EcoSfera helps turn your household waste into energy in the comfort of your home

During the COVID-19 crisis, waste collection from Malaysian households was disrupted thanks to the Movement Control Order (MCO). Used face masks added to the problem.

Yusof Faizal Amin thought about creating a solution to turn waste into electricity and use it for domestic consumption. “A miniaturised waste-to-energy (WTE) system that combines the latest waste conversion technology and power generation systems will be useful during the pandemic. That was the vision behind the EcoSfera.”

EcoSfera is a containerised, on-site waste conversion system to produce on-demand energy and valuable byproducts. It can turn organic and inorganic waste into combustible synthesis gas (syngas) to generate electricity and bio-carbon for agriculture and power plants. The system employs cutting-edge gasification and pyrolysis technology, cleaner than conventional incinerators and diesel generators.

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EcoSfera was developed by Tigasfera, a company Faizal Amin founded in 2014. “Tigasfera means ‘three spheres’ in Bahasa, which we refer to as ‘waste management’, ‘renewable energy’ and ‘decarbonisation’. “EcoSfera is designed to address all these three challenges simultaneously,” he says.

The company’s WTE approach offers several benefits, claims Faizal Amin. “Customers can divert waste away from open dumps and landfills, helping reduce methane emissions from landfills, offsetting fossil fuel-based power generation and reducing emissions associated with waste transportation and disposal,” he shares. “In addition, converting waste at the source minimises transportation costs. It reduces the sorting issue because waste is less co-mingled at the source.”

Customers can also divert waste away from open dumps and landfills, helping reduce methane emissions from landfills, offsetting fossil fuel-based power generation and reducing emissions associated with waste transportation and disposal.

“By treating at source, we can reduce transportation costs and emissions by half and reduce the hassle of sorting as it’s less co-mingled at the source. Customers can also track where their waste goes and measure the impact for sustainability and compliance purposes. The EcoSfera modular design can scale according to customer demand and deploy the solution within six months,” he adds.

EcoSfera, available in 20ft or 40ft sizes, can be installed on the customers’ premises, process five to 50 tonnes of waste per day, and create up to 150kWh of power per container, claims Faizal Amin.

“Our on-site solution empowers businesses and organisations to track and monetise their waste, which can be used for ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting and generate new value. Our system uses the latest pyrolysis and gasification technology, which is cleaner than incinerator or diesel genset alternatives and can generate valuable byproducts,” he says.

“Moreover, EcoSfera is designed to be modular and mobile; hence, it can meet the customer’s changing demand and be deployed within six months. Additionally, this approach provides a more localised and efficient energy generation method, addressing energy needs precisely where required, thereby reducing strain on centralised energy grids and reducing the costs of developing new grids at remote locations,” explains Faizal Amin.

He admits that one of the critical challenges in developing distributed energy systems for waste conversion is the variability of waste streams. Tigasfera has overcome this challenge by creating systems that handle various waste types and volumes.

Another challenge is the need to ensure that the systems are reliable and efficient. The company has addressed this by using cutting-edge technologies and working closely with its technical partners and early customers to optimise the system.

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“We invested in developing a local integrated prototype machine as part of localised research and strategic showcase, which is crucial in designing and deploying our containerised version. To date, the prototype has successfully processed three tonnes of mixed waste, generate revenue from biochar and run modified genset using the syngas. We have to manage regulatory hurdles, but the engagement with stakeholders, especially the authorities and government agencies, has provided us with good support thus far,” he reveals.

Tigasfera’s monetisation strategy involves offering on-site waste conversion services through various models, including a zero CAPEX subscription fee option. “Through this system, the firm can match customers’ current waste disposal costs, generating significant value from the byproducts and receiving upsides such as carbon credits, which could be shared with our customers.”

As of now, Tigasfera targets sectors dealing with substantial waste disposal costs and being environmentally conscious, particularly industries and commercial establishments, while looking at domestic and Southeast Asia regions. It has signed NDAs and MOUs with over two dozen public-listed companies, major players along the waste value chain, research institutions, technology partners, government agencies and even a carbon credit registry. They represent the feedstock providers, byproduct off-takers, and enablers that complete our value chain.

“Given that our solution is new and we’re creating a whole new value chain, collaboration with these parties is crucial, and we are happy to receive tremendous interest and support from them. These partnerships help refine the technology, access waste sources, ensure compliance, and expand the implementation of distributed energy systems,” Faizal Amin notes.

Tigasfera recently graduated from local energy giant PETRONAS’s technology accelerator programme, FutureTech 3.0. The firm is now seeking grants/seed funding as it moves from operating prototypes to delivering its first commercial containerised EcoSfera and building its manufacturing capacity.

He says the firm plans to gradually expand into various use cases, such as the bio-energy and decarbonisation industry, addressing the needs of diverse industries and municipalities. “We aim to expand our distributed energy systems in the Southeast Asia region and have received interest from the Middle East.”

By reducing greenhouse gas emissions, decreasing reliance on non-renewable energy sources, and promoting circular economic practices, EcoSfera aims to contribute significantly to the global goals of combating climate change and promoting responsible waste management.

“We are committed to helping to create a more sustainable future, and our technology is a key part of the solution,” he concludes.

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Image Credit: Tigasfera.

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