domestic biogas

About the Domestic Biogas working group

The Domestic Biogas Working Group aims to disseminate one million domestic biogas plants in 15 countries in Asia and the Pacific by 2015 or 2016. These plants will provide access to sustainable energy to approximately five million people—5% of the Partnership’s overall target—and help these countries develop sustainable commercial domestic biogas sectors.

Planned Activities

• Feasibility studies in ten countries. This Working Group will perform participatory studies on the feasibility of ten “new biogas countries”—countries that don’t have a significant biogas program.
• Detailed implementation plans. Detailed implementation plans for feasible national domestic biogas programs in fifteen countries will be formulated. Eight of these countries already have biogas programs, while seven of them are new biogas countries.
• Donor basket fund. This Working Group will establish a donor basket fund (grant) of around €300 million for co-financing the implementation of domestic biogas in fifteen countries. This will pay for program support activities including investment incentives, technical assistance, and fund management.
• Contracting and implementation. Contracting and implementation in fifteen countries will include mobilization of about €180 million loan for the provision of biogas credit to livestock farmers.
• Networking and joint learning. This will involve all relevant stakeholders in existing and new biogas countries, as well as global experts. Networking will take place online, in workshops, and through study tours and joint research. The result will be cross-border synergies that increase efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation, and accelerate growth of the sector.

Recent News

Mission on Identification of Knowledge Institutes and Implementing Partner Organisations on Domestic Biogas in PR China

The Domestic Biogas working group has conducted a mission from 11 to 18 April 2010 to identify and assess potential organisations in PR China willing and capable to be engaged as Knowledge Institute or Implementing Partner Organisation in the working group on Domestic Biogas under the Energy for All Partnership. The Mission Team is made up of Mr. Zuzhang Xia, Chief Technical Officer of the Energy for All Partnership Secretariat and Mr. Wim J. van Nes, Renewable Energy Network Leader of SNV/Asia and met up with key respondents and informants for interview and discussion and pay brief field visits to areas where biogas plants have been installed by potential Implementing  Partner Organisations.

Formulation of ToR on Expert Group on Cost Reduction of Domestic Biogas Plants through Technical Innovation

On 21 and 22 April 2010 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a group of resource persons from China, India, Nepal and Bangladesh met with SNV advisors to formulate the Terms of Reference (ToR) for an Expert Group on cost reduction of domestic biogas plants through technical innovation. In various countries, parties have been making technical innovations, for example pre-fabricated units by using synthetic materials. An solid assessment of all available innovations would greatly benefit the national programmes on domestic biogas as currently being implemented in nine countries in the region. It is the aim to establish the Expert Group in August this year and to have a draft final report available in November 2010.

Mission on Identification of Knowledge Institutes and Implementing Partner Organisations on Domestic Biogas in India

The Domestic Biogas working group has conducted a mission from 26 to 30 April 2010 to identify and assess potential organisations in India willing and capable to be engaged as Knowledge Institute or Implementing Partner Organisation in the working group on Domestic Biogas under the Energy for All Partnership. The Mission Team is made up of Mr. Govind Pokharel, Senior Advisor Renewable Energy of SNV/Asia and Mr. Wim J. van Nes, Renewable Energy Network Leader of SNV/Asia and met up with key respondents and informants for interview and discussion and pay brief field visits to areas where biogas plants have been installed by potential Implementing Partner Organisations. The following were among the visited organisations: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE); The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI); Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) of UNESCAP; SKG Sangha; and Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA). 

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON DOMESTIC BIOGAS, November 2009

In 2009, led by the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, this working group mediated in the execution of biogas market and design studies in Lao PDR, Bhutan and the Philippines.

It also organized the International Workshop on Domestic Biogas in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 10-12 November 2009. A total of 38 representatives from related countries, knowledge institutes, possible partners, and donors were invited to participate in a specific session on the Working Group. During this session, the objective of the Working Group was presented: the innovative dissemination of one million domestic biogas plants in fifteen countries by 2015/2016, providing access to sustainable energy to about 5 million people.

This session served as a formal launch of this Working Group, with the members agreeing to cooperate fully to advance the development of sustainable, commercial biogas sectors in the target countries. Read more about this workshop.

LOAN AGREEMENT, JUNE  2009

In June 2009, ADB and the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (MARD) concluded a loan agreement on the Quality and Safety Enhancement of Agricultural Products and Biogas Development Project.

This Project contains a component on biogas development, with a budget of US$22.25 million up to 2015. ADB, MARD, and SNV are working to harmonise and align the implementation mechanisms between this project and the Biogas Program being implemented by SNV and MARD since 2003.

LOOKING TO 2010

Among the numerous activities envisioned for 2010, the Domestic Biogas Working Group expects to advance its country studies towards implementation, undertake studies in new countries, and organize two Working Group meetings. SNV will continue to actively support the knowledge brokerage between all related representatives under the Working Group.