who is making the project happen? - An NGO called Mitranetikan, with the help of EPG volunteers
where is it happening? - In a rural village called Vellenad, Trivandrum in south India.
what's the problem? - The village, like many other similar, rural villages is prevented from developing due shortages of liquid petroleum gas for energy. Many homes use biomass fuels such as wood, which, aswell as being an expensive, relatively unsustainable rescource (it requires deforestation which is a huge collective contributor to greenhouse gases); burning it indoors is highly dangerous because it can lead to respiritory problems, and in an area where lack of healthcare is already a crippling issue, this is a big problem.
what is the aim of the project? - to provide 20 biogas units for the families in the village and to train local people to use the technology.
what is biogas? - When biological matter such as cow dung and waste is digested anaerobically (in the absence of oxygen) by bacteria, biogas is produced (which is made of mainly methane, 60%, carbon dioxide, 39% and other gases). This biogas can then be collected and used to fuel homes for heating, light, cooking and refrigeration.
Benefits:
- renewable energy source
- reduces use of wood for fuel which is expensive and cause health risks due to smoke
- the sludge can be used to fertilise crop feilds (cheaper than manufactured products and more effective than manure)
- Less pathogens than if the waste is left untreated
- Easy and cheap to run - can be used in future generations - sustainable!
- Provides woman and children with an extra 2 hours a day due to reduction in labour of collecting biomass fuel such as wood and cleaning pots
- Fewer emissions of methane as it is used as fuel (methane is 21 times stronger than co2 as a greenhouse gas)
Find out more about biogas and this project:
http://egp.org.uk/india/ - find out about this particular project, there is a link to donate.
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/biogas/basic/ - this site has some detailed information about the technology behind biogas.
http://www.biogas-india.com/ - database about biogas and projects in india and around the world.
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| simple diagram of biogas unit. source: http://www.ashden.org/biogas |
what is biogas? - When biological matter such as cow dung and waste is digested anaerobically (in the absence of oxygen) by bacteria, biogas is produced (which is made of mainly methane, 60%, carbon dioxide, 39% and other gases). This biogas can then be collected and used to fuel homes for heating, light, cooking and refrigeration.
Benefits:
- renewable energy source
- reduces use of wood for fuel which is expensive and cause health risks due to smoke
- the sludge can be used to fertilise crop feilds (cheaper than manufactured products and more effective than manure)
- Less pathogens than if the waste is left untreated
- Easy and cheap to run - can be used in future generations - sustainable!
- Provides woman and children with an extra 2 hours a day due to reduction in labour of collecting biomass fuel such as wood and cleaning pots
- Fewer emissions of methane as it is used as fuel (methane is 21 times stronger than co2 as a greenhouse gas)
Find out more about biogas and this project:
http://egp.org.uk/india/ - find out about this particular project, there is a link to donate.
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/biogas/basic/ - this site has some detailed information about the technology behind biogas.
http://www.biogas-india.com/ - database about biogas and projects in india and around the world.
