The technology takes agricultural waste through our patented two-day fermentation process without releasing any CO2. In contrast, traditional composting takes 45 days and releases significant CO2. Our control system and software automate and monitor the science, processing, and material flow from start to finish. Biomass and water are converted into natural plant-based liquid fertilizer, soil amendment, and clean hydrogen. Not only will farmers be utilizing 100% circular agriculture, but in the future they can also power equipment, tractors, and forklifts by creating a hydrogen-powered farm.
In nature, plants have exudates that soil bacteria want that trigger communication through their roots when they need nutrition. This communication is called quorum sensing and is critical for the soil microbes and plants to live.
The signals trigger soil microbes to enhance nutrient and phytohormone availability to the plant in exchange for the exudate. Plants get nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), and several plant hormones in this manner.
This exchange provides the natural balance between soil and microbes that stimulate plant growth.
There are two chemical cycles: the biochemical cycle and the sunlight chemistry cycle. Both are
critical for plant and soil health.
Living microbes start the soil’s biochemical engine. They decompose residual organic plant material, absorbing the nutrients they need. These microbes are nitrogen fixing bacteria that produce nitrogen fertilizer and solubilize phosphorus and potassium in the soil to make it available to the plant.
Our fermentation process speeds up the decomposition of agricultural biomass, also returning valuable nutrients and metabolites to plants.
Our fermentation process speeds up the decomposition of agricultural biomass, also returning valuable nutrients and metabolites to plants.
Photosynthesis is the process where plants use sunlight, water, and CO2 to create energy in the form of glucose. In the example below, have some fun - follow the hydrogen (and the CO2).
The first step is to harvest some hydrogen which occurs when sunlight and chlorophyll break down water.
When the hydrogen from above combines with CO2, the plant gets its glucose and grows. The glucose molecules in the plant store a lot of hydrogen. We call it "the bank".
After the plants are harvested, residual plant materials (biomass) still have a lot of glucose which we mix with water and our microbes. The microbes ferment the glucose into hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and organic acids such as acetic acid (vinegar.)
Through fermentation we start to create a plant food with constituents that the plants need. Potassium carbonate is not only a great potassium source, but you start to take the CO2 released from fermentation and store it in the ground during the application of the fertilizer.
Acetic acid from fermentation can also be converted into calcium acetate which makes calcium more available to the plant.
Hydrogen collected from fermentation can be combined with oxygen in a fuel cell to create electricity. A farmer could run a forklift with it.
Water is conserved from the beginning to the end.
CO2 from the second step is contained in the fermentation process and is released back into the soil as fertilizer, and not into the atmosphere.
Liquid plant food containing residual fermentation nutrients and natural organic chemicals beneficial to the soil microbes and plants.
