I have to admit to being a complete beginner at crowd funding, and to some extent social media, so I have little idea how many people this appeal will reach, or how many people will be sympathetic enough with our aims, to help us. However, it wasn’t that long ago I was a complete beginner at bee keeping, living in France, and being a Father, so here goes!!!!

It’s been explained to me that we should have low targets that increase in steps as each level is reached. But, its been explained that if I put in to much detail, it will be boring

So here is my shopping list

1. honey spinner

2. stainless de-capping trough.

Step 2

Transformation of barn built in 1750 into a workshop

For wax and honey spinning, we need a bee-proof room, and we currently use our kitchen for this.

Here is the barn, ready to start work

This is our current storage space!!

Spinner 1600 euros

De-capping trough 650 euros

Concrete floor and entry ramp 3000 euros

intenal walls and ceilings 2200 euros

fiittng out, including electricty, water, waste, lighting ventilation, 1 290 euros

moveable workbench 560 euros

We will need new barn doors 1870 euros

Plus internal doors between the clean room and storage space 950 euros

Total 12 120 euros

The remaining part of the building will allow us to store empty hive parts, and our market stand and tables, which currently are outside under the hanger.

So, the barn is now funded...what’s next??

Step 3..Fabrication machine

Currently Louise receives bolts of material that are 1.5m wide and folded around cardboard formers.

This needs to be cut into the 4 different widths, then each one is ironed, as the folding on the bolts causes creasing.. This is a very labour intensive operation, and we now can’t keep up with demand like this

We need a machine to automate this process. A prototype needs to be designed and made, probably in stainless steel.

Jean Marie is the Dad of one of Charlie’s friends at school, he runs a steel fabrication and agri-mechanic service, and he is confident he can build us the machine that will automate the coating of the cotton, and enable us to increase output 50 or 60 fold.

Fabrication machine 3 800 euros.

I can't show a picture here, as its not been made yet, but we imagine it will be about 3 m long and 60 cm wide, with a electric motor to pull the material through the hot wax mixture

Total raised to here 11 920

Wow! Take a big, deep breath, and lets go even further.....

Step 4 Zero CO2 deliveries

The next stage takes our ecology stance a big step forward, we want to produce and supply Embal’VERT in an eco friendly manner. We have already switched our electricity supplier to Christine.

Christine kindly lets me place my hives on her land to harvest honey from her common lime trees. On the same land she has a hydroelectric station dating back to 1920...So all the electricity we use to make Embal’VERT comes from Christine’s hydroelectricity, brilliant!

So, Embal’VERT is produced with zero co2, or carbon neutrally. However, we would love to deliver Embal’VERT without any co2 produced as well, so a 100 % electric vehicle is the next step.. A Kia Niro electric car

would give us a range of 380 km for deliveries, and local exhibitions.

Electric car 45,000 euros.

The Final step!!! Can we get there?

Roof tiles and power Wall!

Using Christine’s hydroelectric power, with no CO2 emissions is a great step forward, however, moving electricity from one place to another involves electrical power losses, so it is much more efficient to generate the electricity where you need to use it.

It’s much more efficient to store your electricity in batteries on your property, use as necessary, and sell any excess to the electricity company .

To be self sufficient in electricity for our workshop, and to produce sufficient excess to power a 100% electric delivery vehicle , we will need solar panels ( or solar tiles are now available ),

plus a battery similar to a Tesla “Power wall”

.

Solar panel installation 21,500

Power wall battery installation 7 360

So our help ladder goes like this............

Barn fitting out 12 120

Fabrication Machine 3 800

Electric delivery car 45 000

Solar Roof Panels 21 500

Wall Battery 7 360

Total Required 89 780

So, now its in your hands, and the hands of your contacts...Many thanks!!

Help us make more EmbalVERT and put less plastic in the oceans and landfill

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