JND Environmental Technics (JET)

(JET) will have 3 main business activities:
a)Fabrication and installation of Compact Biogas Systems (CBS) using food wastes as feedstock
b)Manufacturing of high quality, clean burning charcoal briquettes from Agriculture waste
c)Import and promote ARTI Sarai Cooker Systems for reduced Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) and charcoal consumption.

a.) The Compact Biogas Systems are made from cut-down polythene water tanks and standard plastic piping. It uses two tanks, with volumes of typically 0.75 m3 and 1 m3. The smaller tank (gas holder) is inverted over the larger one which holds the mixture of decomposing feedstock and water (slurry). It needs a space about 2 m2 and 2.5 m high. A pipe takes the biogas to the kitchen, where it is used with a biogas stove. The gas does not explode.

3 semi-skilled persons can fabricate and install 2 units per day. A complete CBS unit will be sold at a margin of 10 -15 % over the material and labour costs.

b.) A portable charring kiln, is placed in the farm. The trash is filled into smaller metal containers. The kiln takes 4 such containers which together accommodate 70 kg trash. About 20 kg trash is burnt in the kiln to start the process of pyrolysis. The heat of the trash burning around the containers pyrolyses the trash in the containers. Each batch takes about 60 min to complete and produces about 21 kg char.

Three workers can simultaneously operate two kilns to produce about 80-100 kg char daily. One person can extrude 100 kg briquettes daily. These have a ready demand in the market.

c.) The SARAI Cooker is a non-pressurised cooker in which charcoal or char briquettes are used as fuel. The cooking device has a stainless steel body with a built-in charcoal brazier. The brazier takes just about 100-250 gm of charcoal. The vessel takes three pots, so that rice, beans and meat (or even vegetables) can be cooked simultaneously.

These will be imported from India and sold at profit.

All 3 products have a ready and huge market in Tanzania.

JET will have separate Marketing and Sales departments.

The Marketing department will use Print and Electronic Media to advertise the products. It will also carry out Road Shows, Street Corner Demonstrations, participate in Rural and Urban exhibitions. Product catalouges will be developed. Publicity drives, Press releases will be organised to create awareness of the availability and benefits of using the products.

The Sales department will have 2 sections - Trade Sales and Institutional Sales.

Trade Sales Team will work towards establishment of Stockists and retailers at cities, towns and villages. They will also handle the physical deliveries and cash collection. Areas of operation will be demarcated by Districts.

The Institutional Sales team will target various Schools, Hospitals, Factories, Army Establishments, NGOs, SHGs, Community Centres, Religious Institutions, Jail Authorities etc. They will solicit bulk orders.

As these products are being pioneered in Tanzania there is no direct competition. However all traditional cooking fuels such as wood charcoal, firewood, kerosene, LPG and electricity will compete with our products. The availability and rising cost of these traditional fuels will encourage potential customers towards our products. Other alternate Renewable Energy products, based on quality and Energy Efficieny will compete freely with our products.

These products are self- sustainable. They maximize use of waste materials. They are simple to use, inexpensive to operate, environmentally supportive and non- polluting.

The products are developed based on known scientific principles, standardized and modified through field testing and proven to be physically, economically and socially feasible.

Having been involved in the various family businesses for the past 2 decades, I have developed good contacts with the potential suppliers, have hands on experience of stock keeping and accounting, acquired skills for market development and sales, transportation and logistics.

Added to this, a 3 month hands-on training with Appropriate Rural Technology Institute Tanzania (ARTI-TZ), in the installation of Compact Biogas Systems using household waste and physically manufacturing Charcoal Briquettes using dry Agriculture waste, I feel competent enough to venture into this business.

During the training with ARTI - TZ, at various exhibitions and demonstrations the potential customer reaction to the products showed the tremendous demand for these products.

Based on earlier business activities, keeping the profits at a realistic level and building volumes is very important. Timely delivery, consistent quality, credit control, inventory management and record keeping are crucial for the success of any business.

The development impact of the company and its products are:

1. Combat Global Warming and Climate Change by reducing the need for deforestation. All the JET products reduce/remove the need for use of traditional charcoal.

2. Poverty Reduction by Creation of Jobs (direct and indirect), Increase of Incomes to rural and semi-urban populationswho will be making and selling char powder to JET, Cost Saving to users on fuels used for cooking (A penny saved is a penny earned) - Operating cost of the Compact Biogas system are $0 - 0.2 per day, Briquettes are approx 20% cheaper than wood charcoal, Sarai Cooker users save about 1 kilo of charcoal per day.

3. Reduction of Carbon and GHG Emissions as the gas and briquettes burn with very little smoke. a typical urban household, using biogas saves 100 kg of LPG or 250 litres of kerosene per year, which is equivalent to 300 to 600 kg CO2 per year. A rural family could save about 3 tonnes of wood per year, which would generate about 5 tonnes CO2 if burnt.

4. Reduction of Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) as both, Biogas and JET Briquettes burn with very little/no smoke. Respiratory health of women and their children is not harmed.

5. Economic Benefits as Tanzania can save preciuos foreign exchange spent on importation of LPG and Kerosene. Increase in per- capita income of the country.