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BioFlux is responsible for feasibility and project design in the first phase and will complete engineering work, technology validation, engineering certification, and act as a commercial support partner in the second phase. Currently, the feasibility stage of the project has been completed. By managing each step of the project, BioFlux is acting as an end-to-end development partner for Cimal.
This project is designed as a preliminary pilot program for biochar integration into Cimal’s value chain, with the ultimate objective to scale these operations across Grupo Roda’s subsidiaries.
Cimal benefits from having FSC certification throughout its value chain. The organisation also enjoys vertical integration with a sister company in the fertiliser sector. This vertical integration means value can be maximised through biomass availability, reducing dependency on other companies, and commercialising biochar within their own organisation.
Seasonality and extraction halts are an important logistical consideration because extraction halts for half of the year. Due to its tropical location, the rainy season halts operations, meaning there's a logistical challenge to running a continuous pyrolysis plant. There also needs to be enough space, logistics, and throughput for machines to maintain continuous operations.
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Tackling Open Burning
Currently, sawmills are dependent upon open burning for their waste management process. This generates significant pollution while also contributing to devastating wildfires. The burning often takes place in close proximity to concessions, which worsens the issue. The project will help address this problem through biochar production, thereby utilising biomass which would otherwise be burned openly. Also, much of what is burned is high-quality feedstock which is ideally suited for biochar due to its woody nature.
