BarcelonaThe Catalan company that made the Olympic torches in Rio de Janeiro has reinvented itself and is taking advantage of the lessons learned during that experience to launch ecological stoves designed for the terraces of bars and restaurants. “We were very surprised that at this point the combustion system of an Olympic torch was not 100% ecological. They still used a system based on the mixture of different gases derived from oil. That’s why we researched to patent a combustion system based on bioethanol, a non-polluting, sustainable and renewable energy.This combustion system is what we have applied to solve one of the big problems we face, in winter, with pollutant emissions from gas stoves propane or botan, which are used to heat the outside of bars and restaurants, “Jordi Granados tells ARA.
The proposal of this Catalan entrepreneur is Calidor. “Each terrace with four stoves expels three tons of CO₂ a month into the atmosphere, this is equivalent to emitting a return flight from Barcelona to Lima. In Catalonia the numbers are skyrocketing: only with bars and restaurants are we with a figure of 39,000 open establishments, of which more than 40% have terraces. Our product is more economical, efficient and attractive. Specially designed for this sector “, explains.
According to Granados: “The situation is unsustainable and presents a global problem. The European Union has issued mandatory regulations that prohibit the use on public roads of stoves that are polluting and do not feed on sustainable energy and That’s why it’s been applied in different countries like France, Germany and Belgium for a long time. “
The experience of making the 2016 Olympic torches was a success. “The balance we make is very positive. Winning one of the most internationally competitive competitions in the world, valued at $ 6.5 million, was a success, both personally and in terms of our country’s industry. At a very delicate time in the crisis, we helped many companies in the territory to run their businesses, and most importantly, for us, it represented the seed of what we are doing now, a project that aims to help reduce polluting emissions from oil, ”he continues.
An exciting challenge
“In 2012 we began to notice the crisis and we lived in a very delicate situation. Money did not circulate, customers had trouble paying and banks did not give loans to the self-employed. It was in this context of crisis and about to close when I set myself the maximum goal to which a company like mine, the Olympic Games, could aspire. That’s when I entered it in the international torch design competition, ”Granados recalls. The Catalan company withdrew from the design competition, but managed to take over manufacturing them. “The requirements were not simple and took up more than 200 pages. Everyone told us that it was impossible for a Catalan company to win an international competition of this magnitude. They even gave me a book called Brazil is not for beginners. At a critical moment in the project, we also introduced Taurus, ”says the entrepreneur.
“In the end we were successful and we were awarded the competition, which was 14,680 torches. The story makes me happy financially, but mostly because of the way we got it. The experience was a dream come true. I don’t want to teach anything, but I hope that our example will help other people to carry out their project “, he concludes.
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