EnergyStream (ES): Tell us about the origins of the project—how did this idea come about?
Nicolas Cruaud (NC): The idea of turning our waste into mineral aggregate came from my father. A stonemason by trade who became an «inventor specializing in innovative concretes,» my father never stopped searching for a way to quickly fossilize our waste. After all, since limestone is formed from the fossilization of waste dating back to the Jurassic period, why shouldn’t technology be able to replicate that process? As a nod to my father’s interest in geology, we’ve actually named our aggregate «Anthropocite.»
We decided to test the idea by presenting it at a startup weekend organized by Polytechnique, my school. It was during that weekend that we met the 4thth team member, and that's when the adventure really began. A few months later, Jacques Attali Becomes Our Business Angel and advises us on sales and financial strategy.
ES: Since the process of «fossilizing» waste is a well-kept secret, please explain the value chain in which Neolithe operates.
NC: Néolithe's value proposition is twofold:
- On the one hand enable local governments to reduce CO2 emissions from household waste treatment (black trash) by 85%. The technology we’ve developed can be applied to 100% of waste, which requires no change in residents’ sorting habits or in local governments’ waste collection methods. To rapidly make the technology widely available, our plan is to form consortia with local waste sorting operators: they will manage the site’s operations, while Neolithe provides the technology and ensures the quality control of the aggregates. Since a municipality’s waste management concessions are awarded for an average term of 5 years, Neolithe does not view itself as a contractor but rather as a partner offering a competitive advantage when contracts are put out to bid again. (Local governments currently pay approximately €90 per metric ton of waste for processing.)
- In addition, we would like to to provide construction companies with aggregate that has a negative carbon footprint. These aggregates will act as a «carbon credit» that offsets the carbon footprint of the other components of the concrete. Thus The resulting concrete will be carbon-neutral! a real asset for obtaining the sustainable building certification. In the downstream pellet resale market, there’s no competition—there’s room for everyone! France's annual demand is 400 million metric tons; however, even if all household waste were converted into aggregate, this would only meet 1/20 of the demand.. Thus, Neolithe rounds out the pellet lineup without competing with recycled pellets3 (from concrete debris, masonry debris, road and parking lot demolition, etc.).
ES: What are your plans for growth? Will Neolithe technology be available soon?
NC : We are currently working toward obtaining certification that guarantees the quality of our aggregate for use in road construction. We hope to complete this step in June so we can begin developing an industrial pilot project in late 2019. Scaling up to industrial production is a prerequisite for obtaining a second certification; this will allow us to bid on municipal waste treatment contracts. TheThe first Neolithe factory is therefore expected to open in early 2021!
ES: Finally, why did you decide to embark on this adventure?
NC : My primary motivation is to to practice «environmentalism on an industrial scale” ». Indeed, my education at the École Polytechnique and my network give me the opportunity to have a significant impact on the world of tomorrow. I firmly believe that everyone must act according to their means: from using public transportation to proposing legislation to protect the environment to starting a business, we must all take action—and act quickly—for the sake of our planet!
With Neolith technology, we hope to reduce France’s CO2 emissions by 5% within a few years. If even just 40 startups were to succeed in this endeavor, we could offer the world a sustainable future!
Sources:
1. Brochure titled “Waste by the Numbers,” published by ADEME in 2017: http://multimedia.ademe.fr/telechargements/Dechets-chiffres-cles-2017-010269-extrait.pdf
2. Converting waste into aggregate reduces CO2 emissions—traditionally associated with landfilling—by more than 85%, according to a life cycle assessment conducted by Neolithe : https://neolithe.fr/
3. Technical Report «Exemplary Buildings» – Sheet 4.1: The Use of Recycled Aggregates, published by Brussels Environment in 2010: http://document.environnement.brussels/opac_css/elecfile/IF_BATEX_Fiche4.1._Granulats_FR.pdf
