Harmaan Madon is on a green energy mission to put waste to better use. The Indian entrepreneur who moved to New Zealand in 2019 has already created a spark in the Kiwi renewable energy industry.
His company, Alimentary Systems Ltd (ASL), won big at the Orion Energy Accelerator pitch night in February 2023. "Winning this award which was judged by some of the most notable judges from New Zealand's energy industry was a validation for our work," Madon told The Indian Weekender.
Images from Orion Impact Award event (credit: Jonny Knopp, Peanut Productions)
Madon traces his entrepreneurship roots to India where he founded Madon Applied Sciences (MAS) in 2017, a company focused on developing low-cost, energy-positive waste treatment systems. After conducting initial research and development in India, a process patent was published in 2019.
The same year, Madon was selected for the prestigious Edmund Hillary Fellowship that brought him to New Zealand, where he met Matthew Jackson, who had a background in commercialising disruptive technologies. Together, they founded ASL in 2021, transferring intellectual property from MAS to ASL. Later that year, the company received a contract from the Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit, to build its first technology demonstrator in Aotearoa.
Madon says his company wants to revolutionise the current wastewater treatment process. “The current linear wastewater treatment systems produce harmful emissions, which are not good for the environment. A circular system will help prevent these emissions and make the process more sustainable by converting wastewater into a valuable resource and reducing capital and operations costs,” he says.
This technology reportedly also produces biogas that can offset the costs by generating revenue from green LPG. It also ensures safe disposal of wastewater sludge with zero liquid discharge to reduce leaching, improving public health, says Madon.
Discussing ASL's role in promoting sustainable energy practices in New Zealand, Madon says, "ASL has the potential to make a significant impact on energy practices in two key ways. Firstly, from the demand side, our proprietary BRRP technology generates more energy than it consumes, eliminating the need to draw energy from the grid or rely on fossil fuels to power the system. Secondly, from the supply side, the BRRP can export energy as electrical power to the local grid or replace fossil fuels for process heat. When we consider both the demand and supply side efficiencies that we unlock, it becomes clear that Alimentary has the potential to support sustainable energy practices."
Despite the initial successes, the company faces all the typical challenges of a startup, including funding and the need to bootstrap. “This puts constant and ongoing pressure on us. Being innovative or trying to accomplish something that has not been done before creates resistance in the adoption curve of any new technology or method, including ours," Madon says.
But the tech entrepreneur believes with over 40 years of combined experience in R&D, product development, sales, and marketing, his team is well positioned to make it work. "It's worth noting that others have endorsed our work, and we can face these challenges by demonstrating specialised knowledge and working consistently. A systematic and scientific approach rarely fails," he says.
Madon says his company places a greater emphasis on protecting and promoting a safer and healthier natural environment while minimising impact locally, an approach he says benefits the community. “This is enshrined in the company's constitution, which prioritises ecological sustainability," he says.
Madon says the company endeavours to create commercial frameworks that allow communities worldwide to adopt and adapt these systems to meet their specific needs.
"In the immortal words of Mirza Ghalib, ‘ummeed pey duniya qaayam hai’ (hope sustains the world). By promoting sustainable practices and creating practical solutions, we aim to foster hope for a brighter future,” he says.
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