Jord: Green Fuel II

Producing biofuel from grass used to regenerate degraded soils.

Investment overview

Impact category

Agrifood Systems

Investment type

Loan

Yearly interest

Term

months

Risk level

B-

Jord wants to revolutionize the fuel industry by producing biofuel from grass used to regenerate marginal and degraded soils and driving a transition towards renewable energy in the Dominican Republic. Jord's approach offers an alternative to fossil fuels whilst capturing more carbon than it emits.

Since the first campaign, Jord’s operations in the Dominican Republic are advancing, with approximately 300 hectares already planted and new planting taking place every week. Jord has expanded its team to 16 full-time employees dedicated to driving growth and productivity in the region. Additionally, Jord has invested in state-of-the-art equipment and technology to ensure they stay at the forefront of agricultural innovation.

This campaign's purpose is to finance the next phases of Jord’s project, which includes the ongoing construction of its pressing facility and the installation of solar panels to power the factory. The solar panels are a crucial step toward ensuring energy self-sufficiency for Jord’s operations, enabling biofuel production from C4-grass in the Dominican Republic.

The promoter envisions a sustainable future for the Dominican Republic by producing CO2e-negative biofuel from regeneratively grown C4-grass, that can facilitate a transition towards renewable energy. In a broad sense, the project involves reducing the country's dependence on fossil fuels, preventing deforestation, and actively contributing to the restoration of marginal and degraded land. Jord believes that biofuel will play a pivotal role in steering the country toward a renewable, environmentally conscious, and resilient future.

The establishment of a pressing facility on one of Jord’s land plots will enable the production of biofuel from C4-grass, responding to the demonstrated local demand as signified by secured letters of intent. The next critical step is the installation of solar panels to power the facility, ensuring energy self-sufficiency and furthering Jord’s commitment to sustainability. A dedicated warehouse is being constructed to hold pressing operations and manage inventory. Future plans include connecting a pellet production line to increase the value of the biomass.

What is the impact?

Direct

Sustainable production practices and contribution to the decarbonisation of the Dominican Republic avoiding CO2 emissions: The solar system installation will enable Jord’s factory to be 100% self-sustainable, utilizing no external grid resources. With a total production of clean energy of over 736 MWh per year, the solar plant will avoid the emission of about 427 tonnes of CO2 per year. This is equivalent to the CO2 absorption of over 19.400 trees.
The decentralized energy production through renewable sources, close to the place of consumption, helps to avoid distribution costs, this being the most competitive option. In addition, the company's lower dependence on the national grid makes it less vulnerable to price fluctuations and tax charges.
Promotion of sustainable fuel alternatives: The pressing facility to be built with the funds of this campaign is a vital part in Jord’s production infrastructure. Once completed, Jord's operations yield approximately 36,000 tons of sustainable biofuel per 1,000 hectares of land with C4 grass, grown regeneratively. The sustainable biofuel is a renewable alternative to fossil fuels, that can be used in a wide range of industries.

Indirect

Contribution to carbon removal and mitigation of climate change impacts: through a validated methodology, Jord promotes carbon storage in the soil and in the biomass above soil. The methodology also avoids further carbon emissions, by enabling burning biofuel instead of fossil fuels. The process assists with the avoidance of approximately 11,000 tons of CO2 per 1,000 hectares.
Restoration of degraded soil’s health and productivity: Within Jord’s business model, the land used for the C4 grass production, processed as biofuel, is marginal and degraded land – which means that those areas that are poor in nutrition and/or are not being used for agriculture are used with a better purpose.

The land is managed with a holistic regenerative agronomic plan in which from 8 to 12 years, the land goes through a regeneration phase, storing CO2 underground and nutrients from the biomass of the C4 grass. After that, comes a phase of around 4 years of food or commercial farming crops that are alternated after 2 years, accumulating hummus. In the end, there is a final cycle of 8 to 12 years of C4 grass, sequestering and storing more carbon.

Impact indicators
‍

427986

CO2 avoided per year

736916

KWh

clean energy

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
‍

About the Promoter

About

Jord AB

Founded in 2017 Jord is committed to restoring the biosphere and delivering renewable products. Headquartered in Stockholm, the leadership team includes CEO and Chairman Peder Dagsanth, Managing Director Charles Hefner in the Dominican Republic, and Managing Director Ababacar Diop in Senegal. The global team includes five individuals at headquarters, 14 FTE in July and 9 FTE in June in Senegal (including 4 managers), and 18 FTE in July and 16 FTE in June in the Dominican Republic (including 2 managers), all collaborating towards the company’s vision.

Jord's mission can be traced back to Peder's upbringing in western Sweden, where a profound connection to forest management sparked the realization that nature could be a crucial source for restoring the natural carbon cycle. In 2017, a mission was undertaken by the leadership of the company, alongside innovators and agro-industry experts, to create an efficient process that regenerates soil, addresses rising CO2 levels, reduces fossil fuel dependency, and restores the natural carbon cycle.

Jord's regenerative agroforestry model utilizes marginal and or degraded land and specialized C4-grasses to absorb significant amounts of CO2, enriching the soil and increasing fertility. The harvested grass transforms into solid biofuel and biochar, providing a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels while enhancing soil quality.

To Jord's knowledge, the company stands as a unique provider, offering a holistic solution to the three-fold problem of degraded and marginal lands, dependency on fossil fuels, and increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. Reinventing biofuel, Jord is leading the way with a sustainable approach that prioritizes environmental preservation. Looking ahead, Jord hopes to scale worldwide, with ample marginal and degraded land in need of restoration, coupled with a rising energy demand and a growing population. Envisioning a future free of fossil fuels, Jord is committed to making a significant contribution to this transformative goal.

In 2023, Jord achieved noteworthy milestones. Partnering with Phoenix BioPower, the company is actively researching and developing a comprehensive commercial platform for renewable and dispatchable power, accelerating the transition to green and sustainable power generation.

Promoter website

https://www.jord.one

Team
‍

[{"id":155,"promoter_id":310,"name":"Peder Dagsanth","description":"In his capacity as CEO and Chairman, Peder brings extensive experience in both pellet production and successful leadership of industrial businesses. As the founder of Borga, he has led the company to a notable turnover of SEK 800 million, securing a top-three industry position in Sweden. With over 13 years in pellet production, Peder co-designed a production line focusing on tree pellets from sustainable sources. His diverse expertise enhances his strategic leadership within the organization.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/company/jordab/","role":"CEO and Chairman","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/656/f3c/2de/656f3c2dec3e8935808868.jpg","avatar_id":122448},{"id":156,"promoter_id":310,"name":"Eva Teekens","description":"As Jord's Chief Commercial Officer, Eva plays a critical role in driving revenue generation and market expansion. Her focus extends to ensuring Jord's products reach target markets, generate revenue, and lead fundraising initiatives. With 14+ years dedicated to shaping collaborative partnerships that accelerate sustainable businesses, Eva brings a wealth of experience from roles at Oikocredit International, the Common Fund for Commodities, and the Rabobank Foundation.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/evateekens/","role":"Chief Commercial Officer and Investor Relations","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/66c/f26/5f4/66cf265f40b4d771845647.jpeg","avatar_id":152677},{"id":157,"promoter_id":310,"name":"Stefan Jönsson","description":"With a professional tenure spanning two decades in engineering and technical development, Stefan serves as the Technical Director at Jord, where he effectively applies his extensive experience. Having previously held managerial roles in production line establishments, Stefan brings a wealth of expertise to his current position. At Jord, Stefan's primary responsibility is the sourcing and assembly of the pellet production line and accompanying production, a task that encompasses the coordination of diverse components, ranging from hardware to software.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-jonsson-8b705823/","role":"Technical Director","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/656/f3c/088/656f3c0887bb9137549457.jpg","avatar_id":122447},{"id":158,"promoter_id":310,"name":"Henrik Harryson","description":"Leading Jord’s business processes, Henrik designs and implements Jord's operational model, evaluates and optimizes business processes, researches sales leads, and formulates business strategies. Managing key partnerships, including collaborations with Removement, Puro.earth, and Patch, Henrik brings a wealth of experience from roles such as financial analyst at AiBetic, M&A at Carlsquare, and equity research analyst and wealth management at Erik Penser Bank.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrikharryson/","role":"Business Development and Growth","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/656/f3b/b4a/656f3bb4a1800706221648.jpg","avatar_id":122446},{"id":159,"promoter_id":310,"name":"Rocío López","description":"With over 10 years of experience in branding and marketing, Rocío oversees marketing initiatives at Jord, specializing in brand development, marketing strategy, and content production. Her past roles include serving as an Art Director at Oriflame and working as a marketing and communication designer at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning in Chile.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/rociolopezuribe/","role":"Marketing Coordinator","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/656/f3b/78c/656f3b78c5408056168770.jpg","avatar_id":122445},{"id":160,"promoter_id":310,"name":"Charles Hefner","description":"As the Managing Director at Jord in the Dominican Republic, Charles oversees and leads the company's operations in the region. He manages the Dominican Republic unit, handling tasks from establishing nurseries and land preparation for biomass and energy crops (C4 grasses) to overseeing factory operations, as well as personnel management and development. Charles' expertise in biomass and bioenergy crops is an asset to Jord's agronomic objectives, contributing to the establishment of a regenerative and well-functioning model.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleshefner/","role":"Managing Director, Dominican Republic","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/656/f3e/630/656f3e6308602491689566.jpeg","avatar_id":122451}]

Business Model
‍

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