Team Waste2ES: Please tell us more about CGRN and your push to develop renewable energy.
John Buckoke: CGRN is a leading provider of customised microgrid solutions and onsite energy technology systems. We are focused on helping customers worldwide meet their carbon reduction, energy savings and resiliency goals — just like you!
TW: The relationship you have with Waste2ES is as a technology partner as opposed to a distributor. What made you realise that this was such a good fit for your business?
JB: CGRN’s industry-leading, highly efficient, low-emission, resilient and scalable distributed microturbine energy system fits perfectly with the Waste2ES-distributed Anaerobic Digestion (AD) products.
Together, they enable our clients with onsite commercial and industrial organic waste to reduce exposure to energy, waste disposal and carbon taxation expenses, and reduce carbon emissions.
By coupling Waste2ES’ AD unit with one of Capstone’s renewable power solutions, we are able to cleanly and effectively convert the energy from the methane gas it creates.
So rather than simply venting or flaring the methane gas, Capstone microturbines can convert this free fuel to clean and reliable electricity for use at the site or surrounding areas.
TW: How different is the UK market from that of the US, where you are based?
JB: The US is less developed than the UK, but only because electrical power from Biogas has been subsidised in the UK. This created a free-market imperfection which resulted in subsidy chasers building much poor-quality and ineffective centralised AD installations.
Most of the UK facilities increase carbon emissions, air pollution and expenses, largely taxpayer, in the unnecessary transportation of waste away from facilities and communities where the waste arises and farms for digestate sales, to these centralised installations.
This is what we particularly like about Waste2ES’ AD solution — the whole point of it is that it is designed to be based onsite so removes these current market issues.
TW: Why should someone opt for Capstone Green Energy technology?
JB: CGRN Microturbines are industry-leading, highly efficient, ultra-low emission, resilient and scalable distributed Combined Heat and Power (CHP or Cogeneration) systems.
Uptime is over 99%, ensuring maximum Return on Investment (ROI). No lubricants or coolants to be used. The best part is there is one moving part that only requires swapping out once every five years, so overall carbon lifecycle expenses, emissions and waste generation are low as well.
TW: Is there anything else you would like to add?
JB: CGRN chose to work with Waste2ES because they are customer-focussed, which makes them innovative and forward-looking. We look forward to having a long-lasting working relationship with them.