Biogas for rural Households

Biogas for rural Households

Project facts

Project type: Renewable energy

Project location: India

Project standard: Gold Standard VER

Annual emission reduction: 54.217 t

Project start: March 2014

The overall objective of this climate protection programme is the installation of domestic biodigesters as a clean, sustainable energy source throughout India. The biogas generated from cow dung replaces fuels that are currently used for domestic energy needs such as firewood or kerosene.

Offset emissions

Project overview

The project

The first installations take place in Gulbarga, Yadgir and Bidar District in Karnataka State. The project encompasses to install biodigesters in 6,900 households. The biogas installations are fed with animal dung and kitchen wastewater. The generated gas is used for cooking. In addition, the slurry of the remaining manure serves as high quality fertiliser replacing chemical products. Traditionally, domestic energy needs for cooking in the project area are met with firewood and kerosene. The inefficient cook stoves that people traditionally use have a thermal efficiency of only eight to ten percent. Low family incomes make it impossible for local people to substitute this traditional fuel. This has already led to a degradation of the forest cover in the districts.

Moreover, domestic biogas installations have positive sustainable development effects such as alleviating the workload for women and children and easing health problems caused by indoor pollution. The biogas unit will be of either two or three cubic metre capacity depending on the number and type of cattle owned by the household and the number of people in the household.

The programme results in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission savings in the following ways: The biogas displaces GHG emissions from kerosene and fuel wood that had been used for cooking. The biogas produced from cattle manure is a renewable source of energy. The biogas displaces GHG emissions from cattle manure that is currently dumped in pits near the household. The cattle manure is dumped along with other waste such as straw from the cow shed, some kitchen waste, crop residues and other organic matter and liquids in the pit. This organic waste is never dry and does not get mixed therefore animal waste is decaying anaerobically and emitting methane.

SKG Sangha, local partner of myclimate, coordinates the programme throughout India installing the systems with the help of people from the households. SKG Sangha is a very experienced Indian non-governmental organisation working already over 20 years in this field of activity.

This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

No poverty

The use of slurry (organic fertiliser produced by the farmers themselves) helps to prevent small farmers from becoming dependent on chemical fertilisers, thus improving their families’ financial situation.

Zero hunger

To date, the biogas systems have produced 181,580 tonnes of organic fertiliser and thus reduced 4,242 tonnes of chemical fertiliser, thus contributing to sustainable agriculture.

Good health and well-being

43,500 persons have benefited from better air quality since the start of the project.

Quality education

Because the time-consuming collection of firewood is no longer necessary, children have more time to go to school and do homework. This gives each family almost 3.5 hours of additional time per day.

Gender equality

Only women are entitled to buy and own a biogas plant. This helps to level out the balance of power in the family and to strengthen the position of the women.

Affordable and clean energy

6,890 biogas digesters have been installed since the start of the project.

Decent work and economic growth

87 permanent jobs have been created for the local population and more than 7,600 people have been trained in the use of biogas plants.

Responsible consumption and production

The recycling of organic waste contributes to sustainable waste management.

Climate action

Each biogas biodigester avoids 6.5 t CO₂ and reduced wood consumption by 5.3 t per year.

Life on land

To date, the programme has reduced wood consumption by 174,704 tons and has thus saved 2,393 hectares of forest from deforestation.

Partnerships for the goals

The programme enables the transfer, dissemination and implementation of environmentally friendly technologies in India.

Kallappa Markal hand his daughter Malasri have a higher yield that fetch them a higher income thanks to the switch from chemical to organic fertiliser. © myclimate

Shashikala and her family think it is an essential switch from firewood cooking because the biogas plant provides clean energy that does not jeopardize ther health. © myclimate

Later the dome is invisible as it gets covered with soil. The methane can leave the dome via a cable which leads the gas directly into the kitchen. © myclimate

Before they had to cook an a simple cook stove and collect firewood. Cooking with biogas is now faster and cleaner. © myclimate

The biogas is used for cooking. The slurry serves as organic fertiliser on the fields replacing chemical products. © myclimate

Construction of a biogas digester. The increase in the demand for biogas plants has provided stable jobs for builders such that they have an inocme steadier than before.© myclimate