“—t IOGAS iN ASIA Inventory Field Study on the State of Development of Biogas Pigesters for Household useinTropical Rural Communities. ERIK KIJNE Reterence Cei~fri tor Comrnunjty Watar Supply ICDP ‘Consultants for managementofDevelopment Programmes bv IAchter Clarenburg 25, 3511 JH Utrecht, Holland, Tel 030-3138 65, Telex 76358, Bank ABN reknr 555L57~~-Uked~1-4~368;---- ~~352.1~2842 .4 ~. ~,-. ~p — ~ -~ -,- &Ç2~j IsW t4~k~ BIOGAS IN ASIA Inventory Field Study on the State of Development of Biogas Digesters for Household use in Tropical Rural Communities. by: Erik Kijne Editing and contributions by: Koen de Wilde Dick Bol usa de Beij English correction: Mrs. M. Haks Product ion: Petra Corbeau 1~~-~4w____________ Kathy Linse Lia Pasman -~ - - at~--R ~ ~Ü L 1 ~ Utrecht, January 1984 1CDP • Consultants for managementofDevelopment Programmes bv Achter Clarenburg 25, 3511 JH Utrecht, Holland, Tel 030-313865, Telex 76358, Bank ABN reknr. 55 51 57881, Kvk Utrecht 67368 This publication has been made possible due to the financial support of the Netherlands Minister of Development Cooperation. Copyright belongs to the Netherlands Minister of Development Cooperation. However, short excerpts of this publication may be reproduced without prior authorization on the condition that the source is indicated. Applications to obtain the right of reproduction and/or translation should be made to the Netherlands Minister. Responsibility for the information and opinions expressed in this publication rests solely with the author(s) and pub].ication does not constitute an endorsement by the afore mentioned minister. 1~ 1 1 Acknowledgements This study has only been made possible due to the contributions made by the many advocates and opponents of biogasdigesters who were consulted and who are listed at the end of this report. Their often immediate preparedness for cooperation to frankly convey and discuss their views and observations was of immeasurable value. Many even extended their assistance by inviting me at their homes, where informal chatting helped to lift a bit more of the “development veil”. Also those people who arranged and approved my attendance at the workshops, seminars and meetings receive my sincere appreciation. 1 feel very much indebted to all of them and can only express the hope that this collected information will be of value to them and to the biogas moveinent in general. Indispensible contributions have been delivered by Dick Bol on the socio—economical aspects, while Ilsa de Bey handed numerous useful additional cominents on the “women’s component”. Special thanks are due to Koen de Wilde for the critical look and dear advice on the concepts. His editing improved the quality of the report considerably. The english comprehension was polished by Mrs. 14. Haks who deserves my grateful thanks. Last but not least 1 would like to express my gratitude to 1 Petra Corbeau, Kathy Linse and Lia Pasman for their dedication and understanding shown during the production of the many concepts of this report. 1 1 1 S S S S S S S S CONTENTS: Acknowledgements Suminary and recommendations (i) Introduction 1 Chapter 1. (Abstract of Appendix) DIFFERENT REASONS FOR BIOGAS DIGESTER APPLICATIONS AND TECHNICAL STATE OF THE ART 5 A. Different reasons for biogas digester application 5 A.1. Biogas as a supplier of cooking fuel 5 A.2. Biogas as a supplier of fuel for lighting 6 A.3. Biogas as a supplier of engine fuel 6 A.4. Biogas digester as a supplier of organic fertilizer 6 A.5. Biogas digesters for improved sanitation 7 A.6. Biogas digesters for waste treatment and pollution control 8 B. Technical observations: State of the art 9 B.1. Anaerobic Digestion process 9 B.2. Digester designs 10 Biogas digester with a floating gas holder 10 Fixed dome digesters 11 Flexibel Bag digesters 13 Small cheap digesters 14 B.3. Biogas appliances 14 Chapter II. BIOGAS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAJIMES 1 5 11.1. Introduction 15 11.2. INDIA 15 — pioneering work 15 — Government support 16 — Renewed support 17 A. National Project on biogas development 17 — 1. Organizational structure 17 2. Training and extension 20 3. Financial support 21 a. turn—key job fee for agendies 21 b. incentives for village functionaries 21 c. subsidy to beneficiaries 22 d. credit schemes from banks 24 B. National Project on Development of dommunity Biogas digesters 25 — Case 1. Masudpur Village 27 — Case 2. Karuthingoundanpatti Village 28 — Case 3. Kubathal Village 29 — Case 4. Khoraj Village 31 Conclusions 32 — Cases of visited insdtutionally managed large biogas digesters 33 — Case 1. Bharatiya Agro—Industries Foundation 33 11.3. THAILAND 34 — Pioneering vork 34 — Government support 34 — Organization 34 — Training - 35 Research and information dissemination 35 — Designs 36 Financial support 37 — Favourable conditions 38 11.4. INDONESIA 38 — Pioneering vork - ‘38 — Organization and support 38 — Biogas development projects 39 — Favourable conditions 40 — Plans 40 11.5. TAIWAN 40 — Pioneering vork 40 — Red Mud Plastic 41 — Government support 41 — Biogas development projects - 42 Chapter III. SOCIO—ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS 43 111.1 .Introduction 43 III.2.Changes in the village economy 43 a. Firewood 43 b. Dung cakes 44 c. Labour 48 d. Women 50 III.3.Economic feasibility 52 a. Costs 53 b. Benefits 55 c. Costs and Benefits compared 56 Chapter IV ADOPTION 59 IV.1. Introduction 59 IV.2. Distribution of digester users 59 IV.3. Motivation for adoption 60 IV.4. Means for adoption 63 a. information/knovledge/extension/training/advisory service 63 b. digester feed 65 c. water 65 d. building materials 65 e. finance/subsidy/credit 65 f. time/labour 67 g. space 67 IV.5. Participation of beneficiaries 67 Appendix: DIFFERENT REASONS FOR BIOGAS DIGESTER APPLICATIONS AND TECHNICAL STATE OF THE ART — Photo’s — Institutes and organisations visited and persons consulted — Bibliography — Terms of Reference — Itinerary LIST OF TABLES page: 1. Financing scheme 24 2. Prices and sizes of Red Mud Plastic Bag Digesters A 29 3. Percentages of domestic fuel consuxnption pattern of 48 non—biogas digester owners before and after the introduction of digesters with the catile owning households 4. Estimated importance of consideations for adoption 64 of biogas digesters differentiating rict’~ and poor and men and women LIST OF FIGURES (Appendix) 1. Diagram of biomass digester system A 8 2. Floating gasholder digester A19 3. Gasleakage through masonry waterjacket A22 4. JANATA Fixed dome digester A25 5. Fixed Dome type digester A26 6. Jwala digester design A32 7. Displacement digester of oil drums A34 • ~.-• ~~•-- ~ -~-~ ~-- ~ ~ ~ - -: -. —1— SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Biogas digesters have gained popularity during the last years in an increasing number of countries. It is the alm of this study to analyse these developments and to indicate the factor mix responsible for success and failure. In India and Thailand for exainple diffusion of digesters depends fully on the existing promotion programmes. Distribution of digesters will remain skewed towards the better—off fariners who have easy access to the basic resources manure and water (and credit and subsidies). Cost reduction of the digesters together with directed subsidy and credit facilities may bring digesters closer to target groups of lower socio-economic status, though not the poorest ones. Full participation by “women—users” will make projects more successful. For policy purposes It is essential to realize the limitations of both the “target groups” and the digester technology itself. Expectations on the iinpact of biogas on poverty reduction have to be tuned down considerably. 1. DIFFERENT REASONS FOR BIOGAS DIGESTER APPLICATION 1. Cooking fuel — Biogas digêsters in India, Thailand and Indonesia are using mainly cowdung for the production of biogas for cooking purposes. Shortages of cooking fuel affect one of the inost crucial and elementary living conditions. As in particular the poorer socio—economic groups are affected, their first priority is the supply of cheap and appropriate cooking fuels. Wbenever biogas digesters are being introduced the supply of biogas for cooking should be the niain objective. - The provision of biogas does substitute a mais portion of the previously used cooking fuels such as firewood, dung cakes and kerosene. — Biogas is a smokelesa and safe cooking fuel that allowa instant and easy use for cooking. It gives more comfort to the women. Althougb users do not complain,cooking on gas implies a considerable change in habits. Conventional fuels and’ stoves are mostly kept as a stand-by and used also for secondary purposes,such as room heating for which biogas is lesa appropriate. -. n ~ ~ ~ ~ — ii — 2. Lighting - Biogas can be used for lighting purposes. Only as a demon- stration purpose and as a stand-by facility biogas lights are being fitted occasionally. - However, a biogas light is of a rather poor quality and radiates a substantial amount of heat which is not always appreciated. 3. Engine fuel — The large quantity of biogas produced from large anaerobic digesters may enable the fueling of engines. Only in a few cases biogas engines were actually used for water lifting, fertilizer pumping, electricity generation and running of a car. — Often, and particularly with Community Biogas Digesters, the gas production was not enough to generate an engine for a reasonable length of time. Engines should be dual-fuel operational in case of biogas shortages. — In this respect it seems interesting to study the cycle of biogas production affected by seasonal temperature fluctuations compared to the energy demands cycle related to agricultural activities. Often high energy demands for f.i. water pumping in dry seasons coincide with low biogas production (lower environmental temperature). 4. Fertilizer 1 — Effluent disposed off by biogas digesters has improved manural values as far as the increased animoniacal nitrogen is con— cerned. This fertilizer has shown to benefit most crops significantly. — However, often the acquired fertilizer improvements will partly disappear due to improper storage and handling practices.