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In a three-part series presented by Maxis, entrepreneurs from the Gen.T community share their journey to transform their community and industry. Vinesh Sinha, founder and CEO of FatHopes Energy, shares how his family fuelled his interest in renewable energy
It was a childhood visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology, on vacation in Wales, that planted the seed in Vinesh Sinha to pursue a career in renewable energy.
Over time, Sinha’s interest in renewable energy continued to grow. In 2010, he dropped out of university to start FatHopes Energy. His decision came as a shock to his family, who thought it was a risky move. Today, his wife Jane leads the company with him, while his two brothers, Vikesh and Viresh, joined FatHopes Energy three years ago.
“Our solutions are anchored in sustainability because we want to help build a better environment for future generations,” says Sinha, who is CEO of the company. FatHopes Energy collects waste oil, fats and grease from factories and restaurants across Malaysia, converting it into biofuel that can be used to power internal combustion engines.
See also: How GoGet’s Francesca Chia Is Creating A Sustainable Future For Malaysia’s Gig Workers
According to Sinha, biofuel is the “knight in shining armour” of renewable energy sources, as it can be used to fuel the billions of cars that are still on the roads. Biofuel, says Sinha, is “the only low-carbon solution today that fits within existing infrastructures such as road tankers and petrol stations."
FatHopes Energy has managed to convince about 18,000 organisations, primarily food producers and vendors operating in Malaysia, such as McDonald’s and Tesco, to pass on their waste oil to the company, which has converted 150 million kilograms of waste oil into biofuel.