Takamoto Biogas, a green energy start-up based in Kenya hopes to change the way rural Kenyans live by introducing them to renewable energy from the remains of their farm animals.
Kenya is largely an agricultural nation with over 80 percent depending on farming as source of livelihood. However, most of families still depend on firewood and charcoal for cooking, heating and for various activities on the farm while disposing animal remains or using them as fertilizer.
Founded last year in Nairobi Kenya, Takamoto Biogas uses this same underutilised manure and animal waste to not power rural farming communities. The start-up is helping farmers set up biogas systems on their farms which are then used to cook, light and heat their homes while the rest of the remains become fertilizer for use on farms again instead of expensive commercial fertilisers saving farmers cash in thousands and curbing deforestation, reducing farmers workload and protecting the environment in general.
Apart from producing the gas as fuel and fertiliser, the team also imports biogas cookers, stoves, heating systems and biogas generators for thier clients.
This year, Takamoto biogas won Winner of Grand Challenges Exploration Grant for Groundbreaking Research in Global Health and Development funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and were semifinalist for Echoing Green Fellowship. In 2012 they won the Enjuba Young Entrepreneur Award and Foundation for a Sustainable Future Richard Heinberg Prize.
Based at GrowthHub Africa in Nairobi, Takamoto Biogas works simply.
Farmers collect animal waste, load it daily into underground biogas systems constructed by Takamoto Biogas. The waste breaks down and creates gas that is piped directly to its point of use for cooking, lighting, heating among others and the remain waste is fertilizer.
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