CAFFUEL – Upcycling used coffee grounds into barbecuing briquettes

THE PROBLEM

Over 95 million cups of coffee are consumed each day in the UK alone, resulting in over 2500 tonnes of spent coffee grounds being produced. Left to decompose in landfill sites, the coffee grounds produce methane, which has a global warming effect over 20 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

THE SOLUTION

CAFFUEL provides an automated upcycling solution, taking the waste grounds from independent coffee shops and transforming them into briquettes that replace barbecuing charcoal. By using the coffee in this way, the overall emissions are reduced by 80% compared to landfill. The product sits conveniently within the store itself, cutting out any need for transportation or storage of waste biomass, whilst providing a unique, eco-friendly addition to the business.

HOW IT WORKS

The product uses dispensing and mixing mechanisms to combine the used coffee with a binding agent, then levels them into a series of moulds and presses into briquettes. They are then dried in the tray below before packaging, ready for sale to customers within the coffee shop.

These functionalities were tested using a working prototype

Designed with the user in mind, the removable components are made with easy to clean materials, and a simple, clear user display guides you through each interaction within the upcycling process. CAFFUEL will suit any environment, whether that be as a standalone feature within the store with optional outside feature cladding, or conveniently tucked under the work surface to fit right into the coffee-making workflow.

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Other projects and experience


Work Experience

Year in industry at Victory Leisure Homes as part of the 3D design and visualisation team