For many years I have dreamed about sustainable production of energy from waste and water remediation for re-use. To develop systems so that communities can provide their own power and recycle the water they use from the waste they generate.
I have reached out to various governments and institutions for support and now I am reaching out to you to support in any way you can.
Here is a project summary. If you are interested in supporting me, please send an email.
Thank you for your time and attention.
“Elegant Waste”
A community waste manangement proposal
by Custom Design House.
30 April 2025
Custom Design House
Custom Design House or “CDH” as it is commonly referred to, began operations in March 2010, based in South Africa, designing and developing energy and water production systems that are grid independent utilising locally available resources.
The system described in this proposal represents the culmination of many years study of energy systems as well as expertise gained in South African industry related to cryogenics, oxygen delivery, and internationally in the design of sustainable energy and water production systems. It started while doing postgraduate research in the field of catalysis where the critical role of the water gas shift reaction in hydrocarbon synthesis and hydrogen production was explored. A novel feature of the research was the discovery that under typical synthesis reactor conditions, the reaction is dominant and rapidly attains equilibrium facilitating maximum hydrogen production by controlling pressure, temperature and combustion conditions.
Sustainable energy production and water remediation
The solid waste a community generates is the fuel that powers the system. Including dry flush toilet systems for residences that cannot afford installation of a septic tank, regular draining of septic tanks and a service that collects all household and garden waste as well as verge and parks cuttings weekly. To supplement the biomass feed, naturally occuring grasses are cultivated in the facility and plant waste from adjacent space greenhouses are also utilised. The intricacy and efficiency of photosynthesis is unmatched by any other technology for carbon capture and energy storage. In an environment where the sun shines for most of the year, cultivation of grass species endemic to the area for the purpose of supplementing biomass is the most productive route to accomplish this.
The facility will produce electricity for the community, running from 05:00 to 09:00 and again from 16:00 to 20:00 for peak demand and at a reduced level using liquid fuel produced on site for off peak times.
Apart from provision of power in a sustainable and environmentally responsive manner, the facility will produce liquid fuels, disinfectant, activated char and ash for soil remediation and dry ice which is used to extract water from air, suitable for bottling as still or carbonated water in an undergoround chamber that also provides cold storage capacity.
Running on a double shift basis the facility will provide for a sustainable business employing full time staff, contributing to the local fiscus and will facilitate adjacent space agriculture of greenhouse produce including salad greens, berries, tomatoes and cucumbers amongst others as well as recycling of glass and metals.
Duplication of the facility for other communities across Africa will deliver green and sustainable power and other useful household products while facilitating world class waste management practice. It has the potential to create multiple jobs and at the same time facilitate skills development as well as greatly assist in peak electricity demand reduction for our large producers.
Process description
Incoming waste is sorted manually, with glass, metals and sand removed for recycling. The waste is fed into table mounted shredder machines that reduce the material to a particle size of between 8 to 16mm. The shredded material is loaded into cartridges which in turn are loaded into combustion chambers and sealed. Wastewater is filtered through organic grass beds, used to irrigate cultivated grass on special beds, collected in a sump and heated to sterilisation, filtered through activated char beds and stored in a small dam.
Ignition of combustible gas occurs in a combustion chamber and is allowed to proceed intermittently throughout the process. Supply of oxygen produced on site is carefully controlled to achieve the desired burn process. Hot gases from the reactor are used to generate steam which drives a steam engine or turbine, that produces 3 phase electricity. The process gas is cooled and condensed to extract water, ammonia, acetic acid and ethanol. The remaining gas stream is then cooled cryogenically to extract solid carbon dioxide, butane and wood intermediates such as terpenes. A fuel gas stream containing other hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen are fed to a gas turbine that produces power for the process and the community.
Carbon dioxide is purified and extracted as dry ice; butane and terpenes are extracted as liquids for use as fuel.
Benefits of the system include:
√ best in class waste management practice
√ a means for basic provision of power, water and sanitation when existing supply fails
√ a facility to test, optimise and improve process, catalyst selection and endurance and to upscale for full power supply and wastewater remediation
√ a vehicle for massive skills development, training and job creation
√ technology innovation that is proudly South African for the benefit of the people of South Africa.
With reference to the last point I believe that this project should be funded not so much because it has the potential for all the other points mentioned but that in our present situation as a country, it is simply the right thing to do. We have the potential to not be asking for assistance but leading and offering assistance to our neighbours and the world around us. Intellectual property that is of great value internationally that should be protected by a responsible and accountable government.
©. Copyright Custom Design House, 2025