Anglo American has agreed to lead the newest round of funding for Sanergy Inc, an organic waste upcycling company based in Kenya. Sanergy’s innovative solutions are transforming how fast-growing cities in the developing world manage waste by upcycling it into high-value agriculture and energy products like insect-based protein for animal feed, organic fertilizer for regenerative farming, and biomass fuel for sustainable, localized power sources.
Sanergy’s zero-waste method, based on circularity principles, helps to safeguard human health and reduce environmental emissions while also encouraging sustainable agriculture and creating local and long-term jobs along the value chain. Sanergy established its pilot plant in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2011, and it is currently one of the largest organics recycling plants in Sub-Saharan Africa, running at an industrial scale since 2021, with a second site set to open soon. Sanergy’s technology, which enables the provision of affordable yet high-quality sanitation services in non-sewered communities, is well positioned to assist in addressing some of the issues associated with rising urbanisation and population growth, such as improving overall public hygiene, reducing waste-to-landfill and associated emissions, and increasing food supply and agricultural productivity.
Peter Whitcutt, CEO of Anglo American’s Marketing business, said: “Our Sustainable Mining Plan commits us to creating a healthy environment and building thriving communities wherever we work. Sanergy’s pioneering sanitation solutions and waste treatment technology have the potential to directly support our goals of protecting health and wellbeing, and being a catalyst for creating sustainable livelihoods. With this investment, we aim to extend our approach more broadly in our host countries to help tackle some of the most pressing human challenges.”
Anglo American intends to assist Sanergy with its expansion goals in Kenya, as well as in a number of other southern African and other nations where Anglo American operates. Anglo American will use a portion of its investment to test Sanergy’s waste capture and conversion method in terms of emissions reduction potential and to allow access to international carbon markets. This might provide Sanergy with a new revenue stream to fund future growth and expansion initiatives, while also providing Anglo American with access to high-quality carbon credits.
Peter Whitcutt added: “Together, we believe we can develop new solutions that also support our own decarbonisation objectives – including being carbon neutral across our operations by 2040 – as well as those of our customers. There is growing consensus on the role carbon markets can play in driving positive behaviours around emissions reduction as part of integrated climate mitigation strategies. Sanergy is an example of how carbon markets can be a component for change, mobilising capital for projects and activities that capture and remove emissions while providing wider societal benefits”.
Sanergy CEO, Ani Vallabhaneni, said: “This investment takes us into pioneering territory as we look to expand across Africa and into South America and Asia, all the while in service of ever-growing urban populations, as well as farmers and local agriculture. We are delighted that Anglo American is joining us on this journey and expect its expertise in so many of our potential markets will help us accelerate our business and the good that we can do.”
Source: https://southafrica.angloamerican.com/media/press-releases/2022/28-06-2022
