RENEWABLE ENERGY
Social enterprises that promote the use of renewable energy to improve lives and protect the environment. Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.
EXISTING BORROWERS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
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ILLUMEXICO
MEXICO Designs, assembles, and sells solar home systems to remote Mexican communities with no access to the grid. These systems save money and save lives as families are protected from budgetary and health drawbacks of diesel or kerosene use. Ilumexico has sold thousands of units through microfinancing and government partnerships. Beneficial Returns provided a $50,000 loan for the acquisition of fifteen solar refrigerators which were leased to women-owned grocery stores to improve their livelihoods. Ilumexico is a graduate of Santa Clara University’s GSBI Accelerator Program.
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SISTEMA BIO
MEXICO Designs, builds and sells patented, cost-saving biodigesters to small-scale farmers. These low-cost, modular biodigesters convert cow manure into energy and fertilizer while simultaneously protecting groundwater and improving soil health. Started in 2010, Sistema Bio has installed over 5,000 units in Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, Kenya, and India. Beneficial Returns refinanced four trucks that the company purchased with cash to enhance their working capital position.
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ATEC
CAMBODIA ATEC designs and sells low-cost, patented biodigesters to small scale farmers in Cambodia. The business began operations in 2016 and has sold over 1,350 units as of end of 2019. Biodigesters use a biological process in which naturally occurring microorganisms break down organic waste to generate biogas and fertilizer. This provides significant impact by lowering expenses and improving crop yields of Cambodian households; the average family sees an increase in savings of $521 per year. Beneficial Returns provided ATEC* a $60,000 loan to help expand its new Pay As You Go (PAYGO) sales model.
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