Haytham Dbouk – The story of an ambitious innovator who aims to make renewable energy more sustainable
Haytham Dbouk – The story of an ambitious innovator who aims to make renewable energy more sustainable
Written by Paul Frangieh
Haytham Dbouk, a graduate student at the Electrical and Computer Department at the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA), is the founder and CEO of Innovating Green Technology (I.G.T.). Known for being selected by MIT Technology Review to feature in the Innovators Under 35, this young entrepreneur aims to make green energy more sustainable. This is why Cogs and Caffeine sat down with Mr. Dbouk and interviewed him about his accomplishments.
Can you tell us a bit about I.G.T.?
1 Pro-Shield: the first solution to tackle the overheating issue of solar water heaters. The device can be mounted on any type or brand of solar heaters. It uses AI algorithms to forecast the weather, the demand of the household and other factors and incorporates them into the decision of whether or not to cover/shield the solar heater. This way, it can reduce the loss of energy and efficiency caused by overheating.
Solar heaters for poultry houses: this solution cuts the operational costs of poultry houses, usually 2 running on gas or diesel. Using a controller embedded with artificial intelligence, the system can predict the appropriate temperature for the growth of the chicks, all while saving 60% to 70% of the cost.
3 Aquaponic System in Baakline: an aquaponic system is one that combines conventional aquaculture and hydroponics (plants cultivated in water) in a symbiotic environment. The solar aquaponic project uses solar water heaters, water mixing mechanisms, and IoT based controllers to grow the fish and plants in optimal conditions within the constrained space.
Solar based water treatment: this project works on treating greywater and blackwater, making it 4 suitable for irrigation. The project also includes treating shallow water, qualifying it for household use.
What inspired you to start I.G.T.?
What’s next for I.G.T.?
“Scale, expand and create more impact” said the young entrepreneur. I.G.T., headed by Haytham, aims to create new exciting partnerships with Binaa in Egypt, CEWAS in Switzerland and Lebanon, in addition to collaborating with BORDA in Jordan and Iraq. The startup’s strategy is to integrate its technology into the Lebanese community, which is in dire need of these kinds of projects. That is why – the CEO explains – there has been consistent cooperation with AUB, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), and several NGOs, such as Action Against Hunger and CESVI.
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