Coco shell-powered technology in Aklan wins award

A small biomass power system that converts raw coconut shells to both electrical and thermal energy has won a prestigious Asian Innovation Award given annually by the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER).

Called BioMax, the system is the core of a pioneering project in the village of Alaminos, Madalag, Aklan, where its productive uses are harnessed to create coconut-based livelihood opportunities.

The BioMax was designed and built by Community Power Corp., a Colorado, USA-based company (www.gocpc.com), with support from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the US Department of Energy and Shell Solar B.V. of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The sustainable energy program of the Shell Foundation, London, England, funded the livelihood component of the project.

The BioMax gasifies the coconut shells for combustion in a spark-ignited engine. The engine drives a generator to produce up to 15 Kw of utility-grade 240 Volt, three-phase, power. The electricity powers a number of electrical loads including a 10 hp decorticator that separates coconut husks into fiber and dust. The fiber can be woven into erosion control nets, plant liners, and doormats, while the dust can be processed into a plant-growing medium.

Up to 30 Kw of waste heat can be tapped from the engine exhaust and cooling water. The heat can be used for drying high-value crops such as copra, fish, rice and mangoes.

The FEER Asian Innovation Awards, now in its fourth year, honors individuals and companies in Asia "who come up with new ideas, methods or technologies, or apply existing knowledge in a way that improves quality of life and enhances productivity." This year’s winners are featured in the FEER Oct. 18 issue.

For more information, contact Perla Manapol, CPC project manager: tel. no. 036-262-4846; fax 036-268-4765; or e-mail: [email protected]