S3d is a french cleantech company whishing to offer industrialists who “own” fatty by-products, the possibility to process these sources of growth and added value on-site, in keeping with sustainable development principles. Strating form this idea, S3d developed and marketed equipment which enables on-site processing and energy recovery of organic waste. They decide to offer “turnkey” waste recycling equipment in view of producing energy.
PRESENTATION
The Company was created by Anthony KERIHUEL and Luc GERUN. They both have a PHD in physics from the Ecole des Mines of Nantes. Anthony Kerihuel, from the Ecole Polytechnique of Marseille, prepared a thesis on the emulsification of animal fat. Luc Gerun, from the Ecole des Mines of Nantes, worked on the gasification of biomass. The original idea for founding S3d (Solutions for Waste and Sustainable Development) consisted in implementing their thesis work by marketing innovative technologies.It was formalised during their participation in the “Entrepreuneuriales 2005″ challenge (competition for students from the Pays de la Loire whose aim was to create a fictional company) where they won first prize. Growing interest in our project enabled us to be incubated by Atlantpole, the regional incubator, under the supervision of the Ecoles des Mines of Nantes in May 2005. Finally, they were rewarded during the national competition organised by the ministry of research in the “emergence” category in 2006, thanks to David Guianvarch’s support. Guianvarch then joined the team to provide his knowledge of the by-product recycling market, which he acquired when working as administrative and financial manager of an SME group in the agri-foodstuffs industry and the recycling of waste from the fishery and poultry sectors.
INNOVATION
S3d offers a fatty by-product energy recovery unit for agri-foodstuff industrialists (slaughterhouses, meat curing plants, prepared meat product plants etc.). The innovative ValorFat process consists in simultaneously producing electricity and heat using vegetable or animal fat. (Valorfat process video).The ValorFat process comes within the framework of a sustainable development approach by contributing to reducing CO2 emissions.
PRESENTATION OF FAT RECYCLING UNIT
First of all, the fatty by-products are processed to extract the pure fat. It is turned into biofuel by dilution (adding of ethanol) and by emulsification (incorporation of micro-droplets of water in the oil phase). It powers a Diesel engine whose work is converted into electricity by using a generator while heat exchangers enable hot water to be produced.
Pre-processing the fat favours its combustion, notably thanks to the micro-explosion phenomenon. This leads to a significant decrease in the NOx pollutant and particle emissions. Consequentially, the fouling of the installations is minimal, enabling reduced maintenance and high availability.
Finally, the return on investment of the offered installations is 2 to 6 years depending on the tonnage to be processed.
MARKET
The company is targeting 3 main applications :
-Recycling of slaughter by-products
-Recycling of cooking oil and fat (partly consumed fuel)
-Recycling of flotation fat (agri-foodstuffs industry, catering)
STRATEGY
The company has now 14 employees. Tests on the demonstrator are conclusive, and the efficiency rate remains close to that obtained with diesel fuel while NOx and particle emissions are reduced by 80%. The company is now at the commercial stage after validation and technical regulations. The export to Italy, Spain, Belgium and the United Kingdom is ongoing.
FINANCIALS
S3d is a simplified joint stock company with a capital of €478,830. The company raised EUR 470 000 from an industrial holding
SOURCES
February 10th, 2010 at 19 h 48 min
Great Article
Very interesting company !
March 11th, 2010 at 22 h 15 min
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