Role of Biogas Plants in Reducing GHG Emission, Forest Protection

and Improving Health(A Case of Nalang-9, Dhading)

SupervisorDr. Subodh Dhakal

Tri-Chandra Campus

Kathmandu, Nepal

Presenter Kapil SilwalRoll No.34

MSc II SemesterCentral Department of Environmental ScienceTribhuvan UniversityKirtipur, Kathmanu

Nepal

IntroductionBackground

• Biogas is combustible mixture of gases.

• Estimation: Potential of 2.9 million plants in Nepal(BSP, 2009)

• BSP under the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre , various donors like SNV and KfW

• First CDM project in Nepal• History of over 50 years of modern

biogas technology development• Derived from cattle dung, and recently

also human excreta mixed with cattle dung in some areas

• The alternative source of energy for cooking and sometime for lighting in rural households

• Fuel wood saving, forest protection, time and money saving, improvement of health, climate change mitigation

ObjectivesOverall objective of the study: to quantify

the environmental and socioeconomic roles of biogas plants

Specific objectives of the study:• To find amount of GHG emission

reduced by biogas plants installed in Nalang 9

• To find amount of firewood consumption reduced by biogas plants in Nalang 9

• To assess economic benefit of biogas plants.

• To compare the respiratory health between biogas users and others

SITE DESCRITPTION•Nalang-9, Dhading•About 8 Km to the South from Dhadingbensi; the headquarter of Dhading• Total number of households :177 , total population :713•Thulo community forest ward no. 6, 7 and 9 , total area 1.5 square Km

MethodologyPrimary data collection • Household survey

Sample size was determined by Arkin and Colton formula, which is as

n=

Where,n= sample size,N= Total number of householdsZ= confidence level at 95%; 1.96P= Estimated population proportion (0.5)d= desired error, (0.1)

Total number of households 177. 62 households were surveyed. Households selected under purposive sampling.

• Questionnaire survey• Direct observation• Focal group discussion • Key informant survey

Secondary Data collection• Thulo Community Forest

User Group• DDC library• CBS library• Websites of concerned

agencies • Data analyzed by MS Excel

Result

61%19%

8%

8%3%

Agriculture Business Government employeeRemittance Others

Occupation of house-holds Family with livestocks Family without livestocks

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45 42

20

43%

57%

Families with livestocks and biogas plants

Families with livestocks but no biogas plants

Firewood LPG Biogas Electricity Others0

10

20

30

40

50

60 56

37

19

9

3

Type of fuel used for cooking

Result Contd….Biogas only

5%

Biogas and Firewood

42%

Biogas, Firewood and LPG

53%

Proportion of households using other sources of energy along with biogas

Biogas users Firewood users0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1

10

18

21

Family with at least one member having respiratory problemsFamily without respiratory problems

36 biogas plantsSave 72 tons of fuelwoodSave 47.80 to 94.93 working days per familyReduce emission of 266.4 tons of GHG per year

4 m3 6 m3 8 m3 15 m30

5

10

15

20

25

30

6

27

21

Number of biogas plants in Nalang-9 (Source: NCDC, 2014)

Conclusion

• Especially women were benefitted.• The saved time can be utilized in productive works.• Respiratory health of family using biogas was

better.• At the rate of reducing 7.4 tons of CO2 equivalent

per plant(BSP, 2009), 266.4 tons of GHG emission is reduced by these plants.

• High initial cost and lack of information about subsidy is the main cause of few installations.

Recommendation

• Technical improvement in plants structure to yield sufficient gas.

• Proper feasibility study before installation• Plants of volume 4 m3 look appropriate for most of

the households. • Dissemination of knowledge on role of biogas plants

in climate change mitigation and forest conservation.

• Awareness on subsidy and the environmental cost of sources of energy

THANK YOU

Photos: Kapil Silwal