigester has been turned on and is now carefully building up these beneficial bacteria colonies by feeding them small amounts of food waste at first, allowing them to grow and adapt to the local food waste being collected.

This process is constantly monitored remotely and by workers on-site to make sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. The goal is to take food waste that would normally go to landfill and convert this food waste into renewable energy that can power homes and businesses in the community, while also reducing food waste and helping the environment. As the bacteria get stronger and more established, the Waste Transformer biodigester will be able to process more food waste and produce more clean energy for Aberdeen and the water purification device operating next to the biodigester.