BOONE, N.C. — Three Appalachian State University graduate students won $25,000 in prize money for their sustainable business proposals in the second annual EnergyTech University Prize (UP) competition for the spring 2023 semester.
“Thanks to our talented and passionate students, Appalachian State University continues to excel on the national stage in clean technology.”
Dr. Jeremy Ferrell, Associate Professor, School of Sustainable Technology and Built Environment, Appalachian State University
Hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Technology Transition, the event challenges teams to identify promising energy technologies, evaluate their market potential, and propose a product commercialization strategy to a panel of judges.
Team BioCharm is made up of Clayton Pope ’21 from Cary, Robert Connolly ’22 from Raleigh, and Danielle Rose ’22 from Silver City, New Mexico, all graduate students in App State’s School of Sustainable Technologies and Built Environments. The team presented their plan for their BioCharm Supply and Consulting business in the Fossil Energy and Carbon Management category of the competition. The goal of the visionary business is to lease land on the site and utilize food and wood waste from the public landfill to produce biochar, which can be used as a cement supplement in construction projects.
Speaking at the team’s presentation, Connolly said: “The cement manufacturing industry is a significant contributor to domestic and international carbon emissions, accounting for 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Introducing new technology to the construction industry is essential to reducing these huge emissions. BioCharm is introducing a groundbreaking process that will significantly reduce carbon emissions.”
The DOE will provide the winning team with resources to move forward and further develop their proposal if they so choose, and while Team Biocharm isn’t moving forward with plans at this time, Pope said he and Rose have discussed the possibility of doing business together in the future.
competition
Nearly 200 student teams from 124 schools across the country participated in the EnergyTech UP competition. In addition to regional awards, several DOE technology offices offered bonus prizes of $25,000 to the top teams in their fields, with the cash prizes going directly to the students. Team BioCharm’s presentation was named the audience favorite in the Fossil Energy and Carbon Management category.
“The BioCharm team put together an extremely thorough and professional presentation,” said Dr. Jeremy Ferrell, associate professor and associate dean of Appalachian State University’s School of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment. “Appalachian State continues to have a prominent presence on the national stage in clean technology thanks to these talented and passionate students.”
Appalachian State University enjoyed similar success at last year’s inaugural competition, with Appalachian Biochar (now Team Biocharm) making it to the bonus prize semifinals and Appalachian State’s second team, the Solar Shepherds, also winning national and regional awards.
“This was a great learning experience for all of the students who participated, and we are very proud to continue the Appalachian State University tradition with this competition,” Rose said.
pitch
According to a presentation by Team BioCharm, wood and food waste together accounted for 29.9 percent of all material disposed of in U.S. municipal solid waste landfills in 2018. This biomass is converted into biochar through pyrolysis (heating organic matter in the absence of oxygen), which can then be ground into a fine powder and used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in concrete. This reduces the carbon dioxide emissions of concrete by 45.5 percent, the team said.
The team explained that the product will be primarily used for green building certified design and construction projects in public and commercial buildings, and that they plan to launch the startup in three states with high wood waste and new building permits: Florida, Georgia, and California.
In terms of profit, Pope said BioCharm has two main sources of income.
“First, we supply our subcontractors with the amount of biochar they need to support their projects,” he said. “Second, the carbon dioxide sequestered through biochar production allows us to generate and sell carbon credits in the U.S. voluntary carbon market.” Voluntary carbon markets give companies that can’t meet their carbon emissions targets the opportunity to invest in environmental projects that can reduce or remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere.
Pope added that the domestic market for SCM was valued at $3.5 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $6.8 billion by 2030. “Similarly, growth in the voluntary carbon market in the U.S. is expected to increase exponentially over the next decade,” he said.
Biochar sells for $350 per tonne, and each carbon credit is worth $25, Rose said.
“High CO2 reductions and low replacement rates make it cost competitive,” he says. “With the equipment cost-recovery in just over two years, we expect annual profits of $547,000 at each site, and five years of operation will provide enough capital to begin expanding to other sites.”
What do you think?
Share your feedback about this story.
Sustainability, energy efficiency and low-carbon practices are becoming increasingly important in business, industry, government, nonprofits and the public consciousness. As a result, there is an ever-increasing need to equip students with the knowledge, skills and perspectives to contribute to sustainability efforts in these fields. App State’s Master of Science in Engineering program allows you to pursue in-demand career opportunities in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability.
Appalachian State University’s Solar Shepherd team members, left to right: Jacob Ekstrand ’22, Leni Schinke ’22, Nikolai Solomon ’22, and Daniel Brubaker Johnson ’21 ’22. Photo by Chase Reynolds.
Appalachian State University Solar Shepherd Wins Inaugural Event
At last year’s inaugural EnergyTech University Prize competition, App State’s Solar Shepherds won a $25,000 bonus prize at the national level for their presentation of Agrivoltaics Solutions, a business proposal that combines solar power generation with agricultural production to benefit small farmers and rural landowners.
Additionally, the Solar Shepherds won a $2,000 prize as regional runner-up and also won the audience award at the regional event.
The Solar Shepherds are made up of the following graduates, all of whom earned their Master of Science in Technology degrees from App State:
Jacob Ekstrand ’22 of Carbondale, Ill.; Daniel Brubaker Johnson ’21 ’22 of Chapel Hill; Leni Schinke ’22 of Tallahassee, Fla.; and Nikolai Solomon ’22 of Flowertown, Pa.
About the Faculty of Sustainable Technology and Built Environment
One of seven departments in the College of Fine and Applied Arts at Appalachian State University, the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment features an integrated set of programs across the fields of sustainable design and technology. Its mission is to foster a strong, vibrant culture of inquiry, discovery and innovation that integrates theory and application, problem-seeking and problem-solving, local issues and global perspectives, and technological advances and environmental stewardship. It offers a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Technology and Building Science, as well as a Master of Technology. For more information, visit https://stbe.appstate.edu.
About the Faculty of Fine Arts
Appalachian State University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven departments that bring together diverse perspectives, experiences and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The department enrolls more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Departments include Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance. For more information, visit https://faa.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public university, Appalachian State University prepares students to live meaningful lives. One of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, Appalachian State University is nationally known for its innovative teaching and providing access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate majors and more than 80 graduate majors through its Boone and Hickory campuses and Appalachian State University Online. For more information, visit https://www.appstate.edu.