When we are talking about CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) and Alternative sources of energy, we are mostly thinking of solar panels, wind turbines, bio-energy etc. In developing countries like Nepal, where firewood is still one of the major sources of energy for cooking, warming etc, sophisticated energy solutions like solar, wind etc are not in reach of average standard people. So, Biogas plants have been encouraged by Government of Nepal for about a decade now. Biogas plants are even successful in replacing the tremendous amount of firewood minimizing deforestation in many areas of Nepal.

WHAT IS A BIOGAS PLANT?

As the name suggests, biogas plant is an energy producing unit that works on biological energy. Nepal is an agricultural country with integrated livestock farming system. So, in a biogas plant in Nepal, you can see cow dung, cattle dung and even human manure directly from toilets used to produce energy. This energy is used and utilized for various purposes like cooking, lighting, warming etc. Biogas Plants in a sentence are effective energy creating and waste recycling unit.

HOW DOES A BIOGAS PLANT WORK?

A Biogas Plant consists of a well like structure where the energy sources like dung and human manure are fed. The fed energy sources are stirred to make fine slurry and then the lid of the plant is covered. This will in return build up energy gases which are then passed to the respective energy outlets. Energy outlets can be stoves or the electricity wires.

BENEFITS OF BIOGAS PLANT

1. Biogas as mentioned earlier is a cleaner source of energy as compared to firewood.

2. It uses wastes like dung and manures. It is thus a recycling unit.

3. The dung slurry after producing energy gases can be used as fertilizers in the fields, so no wastage.

4. It is a cheap source of energy.

5. As it is an alternative source of energy to mostly firewood, deforestation is minimized.

6. Health of people is improved as the smoke coming from firewood is replaced with much cleaner energy.

STATUS OF BIOGAS PLANT IN NEPAL

It has been more than a decade since Government of Nepal realized the importance of Biogas plant in rural Nepal. Since then, many projects like  Nepal Biogas Promotion Association, Biogas Secotor Partnership-Nepal etc have been helping people of rural Nepal to build biogas plants and to use them. Projects on Biogas promotion have found out that most of the people mostly use biogas plants for the purpose of cooking only whereas the use of these plants for producing electricity is underutilized. Government of Nepal has been providing loans in low interest and subsidies to construct Biogas plants. Places of Nepal like Chitwan, Dhankuta, Rasuwa, Mid hills etc are continuously taking the benefits of this plant.

CHALLENGES OF BIOGAS PLANT IMPLEMENTATION

1. Since, the technology is relatively sophisticated than using firewood rural people find it difficult which is the consequence of illiteracy.

2. Firewood in some areas is found with no cost. So, people use firewood even when biogas is available.

3. Lack of funds and relatively higher cost of construction is acting as a hindrance.

P.S. I am observing a farmer nearby making a biogas plant. I will share you more along with photographs and the experience in time to come.

Photo source: google.com (a biogas plant)