People all over the world are adopting various steps for energy conservation and environmental protection. These include: adopting renewable energy sources, using electric vehicles, embracing metal/glass/fabric instead of plastic, and treating wastewater through the scientific methodology of biotechnology. Already biofuels have been introduced as an effective alternative to the highly polluting traditional fossil fuels.
Biotechnologists have made an extensive research and have provided with their phenomenal contribution to treat toxic industrial waste waters.
Application of Biotechnology is done via selection of 650 various microbes in exact quality and quantity. This designer microbial consortium aids in natural decomposition process. With an extensive experience of more than 25 years as an Environmental Biotechnologist, Dr Vanita Prasad has created a lasting impact through her important research and innovative contributions to wastewater treatment.
She is leading the organization REVY Environmental Solutions as its Founder and CTO —which has embarked upon the noble vision of resolving the crisis of food, water, and energy across the world.
Her professional journey showcases her charming demeanour and go-getter personality. With her intellect and consistent efforts; she conquered various challenges faced while building this organization which was her dream.
Please brief our audience about REVY Environmental Solutions Pvt Ltd, its USPs, and how you are currently positioned as one of the best in the industry.
REVY AS a firm, is established with a vision to solve the global crisis of food, water, and energy. We are committed to make our Mother Earth cleaner and greener. As told by John Denver, “No one person has to do it all, but if each one of us follows our heart and our own inclinations, we will find the small things that we can do to create a sustainable future and a healthy environment.”
We work along the same lines; we have developed a very innovative and indigenous process of making RobustAnaerobic Granulated Sludge, a patented innovation – for the appropriate treatment of various industrial effluents and organic waste to recover Energy.
This unique microbial consortium can be customized depending on the waste characteristics and can be used to treat these end products of various industries and can help generate energy in the form of bio-methane or bio-hydrogen, which can help fulfil the electricity requirements of the plant operations and help reduce the global carbon footprint.
Tell us more about REVY’s offerings and what aspects make it stand out in the cutthroat competition.
As a biotechnologist, I could foresee what grave health issues, lack of proper sanitation systems and fresh water supply can create. Our societies need low cost waste treatment technology – an effective Waste Management scheme. Our firm provides these unique microbial consortia which can be customized depending on the waste characteristics and can be used to treat these end products of various industries and can help generate energy in the form of bio-methane or bio-hydrogen which can help fulfil the electricity requirements of the plant operations and help reduce the global carbon footprint.
Please brief us about your journey in the industry and how you made REVY excel in its niche.
I have had this passion to convert waste into resources for the past 30 years. Having graduated in Science from the University of Delhi and completing my master’s and Ph.D.
in Biotechnology under the Department of Biotechnology and Central Scientific Industrial Research, Govt. of India fellowships; I could foresee what grave health issues, lack of proper sanitation systems and freshwater supply can create.
Our societies need low-cost waste treatment technology – an effective waste management scheme. As a student back then, I had learned to isolate unique bacterial strains which were able to produce “Green Hydrogen.” But during that time, no one was ready to talk about or understand today’s so-called “fuel of the future.” But I believed in my dreams and instincts and filed the patent immediately.
While heading innovation in the field of Waste management and Renewable energy under my entrepreneurial journey, I along with my life-long supporter/partner – my husband and also the CEO of the firm – Mr Rajneesh Prasad and Mr Bhavik Kathrani – CFO of the firm, floated our own company namely – REVY Environmental Solution Private Ltd in 2017 which is committed to make our Mother Earth cleaner and greener.
Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies like AI and ML is impacting the space and how REVY is adapting to the change.
Despite the common implementation of biogas production technologies around the world, there is still a need to discover monitoring strategies for improving efficiency. Online monitoring is inevitable for future oriented CBG plants, but the parameters should be determined carefully. In addition to these technologies, at-line monitoring can be implemented to analyse samples with sensors in the pipeline, which represents the real situation that the reactor is well.
Real-time optimization of the CBG plant can be performed in three stages:
- Process modelling,
- Numerical optimization using the process model and
- Application of the model-based inputs into the plant
To do so, the implementation of future-oriented sensors and data collection technologies is required.
We intend to spark the transformation of our anaerobic reactor systems into an environmentally sound and economically stable network, helping bridge the gap where our nation falls short of global action to mitigate human environmental impacts.
Considering the current pandemic, what initial challenges did you face, and how did you drive REVY Environmental Solutions Pvt Ltd to sustain operations while ensuring the safety of your employees at the same time?
Creating a team, building up resources, and finding the rightminded people are the kind of challenges I face even today as a woman. But still, just like everything else, I am tackling it slowly and steadily. Generating funds and then creating a survivable revenue model out of it.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the Biotech Niche?
My advice to all the young entrepreneurs – especially girls and women out there; is to keep working on your skill set irrespective of any responsibilities that you have. I believe that one will always get a chance if one really wants to do something.
Apart from managing your skills, you will have to work out to find the resources. Once you are on the way, there will be multiple individuals who will mentor you and help you out.
No need to depend on anyone, be dynamic and act to achieve your goals. Sustained focus is the key to success.
In short, improvise yourself; keep honing your knowledge and skills. If you fulfil your goals and feel satisfied at the end of the day, then you are successful. “Spread your wings and fly; the resources and opportunities are limitless.”
How do you envision scaling REVY’s operations and offerings in the future?
Our technology will play a pivotal role in the development of the industrial sector of our state of Gujarat by reusing wastewater to meet ZLD norms economically. In wake of achieving the goals of our government schemes or mission like SATAT Swatch Bharat and mission Hydrogen, we are trying to partner with EPC companies. First, we will focus on USA and opportunities in Canada and Brazil.
We will collaborate (Partnership/JV/SPV) with local partners for manufacturing and distributing our products. First, we will focus on USA and opportunities in Canada and Brazil.
This will be followed up by the African region (2022-23), for which we have already started working on collaborating with partners in these countries.
Thereafter, we would focus on south Asia (in 2024) and then the European region (in 2025), following a similar collaboration model. We intend to be a global company by 2025, with all business tie-ups being complete in these geographies by then.
