A young environmentally-focused startup from the Philippines has found an innovative and unlikely energy source: the pesky water hyacinth plant. HiGi Energy managed to harness this plant that often clogged waterways, disrupted transportation, and disturbed ecosystems, into a readily available energy source.

??HiGi?s solution is to convert water hyacinth into solid biofuel briquettes that can be used for household and commercial cooking, industrial heating, and potentially power generation. The production of briquettes is sustainable and easy to make, as there is abundant supply of the fast-growing plant,? said Yap, the startup?s Chief Executive Officer.? [Rappler]

The startup?s CTO or Chief Technological Officer also stated in their interview that their energy source is up to 4 times more efficient and 10 times cleaner than traditional sources of energy for cooking in rural Philippines, specifically coal.

The startup has been recognized both locally and internationally for their innovative invention. They won second place in the GIST Tech-I Competition in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit held in Silicon Valley last 2016.

Their innovation is truly useful not only for the Philippines, but for other places that have an abundant population of water hyacinths. Instead of letting these ruin their urban lives, people can harness it as a form of energy for everyday use, as this startup did.

Source: https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/194662-millennial-entrepreneurs-clean-energy-water-lilies