Investing in the energy transition
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
By United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Innovators and entrepreneurs are working to speed up the transition towards clean and renewable energy sources, but many of the innovative clean energy projects have trouble raising the finance to turn their ideas into reality.
This was the case for ATEC, a social enterprise in Cambodia which has developed appropriate technology to address the health and environmental issues associated with cooking with wood and charcoal.
ATEC produces a small-scale biodigester system for rural Cambodian households. The basis of the system is a biodigester container which can be filled with a combination of organic waste – such as leftovers from the kitchen and animal manure – and water. When the waste decomposes it produces methane gas, which can be used for cooking. As well as providing a free and sustainable energy source, the process leaves waste that can also be used as a natural fertilizer for crops. The use of the ATEC biodigester system can save the average Cambodian family around $254 per year.
Photo courtesy of Ken Teegardin.
