Case study on USAID projects that EFI has developed successfully delivering biogas to communities to power their homes and cook using biogas as opposed to wood or to live in the dark.

1. Animal Waste Biogas for Rural
Communities in Developing
Nations.
Case Study presented by:
Ricardo Hamdan and Andy Spicer, PhD.
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2. Project Background
• Environmental Fabrics was first invited in the
summer of 2009 by the Methane to Markets
initiative with the Environmental Protection Agency.
• In coordination with TetraTech International we
established parameters to install this technology in
rural areas in Mexico and Southeast Asia.
• The project has been a huge success in rural
development and increasing people’s quality of life.
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3. Social Drivers for the Project
• This is the perfect project to improve the conditions
of the poorest people in rural areas.
• Most of the people in rural communities use wood
and kerosene as their source of fuel and energy
causing health problems and deaths every year.
• This minor investment increases the quality of life of
the poorest citizens and it is a lesser investment than
taking care of health issues in the long term.
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4. Digester Benefits
HEALTH BENEFITS
• Digesters kill pathogens such as Salmonella and
several enteroviruses in a retention time of 20-30
days.
• The avoidance of Kerosene and Wood as a fuel
eliminates respiratory and blood pollution.
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5. Digester Benefits
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
• Because of the small size of the digester we do not
need a very big footprint. Not disturbing the normal
environment.
• The fertilizer capabilities of effluent can help crop
growing.
• Reduction of flies, rodents and other plagues has
been observed.
• Odor is reduced if not eliminated.
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6. Digester Benefits
ECONOMICAL BENEFITS
• Cheap alternative to a waste management problem.
• Brings electricity and basic cooking needs to the rural
communities.
• Reduces the government investment in critical
healthcare expenses, reducing rural mortality.
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7. Sample Projects
Size Biogas TCO2e/ Energy Energy kW/ Effulent
Name Type Animals Size (m3) (gal) m3 yr BTU BTU/yr kWh yr Cost Use Use
Farm 1 Swine 15-25 Sows 12 2 7.7 42360 1 4531 $ 5,200 Fertilizer Heat Pigs
3,170 15,461,350
Water
Heaters
Farm 2 Swine 6-10 Finishers 5 1 3.8 21180 0 2266 $ 3,000 Fertilizer
1,321 7,730,675 and
Cooking
© 2009 Methane to Markets, Environmental Protection Agency, Tetratech Inc and Environmental Fabrics Inc. All rights reserved.
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8. Completed Household System
Biogas
storage
Pig
Future storage lagoon Pens
of the effluent
Digester
Biogas
storage
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Construction

9. Digester Installation
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Construction

10. Entrance of the Digester
• The digester can also be hand fed. Below: pouring a bucket of manure in a
funnel on the inlet pipe
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Construction

11. Effluent Pipe Installation
• Pictures show PVC pipes
• However, the effluent pipes should
also be replaced by flexible piping
to accommodate the movements
of the digester.
• Effluent lagoon is used to store the
effluent for irrigation etc.
Bag
Towards Effluent Lagoon
Exit of the digester
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Construction

12. Sludge Removal Pipes
• “Y-shaped” pipes at the entrance and the exit of the digester to remove
the settled solids from the bottom of the digester
Entrance of
the digester
Exit of the digester
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Construction

13. Installation of the Biogas Storage Bag
•Polypropylene bag 4m x 1.4m ~ 5m3
•Attached to the roof or frame with thick thread
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Construction

14. Pressure Relief Device
• Objective: avoid rupture of the digester due to high biogas pressure
• Can also serve as moisture trap
T-shape pipe
Biogas submerged in water
pipe
Plastic
bottle
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Construction

15. Practical USES of Biogas
• Communal system
• Heating (hot water, heat mat, heat lamps)
• Cooking
• Lighting
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16. Communal Digester N. Vietnam
 Social structure allows for communal development,
operation, and management of covered lagoon
 200 families and 1,500 pigs
 Village waste canal to be constructed
 Designed for rainfall exclusion
 Gas purchased and used as cook fuel for families
Village Waste
Canal System
Bank-to-bank
covered lagoon type
Effluent
integrated
into fish pond
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Biogas Uses

17. Heating – Hot Water
• Heating system to warm piglets
Hot water circulating in pipes
Cold
water
Hot water
Biogas
inlet
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Biogas Uses

18. Heating – Heat Mats
• Heat mats to warm piglets
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Biogas Uses

19. Heating – Heat Lamps
• Biogas heat lamps to warm piglets
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Biogas Uses

20. Cooking
• Cooking energy accounts for about 90 % of all household energy consumption in
developing countries.
• Advantage of biogas for cooking: Biogas burns very cleanly, and produces less
pollutants during cooking than any other fuel except electricity
A biogas cooking stove
(Photo credit: Grameen Shakti)
Cooking using biogas in a home in the village of
Chauhanas Vas, near Ranthambhore.
(Photo credit: Martin Wright).
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Biogas Uses

21. Biogas Burners
• Tarlac HBS
Project, Philippines,
 Burner specifically designed for
biogas/methane
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Biogas Uses

22. Hot Water Boilers
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Biogas Uses

23. Lighting
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Biogas Uses

24. Feasibility of the Project.
• The main issue to discuss here is if the project can
make money.
• Currently the distribution is done via cooperatives
that currently sell items to BoP final customers. A
tire tube is distributed home by home for a price.
The collection happens just like with any other good
managed by the co-op.
• Who do we cater our business model to? The end
customer? The co-ops? Or Governments? Can this
model work without government intervention?
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25. Key Issues to Consider
• Creation of the Market. Are the health costs far
superior than the cost of the digester systems? How
much are people willing to pay for energy as
opposed to the current practices? Are there any
barriers to the spread of this technology?
• Distribution and Collection of Revenue. Should co-
ops manage the systems. Is this prone to any
corruption? How would you charge the co-op? How
can you get all parties involved?
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26. Key Issues to Consider
• Competition. How do you create brand loyalty? Is
exclusivity an affordable venue? Or should we
franchise the digesters?
• Opportunity Cost. Is this a profitable business
opportunity? How is the relationship time invested
vs potential profit?
• Entrepreneurship. Is there room for
entrepreneurship or should this be primarily a “pet
project” for a multinational/governments?
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27. References and Credits
Video of bag digester construction:
http://www.ruralcostarica.com/biogas-video.html
Bag Digester construction manuals:
•http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/AGA/AGAP/FRG/Recycl
e/biodig/manual.htm#Preparing%20the%20plastic%20tube
•http://www.wcasfmra.org/biogas_docs/6%20Biodigester%20manual.pdf
•http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/biogas.html
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28. References and Credits (cont’d)
• Fulford, D., 1996. Biogas Stove Design, A Short Course,
http://www.kingdombio.com/BiogasBurner1.pdf
• Pictures and techincal data provided by:
– TetraTech International
– Environmental Fabrics Inc.
– Global Methane Initiative
– Environmental Protection Agency
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