Green technology company, Eco Clarity, has been recognised for its ground-breaking FOG (fat, oil and grease) management solution by recently scooping the prestigious innovation award at the National Drainage Awards in London.
Sustainable solution
The judges praised Eco Clarity’s breakthrough service and technology, which collects problematic FOG waste and converts it into a sustainable source of renewable energy.
Chris Clemes, founder and chief executive of Eco Clarity said:
“This achievement not only highlights Eco Clarity’s commitment to revolutionising the industry but also recognises the excellent work that so many contractors carry out day in day, as well as the power of collaboration in bringing about much-needed change across the water sector and supply chain.”
Untreated FOG can be highly detrimental, causing blockages in sewerage networks, polluting the environment, and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Eco Clarity’s unique approach offers a perfect circular economy solution, benefiting stakeholders across industry, society and the environment.
Breakthrough innovation
The company’s breakthrough innovation comprises two core initiatives – a patented separation technology and a network of FOG Recovery Hubs accessible by liquid waste tankers. The system enables liquid FOG waste collected from commercial kitchens to be separated before it enters the wastewater system or reaches the environment, becoming problematic.
The cleaned water can be reused or safely returned to the effluent stream. The recovered, consolidated FOG becomes a raw material that can be used to produce biodiesel for vehicle fuel. The Hub’s efficient system uses just 25% of the energy typically used in similar processes, with temperatures never exceeding 60oC.
Powerful partnerships
Eco Clarity has gone beyond best practice by developing collaborative initiatives across multiple partners and sectors, including water, waste, energy and hospitality. The company is liaising with the Environment Agency to speed up permitting of suitable sites for FOG Recovery Hubs.
The technology is being upgraded continually, with its effectiveness continuously monitored. It has been scaled to meet the requirements of different stakeholders. Its modular construction makes it easy to install onsite. Mass meter technology is making it easy to quantify the FOG content of loads in real time and keep customers informed for billing and to evidence green credentials.
The future of FOG
Long-standing challenges like FOG and fatbergs in sewers require not only innovative technologies, but innovative business models that work for all stakeholders. By fostering multiple partnerships, Eco Clarity’s FOG-to-fuel solution can be scaled-up and implemented nationally and internationally, promoting a more sustainable and efficient wastewater management system for the future.
“Our combination of an innovative separation technology and circular-economy model for resource capture and reuse is unique, but I firmly believe that we are on the right path, and through strong partnerships we can crack this widespread and costly challenge for once and for all,” added Clemes.
Eco Clarity envisions far-reaching applications for this technology. In the future, companies could generate biodiesel from their own waste to power their fleets. Vehicles of all types could be fuelled by biodiesel derived from domestic and commercial kitchen waste. Even individuals could contribute by bringing their used fat, oil and grease waste to convenient recycling banks for conversion into clean fuel.
