Young entrepreneur Dmitri Asoscov earns money by turning waste into energy. Dmitri and his partner Serghei Alexei three years ago set up a business that provides them financial benefit and a moral satisfaction with the contribution to the reduction of fossil energy consumption and the country’s energy security. The business was started through the agency of the Energy and Biomass Project, IPN reports, with reference to a press release of UNDP.

Dmitri and Serghei started their business from a small carpenter’s shop, and because they had to do something with wood sawdust, the business was expanded into a similar area - production of briquettes. Also, since the demand was high, the two partners sought for new sources of raw materials to produce more and chose buckwheat husks and almond nutshells.

“The quality of briquettes produced from almond nutshells and buckwheat husks is very good. The only recommendation for the manufacturer is to add a certain amount of wood sawdust. The lignin contained in it will contribute to a better pressing and durability of the briquettes,” said Grigore Marian, director of the Solid Biofuel Laboratory at the Agrarian University of Moldova.

So far, the company has produced and sold 150 tons of buckwheat briquettes and 150 tons of almond nutshells briquettes. In addition to these two types of briquettes, the company produces briquettes made of sunflower seed shells, walnuts shell and wood sawdust, as well as wood charcoal produced by pyrolysis. The company offers jobs for 25 employees.

The EU-funded Energy and Biomass Project, which is implemented by UNDP, has supported the development of the biofuel market practically from the scratch, stimulating both the demand and supply of briquettes and pellets.