A 24-hour low-carbon technology for producing organic fertilisers
We speak to João Calixto of Freetilizer about the company’s enzymatic hydrolysis process for organic waste materials. Freetilizer was a New Energy Challenge winner in 2023.
We have demonstrated that the technology produces three to six times less carbon dioxide compared with other technologies on the market.
How would you describe your technology and what it does?
Our technology is an innovative solution that applies enzymatic hydrolysis to the conversion of different types of organic waste. Take chicken farming as an example – the management of manure presents a cost and challenge to farmers. Freetilizer technology transforms the manure into sources of revenue – solid and liquid organic fertilisers – in a process that takes just 24 hours to complete and has no waste side streams.
What did winning the NEC mean for the company?
It was very important for us. When developing a new technology, the recognition from winning an award indicates we are doing something right. The most important thing was that it gave us access to the Shell GameChanger programme. Working with Shell experts has helped us further develop and de-risk the technology.
What kinds of things have you done as a result?
The first step was to adjust the unit to make it more suitable for chicken manure, which we identified as a key market, and to increase its capacity so it could treat up to a tonne of manure per day. We have also gone through process and output validation steps to show that the technology works and that the organic fertilisers it produces are compliant with European Union regulations. Through an environmental analysis life-cycle assessment of the technology, we have demonstrated that the technology produces three to six times less carbon dioxide compared with other technologies on the market, and that it has a short payback time.
Did the Shell GameChanger process make you think differently about what you were doing?
I would say it gave us more opportunities, because while working with Shell experts we realised that our technology could have applications beyond the initial scope.
For example, through the GameChanger programme, we realised that our technology could also be used for digestate treatment. Digestate is the residue generated from the biogas production process. Right now, we are speaking with a major European stakeholder that produces hundreds of cubic metres of digestate per day. This opportunity emerged following insights and connections gained through Shell’s support in the GameChanger programme.
What are your next steps in developing the technology or the business?
The first step will be to put a unit in a working farm environment to prove that it works at a commercial scale. And, at the same time, validation to show that Freetilizer technology delivers organic fertiliser products suitable for the European market.
What advice would you give to a company that wins this year?
Enjoy the moment. Winning the NEC is an amazing achievement that means you are doing a great job. Also, take the opportunity to learn and network with everyone: the mentors and experts and the other start-ups. The competition can open a lot of doors. For example, we are currently speaking with a chicken farmer in Germany and that contact came from an investor involved in the NEC.
www.pipemasters.pt/environmental-projects-freetilizer
