CaribShare Biogas

CaribShare Biogas (CSB) is a social enterprise focused on harnessing organic waste from Caribbean hotels, livestock farms and sugar cane processors to produce biogas (a type of biofuel) and fertilizer for sale in a manner that strengthens rural livelihoods. To achieve this, the organization has been working towards developing, operating, and  maintaining centralized biodigesters specifically to supply biogas on a sustained basis for multi energy purposes.

The three main programs undertaken by CaribShare Biogas are its:

• “Waste to Energy” program–suppling biogas to businesses looking to self-generate energy at a lower cost than purchasing from the grid.  For CSB’s current pilot project, the produced biogas will be used to generate electricity, resulting in over 35% cost savings from purchasing from the grid for the customer.
• “Waste to Fertilizer” program–offering premium organic fertilizer at a highly discounted price to motivate farmers to switch from synthetic fertilizers, restoring soil quality, producing healthier foods, and building climate resilience in agriculture.
• “Waste to Cash” program–collecting organic waste from hotels and small pig farms for free.  By sharing up to 50% of its surplus revenues, CSB provides participating farmers with generous cash rewards for supplying their waste to help support their livelihoods.  Hotels benefit by significantly reducing their waste disposal cost and greenhouse gas emissions. This incentive program delivers CSB’s social mission as its key mechanism for securing the huge quantities of organic waste needed to produce biogas on a sustained basis.

Through these programs, CSB is helping to solve the challenges of renewable energy, climate change, and rural poverty in Jamaica and the Caribbean.  It will recycle and divert tremendous quantities of organic waste from landfills to produce clean energy, and in doing so support rural development.