Socio-Economic and Environmental Impact of Bio-Gas Plant (A case study of Ghorahi Municipality-2 of Dang District)
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Central Department of Rural Development
Abstract
Nepal is one of the lowest energy consuming countries in the world. More than
85 percent of its total energy comes from traditional biomass energy such as
from forests, agricultural residues, and by-products from crops which lead to
environmental degradation and ecological imbalance and adverse human
health impacts too. Beside the carbon revenue, other quantifiable tangible
benefits are also associated with the technology. The main objective of the
study was to study about the socio-economic and environmental impacts of
biogas.
The present study was based mainly on primary data. They were used to
estimate and analyze the socio-economic and environmental impact of biogas
on the surveyed households. The household survey, informal meeting, focus
group discussion, key informant interview and observations. The study entailed
biogas was used only for cooking purpose whereas almost all the Non-Biogas
Households dependent on fuel wood for regular cooking purpose. Each
biogas. Biogas contributed in improved sanitation, reduction in smoke and
significant reduction in respiratory and eye related disease.
Biogas plants, one of the best options for meeting the growing need of fuel in
the rural as well as in the urban areas, is being popular in the recent years in
Nepal. Since, Nepal is an agricultural country, each and every household rear
buffaloes, cattle and dung of them is the best source of raw material for biogas
plants. It is clean energy used especially for cooking and in some extent, for
lightening. Since, it uses the locally available resources, it is gaining high
popularity. Thus, installation of biogas plants has been increasing rapidly.
Realizing the existing problem of energy, Government of Nepal, Different
NGOs and INGOs have been incorporating in the installation of the biogas
plants.
The major advantage the bio-gas plant brought is the reduction of smoke free
environment smoke in kitchen are other advantage is that the prevalence of
insect has become very low than it was before installation of plant. This smoke
free environment in the kitchen improves air quality ultimately leading to
improvement in health condition of women because they have to always work
in kitchen. Adversely, the installation of biogas plant has significantly
increased the problem of mosquitoes. The development of the biogas energy
can significantly cut down the use of firewood, animal dung, agricultural
residue, kerosene, LPG. In the study area, biogas was mainly used for cooking
foods. Biogas technology has primarily reduced the use of fuel wood.