Author Archives: Salman Zafar

About Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the CEO of BioEnergy Consult, and an international consultant, advisor and trainer with expertise in waste management, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, environment protection and resource conservation. His geographical areas of focus include Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biogas technology, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. Salman has participated in numerous national and international conferences all over the world. He is a prolific environmental journalist, and has authored more than 300 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. In addition, he is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability through his blogs and portals. Salman can be reached at salman@bioenergyconsult.com or salman@cleantechloops.com.

Adoption of Cryptocurrency into World Markets and Role Played by Government Regulations

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The adoption of digital currency is undoubtedly a topic worth ruminating upon. The technology took off like anything in the recent past leaving a lot of experts & speculators stunned with the unprecedented benefits that industries across the world yielded through it. The overall rate of growth is also dynamic which can be attributed to the fact that companies look forward to implementing the latest technologies that can entail significant innovations at thebitcoincode.io.

Reasons Why Popularity Of Bitcoin Is Getting On Its Peak

Has it all been hunky-dory since the beginning?

Bitcoin era brings you the latest trends that are reshaping the entire landscape of the financial systems in economies worldwide. A cryptocurrency is a form of blockchain technology that not only received significant acceptance from countries worldwide but also transformed the whole digital finance ecosystem. But was this as smooth & seamless in the beginning as it is now? Well, the answer to that is a “BIG NO”. The advent of cryptocurrency was met with substantial opposition from seasoned speculators, investors & economists. However, there were still some prominent proponents of cryptocurrency that never gave in to the naysayers and backed the crypto industry quite ardently.

Governments, on the other hand, couldn’t afford to let such an aerodynamic technology make inroads into their ecosystem since the technology was being considered highly disruptive. The incumbent financial system in place sensed the threat and tried to keep up with dynamic trends but it was quite too late. Users & participants had already begun to switch to digital currency systems as it entailed greater benefits than traditional methods could ever offer.

Why has crypto gained relevance over traditional means?

Needless to say that the adoption of cryptocurrency has skyrocketed in the last decade and continues to set an example for traditional systems in place. Emerging markets have already acknowledged the unfathomable potential of the crypto industry and countries like Kenya, Venezuela, Vietnam, Nigeria are witnessing a significant rise in the overall transactions being conducted on peer-to-peer platforms.

Another predominant reason for such a considerable surge in peer-to-peer transactions can be attributed to the fact crypto is a decentralized platform that can be accessed by anyone. People don’t need to have a designated bank account to be able to conduct the transactions. Hence, centralized exchanges are being overlooked for far better options and crypto is one such emerging example in such countries.

Ways that people adopt to circumvent restrictions

Emerging markets are bound to have currency devaluation which stimulates the citizens of the country to resort to ever-expanding peer-to-peer platforms. They can easily buy the cryptocurrency through such platforms which also enables them to keep their savings intact. In addition to this, international transactions can also be carried out easily in such areas which can vary in nature i.e., commercial use or individual remittances. For instance: purchase of products/goods so that they can be imported or sold later.

However, emerging markets also put a specific limit on the designated amount which can be moved out of the geographical boundaries of the country. Hence, this is where cryptocurrency comes in handy for people who want to move the larger sum of money out of the country by circumventing the imposed regulations. This method easily facilitates such people in meeting their respective financial needs quite seamlessly.

Peer-to-peer platforms are redefining the trends

China is one of the largest markets in the world that was recently ranked fourth in terms of cryptocurrency adoption globally. On the other hand, The United States of America was also featured in the list at 6th spot. Now, here’s the catch, the ranking witnessed a significant shuffle when USA’s rank went down to the 8th spot, while China’s rank slipped to the 13th spot.

10 Trending Crypto Exchanges

The main reason that can be attributed to such a great fall is their exclusive rankings in the volume of trade on peer-to-peer platforms. However, other countries are also catching up with the trends now and the sky is the limit for all adopters of the latest technology.

The regulations imposed by the government had to be complied with but they did not impact the proliferation of cryptocurrency under any circumstances.

Why Has Armenia Invited Crypto Mining and Installation of Coin Minting Hardware

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The Armenian government authorized leasing an old space heating facility during a meeting on January 19. Since it generates expensive electricity power, the authorities have considered the equipment just at Hrazdan thermoelectric power project obsolete and ineffective. Hrazdan is one of Armenia’s most important sources of energy plants. The administration has decided that the ancient radiative heat facility would be shut down eventually. The TPP will be swiftly deactivated, and the national administration believes in leasing it to profitable business operations. Known as the bitcoin-profitapp.com, today’s world might have specific objections owing to the mining of crypto assets because it has a particularly harmful effect on the atmosphere and environment.

crypto mining in Armenia

The Hrazdan heating facility’s buildings may be leased to other enterprises, including equipment comprising power lines, electric and sewer connections. In this sense, the administration would encourage miners to install unique fiat currency technology inside the decommissioned thermal system. The mining has also praised the decision to build data centers on the country’s old steam-generating station.

Reasons behind Armenia inviting crypto miners

Crypto mining refers to the process of adding new bitcoins into circulation. It is a process of giving the nod to recent transactions and settlements to maintain and develop the ledger of a new distribution chain. However expensive and detailed the procedure of crypto mining may be, it is highly lucrative due to the constant creation of new rewards, which is why so many digital currency investors are drawn to it nowadays.

In recent trends, bitcoin mining has been banned across various countries because of its detrimental effects on the economy. It also severely impacts good governance and public goodwill, which is why it is increasingly being touted as illegal. Constant crypto mining creates a vicious chain of overall increased prices. This is why it is negatively impacting countries’ economies where crypto mining is rampant.

bitcoin servers

Recently, Armenia was dragged into controversy since it invited crypto-mining and coin installation hardware. Here are some key takeaways from this issue:

  1. In Armenia, an old thermal power plant was shut down in January 2022. Instead, it was converted into a hosted zone for digital mining currency, i.e., bitcoin. Crypto mining was legalized in 2018, so it was easy to set up this economic zone.
  2. The infrastructures involved in the mining business will have complete access to sources of electrical energy
  3. Hrazdan Thermal Energy Plant is the name given to the plant where crypto mining will take place. It is said that the electricity generated in the crypto mining in Armenia will be more expensive than the one it uses.
  4. The Thermal Energy Plant is likely to be decentralized, and the Central Government may try to disinvest it to crypto mining businesses and lucrative industrial houses.
  5. The Thermal Energy Plant will also host certain knowledge facilities.
  6. There are multiple reasons why Armenia deemed it fit to invite crypto mining. Even though it may be harmful to the economy, bitcoin mining may be profitable to the individuals undertaking it, provided it is done correctly.
  7. Also, digital currency is now becoming part and parcel of modern economies. To catch up with the pace of these economies, Armenia may have invited crypto mining and set up coin-installation hardware to ensure smooth creation and circulation of the digital currency. This will also actively encourage individuals to invest in cryptocurrency and gain from the transaction.
  8. Cryptocurrency also contributes to industry growth in multiple ways. A country like Armenia must actively invest its resources in building all possible industrial bases, and crypto mining is an excellent way to start.

The final takeaway

Reading the article above, you might have got acquainted with one thing. Armenia has allowed crypto miners to mine and process the procedure for the number of reasons listed above. Whatever the points to consider might have paved the way towards the mining at Armenia, one thing to focus on is crypto mining poses several disadvantages to the environment.

Solar-Powered Pumps are Game-Changing for Agriculture

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The first thing that comes to mind when you hear solar power is a solar panel placed on a rooftop for creating electricity for commercial or residential use. However, solar power has another important function – to mine and deliver water to improve productivity. This is especially applicable in sunny nations like Australia and most countries in Africa since its main industry is agriculture. Still, their productivity is suffering since their fields don’t get sufficient irrigation. Though, using solar pumps, they can double or even triple their profits. These economic gains can improve the lives of many farming communities.

Importance of Water in Agriculture

Our lives depend on clean water. The developed countries can sometimes take water for granted, but the evolving economies understand the significance of this commodity. A solar pump is an ecological option to get water for the crops and deliver drinkable, clean water.

The founder and CEO of the British-American company Ignite Power, Yariv Cohen, confirmed that solar pumps brought more efficiency, leading to bigger disposable income and more employment. Farmers can now grow three seasons per year instead of one. So, disposable income increased by 20% to 30%.

60% of the Sub-Saharan Africa population is employed in agriculture. Therefore, agriculture is accountable for 60% of economic output. This is less productive than the other regions in the world since only a part of the farmland gets constant irrigation – just 6% across Africa. Most farmlands go without irrigation, so most farmers in Africa rely only on rain for the larger lands, while they take care of the smaller areas with manual effort.

What is Solar-Powered Pumping System

The solar-powered pumping systems include a solar panel array, which fuels an electric motor. The motor, in turn, fuels the surface pump. The water is pumped from the stream or ground into a storage tank, utilized to water crops. If the farmland is irrigated consistently with solar pumps, the farmers will double the production compared to farmlands irrigated by rainwater or with manual effort.

Life-changing mechanism

About 600 million who live in Africa don’t have consistent electricity access. This is damaging the economic health of the continent. Everyone knows the ideal solution is to expand the electrical grid, but financial and geographical considerations prevent that. Ignite Power provides off-grid solutions to African countries in rural places like Nigeria, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone.

Cohen explains how solar pumps allow the farmers to irrigate their lands by using the sun. They first connect the homes, and then they utilize the same solar panels to water the fields. Using solar power, the pump enables a big area to be regularly irrigated. This improves the yield affordably.

Ignite Power has 1.1 million customers in Africa. So, there is room for enormous growth for his company and other providers of solar power in the continent. Cohen aims to reach 500 million houses.

They work with the bank and try to find the ideal solutions. They want to provide the best solution for the country with the help of the government. They can connect any payment providers or manufacturers to their system. They can connect all the suppliers, so many people could join.

The case of the two Rwandan women Grace Uwas (23) and Tharcille Tuyisenge (20) is admirable. They started working with Cohen’s company and bought solar systems for homes in Rwamagana, so people there have sustainable and safe electricity. Until now, they have installed twenty-five solar systems and more are coming!

Bottom Line

Electricity is the quintessence for any country. The solar power is game changing for African evolving communities to get access. In this way, they won’t just keep their lights on, but their agricultural productivity will be improved.

Composting with Worms

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Vermicomposting is a type of composting in which certain species of earthworms are used to enhance the process of organic waste conversion and produce a better end-product. It is a mesophilic process utilizing microorganisms and earthworms. Earthworms feeds the organic waste materials and passes it through their digestive system and gives out in a granular form (cocoons) which is known as vermicompost.

Worm

Simply speaking, vermicompost is earthworm excrement, called castings, which can improve biological, chemical, and physical properties of the soil. The chemical secretions in the earthworm’s digestive tract help break down soil and organic matter, so the castings contain more nutrients that are immediately available to plants.

Production of Vermicompost

A wide range of agricultural residues, such as straw, husk, leaves, stalks, weeds etc can be converted into vermicompost. Other potential feedstock for vermicompost production are livestock wastes, poultry litter, dairy wastes, food processing wastes, organic fraction of MSW, bagasse, digestate from biogas plants etc.

Earthworms consume organic wastes and reduce the volume by 40–60 percent. Each earthworm weighs about 0.5 to 0.6 gram, eats waste equivalent to its body weight and produces cast equivalent to about 50 percent of the waste it consumes in a day. The moisture content of castings ranges between 32 and 66 percent and the pH is around 7. The level of nutrients in compost depends upon the source of the raw material and the species of earthworm.

Types of Earthworms

There are nearly 3600 types of earthworms which are divided into burrowing and non-burrowing types. Red earthworm species, like Eisenia foetida, and are most efficient in compost making. The non-burrowing earthworms eat 10 percent soil and 90 percent organic waste materials; these convert the organic waste into vermicompost faster than the burrowing earthworms.

They can tolerate temperatures ranging from 0 to 40°C but the regeneration capacity is more at 25 to 30°C and 40–45 percent moisture level in the pile. The burrowing types of earthworms come onto the soil surface only at night. These make holes in the soil up to a depth of 3.5 m and produce 5.6 kg casts by ingesting 90 percent soil and 10 percent organic waste.

Types of Vermicomposting

The types of vermicomposting depend upon the amount of production and composting structures. Small-scale vermicomposting is done to meet personal requirements and farmers/gardeners can harvest 5-10 tons of vermicompost annually.

On the other hand, large-scale vermicomposting is done at commercial scale by recycling large quantities of organic waste in modern facilities with the production of more than hundreds of tons annually.

Benefits of Vermicompost

The worm castings contain higher percentage of both macro and micronutrients than the garden compost. Apart from other nutrients, a fine worm cast is rich in NPK which are in readily available form and are released within a month of application. Vermicompost enhances plant growth, suppresses disease in plants, increases porosity and microbial activity in soil, and improves water retention and aeration.

Vermicompost also benefits the environment by reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and decreasing the amount of waste going to landfills. Vermicompost production is trending up worldwide and it is finding increasing use especially in Western countries, Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia.

Vermicompost Tea

A relatively new product from vermicomposting is vermicompost tea which is a liquid fertilizer produced by extracting organic matter, microorganisms, and nutrients from vermicompost. Unlike vermicompost and compost, this tea may be applied directly to plant foliage, reportedly to enhance disease suppression. Vermicompost tea also may be applied to the soil as a supplement between compost applications to increase biological activity.

Potential Market

Vermicompost may be sold in bulk or bagged with a variety of compost and soil blends. Markets include home improvement centers, nurseries, landscape contractors, greenhouses, garden supply stores, grocery chains, flower shops, discount houses, indoor gardens, and the general public.

Agricultural Sector and Environmental Laws in New Zealand?

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If you take a look at sector shortages in New Zealand, you’ll find that agriculture and farming is one of the sectors struggling the most. There are long term shortages in the industry, so what’s putting people off from investing in this type of career path?

Although agriculture has dwindled in popularity since technology took over, there are other factors contributing to its decline. In New Zealand, there are strong environmental protection laws in place which need to be followed.

Here, we’ll look at how the agriculture industry deals with environmental protection laws in New Zealand.

What do the environmental protection laws cover?

The environmental protection laws in New Zealand are some of the strictest in the world. The country has earned a reputation for its clean, beautiful landscapes. A lot of its tourism is driven by its cleanliness and thriving ecosystem. This means the government has needed to introduce strict environmental protection laws to ensure New Zealand retains its pristine reputation. These laws include:

  • Resource Management Act 1991
  • Conservation Act 1987
  • Environment Act 1986
  • Ozone Layer Protection Act 1996

These are just a small number of the regulations and laws pertaining to the environment. There’s also a large list of related laws in New Zealand, making it difficult for businesses to keep up. This is especially true for those working within agriculture and industrial sectors.

New Zealand’s rivers under serious threat

Although New Zealand has developed a reputation as one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world, it’s rivers are currently under serious threat. The environment ministry claims that two-thirds of the country’s rivers are now deemed un-swimmable. Even more worrying is that three-quarters of all of the country’s freshwater native fish are under threat of extinction.

In a bid to tackle the problem, the government has announced a rather ambitious plan. They are aiming to see a noticeable improvement over five years. Freshwater protection plans are being drafted and are expected to be put into place by 2025. In the meantime, immediate interim controls have been introduced. Swimming pools will be subject to increased water quality standards. However, it’s the farming sector which is going to see the biggest changes in regulations.

How are the agricultural and industrial sector dealing with the laws?

The agricultural and industrial sectors are currently struggling with the change in legislation. Although the government has pledged $229 million NZD to help farmers transition to the new laws, there’s still a lot of challenges the sector needs to overcome.

Farmers need to stop risky farm practices, such as allowing cows to stray to nearby waterways. Cow manure is partially being blamed for the increase in river pollution. New irrigation practices will also be denied unless farmers can prove it won’t harm the environment. There’s a lot of new laws being introduced which are causing issues for farmers and the industrial sector. Those working within the sector would do well to seek advice from specialists such as RSM.

Overall, New Zealand is making its environmental protection laws stricter over the next five years. This is already having an impact on the agricultural sector. However, seeking professional advice can ensure those working within the sector understand and adhere to the new legislation.

Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Have a Dehumidifier at Home

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Air quality is one of those things that many homeowners frequently overlook. We assume that the air indoors is better or less polluted than the air outdoors because we’re not dealing with things like car fumes and pollution.

However, your indoor air can be just as bad as the atmosphere outdoors, particularly when you have problems with humidity. Too much humidity in your air can increase the risk of things like respiratory problems, mould, and even an overflow of dust. Here are 3 reasons to consider bringing a dehumidifier into your property.

1. They Combat Mould, Mildew and Dust

Damp in your home caused by humidity can lead to mould and mildew. Often, these problems are the root cause of health issues, such as asthma, respiratory conditions, and asthma. What’s more, constant exposure to mildew and mould may even increase your chances of nervous system disorders.

Taking steps to avoid your risk of moisture build-up by keeping your sewer line clear and fixing leaky pipes is great. However, homeowners can consistently keep their risk to a minimum by investing in a dehumidifier. These crucial tools remove the extra unnecessary moisture from the air, so that it can no longer feed mould spores in your home.

Having a dehumidifier can also help you to get rid of other pesky substances like dust on your mattresses, bedspreads, and other furniture too. That’s because it’s easier for dust to cling to your surfaces when there’s moisture in the air. When the air is dry, regularly vacuuming your home will get rid of a larger portion of dust, keeping the risk of allergy to a minimum. Dehumidifiers even eliminate the risk of dust mites by keeping humidity levels at a inhospitable level for those critters.

2. They Reduce Damp and Condensation

Too much humidity in your home causes a “damp” atmosphere. When the air is moist, the most obvious result is discomfort. You might notice that your breathing feels more laboured just because you’re breathing moisture-laden air. Damp doesn’t just stay in the air however, when it reaches excessive levels, it also begins to build up on the surfaces around your home, particularly in the winter when the cold of the outdoors interacts with the warm humidity indoors.

Humidity causes long-term damage to your woodwork and soft furnishings through damp and condensation. Although it’s common to have condensation in your home from time to time, humidity exacerbates it to dangerous levels, potentially causing peeling wall papers, shrinking wood, and stains on your sofas and curtains.

A dehumidifier will reduce the moisture in the air to reasonable levels again, protecting your belongings and your comfort.

3. They Improve Air Quality for Better Health

Finally, the most important reason to invest in a dehumidifier is that they allow you to improve your air quality and eliminate common health problems. Humidity in your home can lead to an increased risk of respiratory conditions, allergens, and even problems with coughs and stuffy noses. As mould and mildew begin to build up, the effects on your health grow even greater.

Placing a dehumidifier into your home does more than just get rid of musty smells throughout your property. It also absorbs the excess moisture that could be harming your health over time. Remember, the quality of the air in your home isn’t just measured by the amount of toxins that you could be exposed to. Your air quality also depends on the level of humidity in the air too.

Dry air is less likely to feed the bacteria in the atmosphere, reducing your risk of catching bugs and respiratory illnesses. According to studies, dehumidifiers are even useful in preventing asthma attacks because they remove asthma triggers like dust mites, mould, VOCs and building wastes.

Should You Get a Dehumidifier?

In a world where indoor air quality isn’t much better than the polluted air that we find outside, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself, your family and even your home. A dehumidifier can help you to improve the air quality that you’re exposed to every day.

By eliminating the unnecessary moisture in your home, your domestic dehumidifier will improve your quality of life, reduce the risk of mould and mildew, and even protect your health.