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The continued use of wood and charcoal as main cooking fuel may lead to the depletion of biomass resources, in particular in or near urbanized areas. To counter such potential negative developments, SNV, in close cooperation with relevant organizations in Lao PDR, is developing a biogas program. The goals of the biogas program are, besides reducing the pressure on natural resource, to: · Develop a commercially viable and market-oriented biogas sector through the introduction of 6,600 family-size, high-quality biogas plants; · Ensure the continued operation of these biogas plants established under the program by developing the technical and management capacity of those involved in the biogas sector; · Facilitate and strengthen local institutions for the continued development of the biogas sector; and · Maximize the benefits of biogas plants, in particular the use of biogas slurry; The use of a biogas digester has several advantages for the user: Financial/Economic: · Biogas reduces a family’s reliance on biomass fuel for cooking. A single biogas plant can save about 2.3 tons of fuel wood per year which, in case the wood has to be bought, will result in considerable financial savings. · The use of the biogas slurry as a bio-fertilizer contributes to an increased crop yield which has the potential to generate extra income for the farmer. · The use of the biogas slurry has the potential to reduce the use of chemical fertilizer and the costs associated with it. · The use of the biogas slurry will improve the soil structure and contribute to maintaining the content of organic matter in the soil. Labor saving: · Biogas reduces the workload of its users, particularly rural women as less time has to be spent on collecting and preparing woodfuels, cleaning of cooking pots, etc. · The time saved increases opportunities to spend time on income-generating activities and family care.
· The use of biogas will reduce indoor air pollution (IAP) which is one of the major causes of acute respiratory infections among women and children. · The use of a biogas digester significantly improves the sanitary situation of the farm yard and the environment (water sources), as animal manure (and human night-soil) is deposited directly in the biogas installation rather than dumped in the open. Status of the program The Biogas Pilot Program will be in operation from November 2006 till November 2010. It is expected to install 6,600 biogas digesters in various provinces of Lao PDR. Initially, the introduction of biogas digesters will start in Vientiane Municipality and later on other provinces will be included. Factsheet on Biogas (PDF file)
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The use of traditional energy sources helps perpetuate poverty in Lao PDR |
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Biogas and Renewable Energy |
