MUSCAT: Fanar start-up of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) secured top spot in the Arab environment contest “Innovate for Good”, organised by Spread Passion, a Kuwait-based non-profit enterprise.
The Omani student start-up made it through its participation in a project code-named “Let’s Make Environment Smile”.
Nibras bin Hamdan al Shukaili, Executive Manager of Fanar, said that the start-up joined a large cross-section of teams from Arab countries in promoting the “Let’s Make Environment Smile” project.
After successfully contesting early stages of the competition, Fanar team entered the final stage, after which the knockouts focused on 15 teams, then 10, and later Fanar was short-listed among three teams for the final. It was proclaimed winner after the sorting of votes from within the Sultanate and abroad. It bagged 745 votes.
Nibras said that Fanar team considered options to rid the environment from harmful waste. It developed the idea of recycling used cooking oils and engine oils, which are usually poured in wastewater pipes and eventually end up polluting sea water or other spaces of the environment.
“We decided to utilise these oils, as well as some toxic or neglected plants in Omani environment, to produce biofuel as a by-product of a burning process that emits low-carbon gases beneficial to the environment. The biofuel sustains and protects environment resources and is added to other economic products such as soap, candle wax and others,” said Nibras, adding that the team is currently working towards obtaining patent rights. — ONA
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