Agricultural CO2 capture Unit

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem.

Massively cultivate a plant that captures a high content of CO2 to produce biogas and will also generate electricity with low levels of pollution. Scale and replicate the model globally.

[GENERAL] Summarize your relevant experience.

Rogelio: 18 years sale of agricultural products, 7 years agricultural systems, 7 years biogas production and electricity generation INIFAP

Arturo: Industrial Engineer 6 years of experience in serial production systems, 17 years of sales, investments, entrepreneur.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

How you perceive the problem you are solving;

Despite the fact that there are currently technologies around the world, and there are international treaties with dozens of committed countries, with financial funds, green bonds, carbon credits, the goal of reducing CO2 in the atmosphere is not being met, CO2 emissions in 2021 broke record.

Your reasons for approaching it in the way that you have; 

Analyzing the problem there is a common factor, the appropriate projects are not being carried out to combat pollution and greenhouse gases GEI that cause climate change, for example, solar panels, the most widespread currently, if we analyze the CO2 footprint of these, the real value in the fight against CO2 would be after 5 years, if we take into account the contamination when manufacturing them and when recycling or disposing of them after their useful life of 20 years, the difference in temperature on the surface of the solar panel is 16 degrees centigrade with respect to the floor or ground, the shiny dark surface that reflects solar waves further heating the atmosphere which is what we try to combat.

Who your project will engage, or who its stakeholders are; 

Any industry that needs to lower its pollution levels, either as project investors, or to co-generate cheaper electricity, biogas, and thermal energy. Currently there are more than 500 brands related to nopal and its derivatives, also incorporating cement companies that are listed as the most polluting worldwide and any other company that needs to lower pollution rates.

How your project will be implemented; 

It begins with a plantation of 4 hectares of mother seed nopal until reaching 20 hectares, 80% of the interest of the production profits will be sold to finance new farmers and obtain crops of between 70 to 3000 hectares planted per unit,

to generate electricity from 1 MGW/Hr to 50 MGV/Hr.

What you will produce (i.e. your outputs) and 

At the beginning, nopal vegetables will be produced that take approximately 4 to 7 months after sowing, at the same time the mother seed of nopal will be produced, which takes 6 to 18 months to be at its optimum point, then it will be biogas and generation of electricity, as well as liquid and solid organic fertilizers.

What will happen as a result of your work (i.e. your outcomes).

We will generate the resources to increase the hectares planted, as well as to finance new crops in different places with the mother seed that we are producing.

Explain what's unique about your solution, and what value it brings to the Cardano ecosystem.

Our main objective is to reduce pollution and starting with a crop is to create a business prototype to replicate it in different places.

This proposal will initially benefit the productive base, peasants, farmers and day laborers, since we want the farmers to be partners in the processing industry and not just the sellers of raw materials, finally the communities and the environment, with the production biogas and electricity generation.

For the cardan ecosystem once it is in the social token phase and NFT will help for the expansion of the prototype since it is planned to have different products processed in international markets.

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

In this first phase of the project we want to reach the first 20 hectares and since they are generating profits from the sale of nopal vegetables and the sale of penca madre seed, 80% of the interest on the profits generated will be sold to investors, in order to to obtain resources for new crops.

Combining these resources obtained from the project together with the issuance of green bonds, from private investors, government programs or other institutions, we want to make the scale of new plantations more aggressive.

From 70 hectares, the biogas-electricity plant begins in which we consider the industrial sector to co-generate electricity, especially from companies classified as having a high level of contamination in their processes, for example cement factories.

From the first plant, it is contemplated to massively scale the prototype and for each unit to increase it until it reaches 3,000 planted hectares or more with the capacity to produce 50 megawatts/hour.

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

One of the problems, as in any crop, are pests, the advice of the supplier himself is contemplated, who has 32 years of experience in the study and planting of nopal, as well as a technician in nopal making inspection rounds according to the specifications of the supplier and achieve early detection, as well as the installation of specific temporary traps and for different types of pests.

Another factor is frost that, depending on the place of the plantation, is contemplated as a contingency resource for micro-tunnels in the protection of the plant and the harvest.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

Once the financing is accepted and during the first 2 months the lease contracts will be finalized with the owner or owners of the land, the planning of the soil study begins, the supplier of mother seed is contacted for the quantity required and the times of delivery, the needs of equipment for water are evaluated, as well as the fence if necessary.

The provider of the drip irrigation installation is contacted, and the person for the preparation of the land.

The plantation begins a maximum of 2 months after the resources are delivered, from then on it begins with 1 hectare per week until completing 4 hectares.

Irrigation begins 15 days to a month after planting the mother seed.

Month 3 to 7 inspections, irrigation and care, from month 7 the harvest begins on a small scale and the selection of the producers in the second level, two freckles (cladodes) are left on each plant and the rest is harvested.

As of month 14, the first mother seeds for sowing begin to be harvested.

Once a production of 20 tons of nopal vegetables is obtained for every 10 days, it can be sent to the north of the country with a purchase contract and at an established price.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Prepare the soil with tracking at a cost of $800 pesos for 4

hectares, it is: 40.00 DLLS $160.00 

 With a cost of $800 pesos for 4 hectares, it is: 40.00 Dollars $160.00 

With a cost of $800 pesos for 4 hectares, it is:

40.00 Dollars $160.00 

With a cost of $600 pesos for 4 hectares, it is: 30 Dollars x 4 $120.00 

Plantation of 30,000 pencas per hectare being 4 is: 120,000 pencas,

for $5.00 pesos each. 0.25 Dollar $30,000.00 

The cost is $4,000.00 pesos for 4 hectares, it is: 200.00 Dollars x 4 $800.00

It is $4,500 pesos for 4 shipments, being 4 hectares, it is: 225.00 x 4 $900.00 

1220 posts and 4000 mts barbed wire for fence if necessary

With a cost of 1750 dollars per hectare $7,000.00   

Rent per hectare per year 600 dollars $2,400.00   

 weeding Cost of herbicides 390 per hectare $1,560.00 

Organic fertilizer cost per hectare per year 1000 dollars $4,000.00

Includes cost of traps and products 590.00 dollars per hectare $2,360.00

Harvest per hectare per year 2000.00 dollars $8,000.00    

Per hectare per year 400.00 dollars $1,600.00

Gasoline or diesel 135 dollars per hectare per year $540.00 

if the land needs it 260 poles 4 wires 3200 meters wire 4 wires $3,000.00 

contingency Variable 1500 per hectare per year Micro

plastic tunnels, water, well. $6,000.00 

total cost USD $59,760.00

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

In this first phase, it focuses specifically on cultivation and, 18 months after sowing the first seeds, the project platform begins in its 3rd phase.

The accounting and administrative part of the project will be contracted, the operational part of the project will be the founding partner Rogelio Ramos and the expansion, marketing and implementation part will be in charge of Arturo Javier Reynoso Madrigal.

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

The Project contemplates being able to be financed as of month 14 with a gradual growth that will be marked by the commercialization of the product and once the first 70 hectares have been reached, it is contemplated to be able to finance the project of the electricity generating plant with funds from the government, municipal, private sector and private investors giving the first investment option to the farmers and producers belonging to the project.

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

Before the beginning and after the harvest, a strict control of each and every one of the expenses and sales will be carried out, since we need a true history in the profitability of the crop to provide the necessary certainty to future investors.

A current aerial photo of the land where the crop will be planted will be provided, along with the geographic location coordinates and details of the current conditions of the land.

It is planned that every 3 months there will be a report of income and expenses and an aerial photo of the progress of the planting.

This information will be available to each and every one of those involved in the project.

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

The goal is 12 years to start seeing significant results, we see a comprehensive automated platform, with advice and online courses for new plantations, with information on the progress of plantation units around the world, recovering eroded soils and reducing CO2 atmospheric, with many jobs within the agro-industrial transformation of nopal with added value and respecting the environment, generating hundreds of megawatts of electrical energy with really low levels of pollution, a strengthened business cluster financing new projects, a large number of investors private helping the planet and participating in the profits of the project, the most vulnerable groups as co-owners in a decentralized economy, agro-industries producing large quantities of biodegradable vegan disposable products, and a social token to smooth transactions with NTFs linked to production systems generating real returns.

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

new proposal

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Rating

Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss