ALBEDO
A bio-based thermal insulation material made with citrus peel
The Joy of Squeezing a Juicy Story
A should-not miss opportunity
The building sector has the biggest potential in terms of efficiency gains, as it is the single largest energy-consuming sector in developed countries (50% of the total). In the EU buildings represent 36% of the EU GHG emissions and 40% of its energy consumption, which is mostly used for heating.
Energy efficiency and heat decarbonization in buildings are the key enablers to reach a higher EU climate ambition of reducing our GHG emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to the 1990 level. Insulation may be the key enabler to reach those goals.
A Juicy Market
The global insulation market size was estimated in 2018 at $52.18 Billion in 2018 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.7% because of:
Increasing consumer awareness regarding energy conservation.
Increasing regulatory support and demand for residential and industrial insulation.
Rapid industrialization and urbanization in emerging countries such as China, India, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, are the factors estimated to fuel the product demand.
A Juicy Market also for the Planet
Heating energy demand in existing buildings can be reduced by 30-50% through insulation retrofit and better glazing.
In new buildings, it can be reduced by 90-95%, using widely available insulation technology and design knowledge.
The Catch
Although insulating buildings could have a dramatic impact on fighting climate change at scale, the materials mostly used for that purpose - fiberglass, mineral wool, rock wool, and polystyrene - are made of non-renewable sources, their fabrication is extremely energy-intensive, and the end product is non-biodegradable and hard to recycle. Using bio-based insulation materials seems to be the right way to go as their performance is just as good as mineral or fossil-based materials.
Here is where ALBEDO comes in.
The Solution: Albedo
By using the solid waste produced by the fruit juice industry and the orange juice pressing machines available at food outlets, we are able to create a bio-based insulation material, ALBEDO, for the building industry in large quantities, at the same time positively contributing to climate protection by:
Significantly reducing the volume of waste from the fruit industry that goes to landfill, and the volume of municipal solid waste processed on a daily basis.
Reducing CO2 emissions: it requires little energy to be produced. Plus, as it is widely available, the end product would require short transport distances, meaning, less CO2 emissions.
Reducing energy consumption in buildings, therefore less CO2 emissions.
Raw Material
Waste for others, an excellent raw material for us!
Fruit Juice Industry
Industrial ScaleThe fruit juice industry produces globally >12,000,000 tons per year of solid waste made of citrus peel and seeds
Food Outlets in Cities
City ScaleFood outlets with a cold-pressed machine produce, on average, 50 kg/day of orange solid waste. Only in Europe that means over 3,000 tons/day!!
Partnerships
We are not doing it alone!
Research
Institutional
Municipal Waste Treatment
Industry
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