On an otherwise reasonable evening in July, over 1000 people packed an auditorium in Boulder Colorado for the culmination of the Unreasonable Institute. They came to watch 12 ventures, tackling some of the world’s greatest challenges, take the stage and share their plans to help define progress in our time. This is one of those talks.
The entrepreneur in this video is Brian Jerose of Agrilab Technologies.
What Does Agrilab Technologies Do?
Agrilab Technologies (AGT) takes compost, makes it better and generates renewable thermal energy (heat)! AGT provides building blocks for sustainable farming and resource management. We plan, build and sell systems to help farms, communities, institutions, businesses, municipalities and others who have existing or proposed composting operations. They can capture the heat that is generated during the composting process, through our Isobar® technology. The heat is transferred and stored in insulated water reservoirs where it averages 110-120 deg F. The heated water can be used to heat buildings and greenhouses, use as wash water, dry commodities or meet other thermal demands.
Existing projects in Vermont, New York and New Hampshire are saving thousands of dollars in heating energy costs each year. Agrilab Technologies’ projects remove biodegradable materials from the waste stream, compost those residuals to help replenish the soil, and capture the thermal energy that is produced in the process. Heat capture provides an additional incentive to compost organic material, leading to replenished soils and improved food quality, healthier farms, protected water sources and lower input costs for food producers.