HomeBiogas is a biogas company based in Beit Yanai, Israel.Wanshel, Elyse. "This Machine Turns Your Food Waste Into Gas For Cooking." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 13 June 2016. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. The company produces and sells anaerobic digesters that convert organic waste into methane gas and liquid fertilizer.Lewis, Ori, and Elana Ringler. "Israeli Biogas Digesters Energise Isolated Palestinian Village." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 24 Aug. 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017.

Founding

In 2007, HomeBioGas cofounder Yair Teller observed small biogas systems in Mexico.Leichman, Abigail Klein. "Backyard Unit Eats Trash to Make Biofuel." Israel21c. Israel21c, 14 May 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. Inspired, he traveled to other developing nations to learn more.

Teller, and cofounder Oshik Efrati, acquired many biogas systems from China and India. They installed them locally, quickly judging them to work poorly. Particularly, Teller and Efrati believed these systems suffered from poor efficiency, unpleasant odors and insect infestations.

In 2012, Teller and Efrati, now joined by final co-founder Erez Lancer, formally created HomeBiogas.Rabi, Idan. "Israeli Co HomeBiogas Turns Waste into Cooking Gas - Globes English." Globes. Globes Publisher Itonut, 25 Aug. 2016. Web. 07 Aug. 2017.

Partnerships

Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection, in 2014, purchased HomeBiogas units, distributing them to Umm Batin Bedouin village. Shortly afterwards, the Ministry purchased 25 additional systems and again distributed them to Umm Batin, and another Negev Bedouin village.Leichman, Abigail Klein. "Backyard Unit Eats Trash to Make Biofuel." Israel21c. Israel21c, 14 May 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. Similarly, HomeBiogas has also supplied biodigesters to Bedouins in the Negev in conjunction with the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies."Israeli Biogas Generators Turn Food Leftovers into Free, Clean Energy for Palestinian Village." The Jerusalem Post. Jpost Inc., 24 Aug. 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017.

After learning of the Umm Batin program, multiple governments reached out to HomeBiogas. Prominent among them is the Dominican Republic, whose government purchased 500 HomeBiogas appliances in an effort to reduce citizen dependence on wood for heating.Leichman, Abigail Klein. "Backyard Unit Eats Trash to Make Biofuel." Israel21c, 14 May 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017.

The European Union and the Peres Center for Peace contracted HomeBiogas to install HomeBiogas digesters in the central West Bank's Jordan Valley in 2015. Approximately 40 digesters were installed, with the European Union providing the 500,000 euros in funding.Lewis, Ori, and Elana Ringler. "Israeli Biogas Digesters Energise Isolated Palestinian Village." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 24 Aug. 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017.

Commercialization

In January 2016, HomeBiogas expanded into the domestic sector, launching an Indiegogo campaign.Rabi, Idan. "Israeli Co HomeBiogas Turns Waste into Cooking Gas - Globes English." Globes. Globes Publisher Itonut, 25 Aug. 2016. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. The campaign reached its goal of $100,000 in the first 24 hours, eventually culminating in over $250,000 raised.Oswald, Ed. "This Biodigester Promises to Turn Your Food Scraps into Usable Cooking Gas." TechHive. TechHive, 30 Nov. 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. These first commercial units shipped in May, 2016.Chow, Lorraine. "Turn Your Organic Waste Into Energy for Your Home." EcoWatch. EcoWatch, 28 June 2016. Web. 07 Aug. 2017.

HomeBiogas appliance

The HomeBiogas system generates biogas by anaerobically fermenting organic matter.Greenwalt | Dec 01, 2015, Megan. "Israeli Company Seeks Entry in U.S. Market with At-Home Biogas System." Waste360. Penton, 02 Dec. 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. Types of acceptable organic matter include meat, dairy, and animal manure, as well.Wanshel, Elyse. "This Machine Turns Your Food Waste Into Gas For Cooking." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 13 June 2016. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. The anaerobic digestion is achieved by bacteria living inside the system. As a result, HomeBiogas runs without electricity.

As of 2016, HomeBiogas can receive inputs of up to six liters per day of food waste, or up to 15 liters per day of animal manure.Markham, Derek. "Home-sized Biogas Unit Turns Organic Waste into Cooking Fuel and Fertilizer, for under $900." TreeHugger. Treehugger, 01 May 2017. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. Each kilogram may produce 200 liters of biogas, enough fuel for an hour of cooking.Schuster, Ruth. "Turning Poo into Power: Startup Can Get You Cooking with Homemade Gas." Haaretz.com. Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd., 26 Nov. 2015. Web. 07 Aug. 2017.

Environmental impact

Annually, each HomeBiogas system may eliminate up to one ton of organic waste, and six tons of carbon dioxide.Chow, Lorraine. "Turn Your Organic Waste Into Energy for Your Home." EcoWatch. EcoWatch, 28 June 2016. Web. 07 Aug. 2017. Since its inception and up to June 2022, the green tech company prevented about 86,000 tons of emissions by processing around 15,000 tons of organic waste."10 Exciting Green Technology Companies 2022." Sustainability Success. Sustainability Success, 20 June 2022. Web. 09 Jul. 2022.

References