4 minutes with… Enrique Preu, Owner, Preu Engenharia

Tell us about your company and it’s role in the Advanced Bioeconomy.

My company has a main objective to provide consulting, and in the biotechnology, provide recovery of agriculture waste transforming it into Biocoal. The waste water from the process can be used later as biofertilizer. Since Brazilian Municipal waste has 57% organic and 50% humidity I work to transform it into energy.

Tell us about your role and what you are focused on in the next 12 months.

In the next 12 months I shall test my waste treatment system in order to proof that I can recover from the MSW – Municipal Solid Waste with high humidity the estimated energy. Similar process is in operation in USA but not for energy recovery. My Patent explains how I can treat the humid waste and get a high yield of it.

Regarding Biocoal I will continue to discuss with the several possible customers the advantages to use waste and transform it into biocoal and use it as replacement of fossil coal or Petcoke. Process uses the wet process therefore reducing energy or other fuel.

What do you feel are the most important milestones the industry must achieve in the next 5 years?  

Use of waste to provide in an efficient way energy, instead to dump it Landfill. The technology is already here but difficult to sell.

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about the Advanced Bioeconomy, what would you change? 

Reluctance of investors. In the MSW now there is a more acceptance, but for Bio in Brazil from Brazilian is very difficult. My feedstock is waste so there should be a cost reduction of the disposal

Of all the reasons that influenced you to join the Advanced Bioeconomy industry, what single reason stands out for you as still being compelling and important to you?  

During a meeting in the German Chamber of Commerce I discussed with the technology representative and we decided that we could work his patented process in Brazil. Since there is a lot of waste to be treated I have just to proof that the process is feasible here in Brazil to export or use it to produce electricity.

Where are you from? 

Brazil and I’m still here

What was your undergraduate major in college, and where did you attend? Why did you choose that school and that pathway?

Civil and Electrical Engineer from UFJF – Federal University of Juiz de Fora. It was chosen because I was born there and lived there.

Who do you consider your mentors – could be personal, business, or just people you have read about and admire. What have you learned from them?

During my course in GE – Power System Engineering Course I had several discussions in how to provide services and how to treat the Client. Later during Managing Large Project with Germans and later with Japonese Kawasaky Steel Industry how they work and how to get things done in time, cost and quality. Safety was always the aim in any projects. On my Waste Treatment the aim of it is to reduce as much as possible hand work, always when possible done by cheap equipment and safe.

What’s the biggest lesson you ever learned during a period of adversity?  

That the a problem to be solved is very easy if you can divide it in several parts and solve each individually. One step after the other. My numerical calculation in the GE course said, if you want to it the cake the easiest way is to divide in several portions and eat each one at the time.

Patience nor resignation, since some times you need to wait the decision of the other person.

What hobbies do you pursue, away from your work in the industry?

My hobby is photography and reading

What are 3 books you’d want to have with you, if you were stranded on a desert island

Science Fiction and Mystery

What books or articles are on your reading list right now, or you just completed and really enjoyed?  

Normally USPTO to find new ideas, European Bioenergy

What’s your favorite city or place to visit, for a holiday?

My house in Ilha Bela, SP when there is no holiday near, because it will be to full of people.