Biogas — World Volunteer

See what the experience is all about

Background

Nepal is famous for its natural beauty and colorful culture. Tourism is the largest industry in the country employing more then 500,000 people. The government of Nepal recognizes the importance of preserving this unique nature and has a result allocated more then 23 percent of the land as protected natural parks. Villages located near these areas often have to collect firewood from these parks, which is time-consuming, dangerous and an unhealthy source of energy often resulting in eye infections and various forms of lung disease. Gathering firewood in the parks also places the protected animals in danger as it increases the risk of confrontation between the animals and the villagers. Lastly, if families do not collect firewood for cooking & heating their only other option is to pay for and order LPG gas. This is expensive and requires deliveries and the use of large metal tanks.

Project

Participants will help with the construction of a bio gas digester for a local family. We are working with villages where we have identified families that are interested and have the means to utilize a bio gas plant efficiently.

Biogas is surprisingly simple and the required quantity of dung and water is mixed in the inlet tank and this mixture in the form of slurry is allowed to be digested inside the digester. The gas produced in the digester is collected in the dome, called the gasholder. The digested slurry flows to the outlet tank from the digester through the manhole. The slurry then flows through an overflow opening to the compost pit where it is collected and composted. The gas is supplied to the point of application through the pipeline.

During the project, participants will learn how rural families are benefitting from this technology by visiting and observing households which have already installed biogas plants. They will also learn first hand through the construction how this basic yet innovative technology works.

Impact

This project is providing biogas plants for families in rural Nepal. Once the family has a functional biodigestor, they will have access to their own gas for cooking/heating/lighting as well as the highly organic matter the digester produces for their farm. All the family has to do is add a mixture of manure and water each day to the digester. The majority of families in this region have cattle or livestock meaning they have the one required input in abundance. The digesters help the families save money, time, and prevents them for consistently having to inhale and work around smoke from fires. It’s a simple, healthy, and cost effective solution.

WV also works with local experts in biogas in Nepal who check in on the family periodically after the installation and provide maintenance and support in case of any breakdowns.

Cash income is also distributed to the village community as a product of the homestay agreement. In consultation with the Chief of each village, World Volunteer ensures that that every family in the village has a chance to benefit from this agreement. This model shows how every volunteer has a positive and measurable effect on the communities we work with.