Biogas in Lao PDR

Lao Biogas Pilot Program

Need for domestic biogas ?(1)

• In rural areas of Laos over 90-95% of the population depend mainly on fuel wood and to a (much) lesser extent on charcoal

• Fuel wood in general plentiful and cheap at 1-1.5 USD per cubic meter

Need for domestic biogas ?(2)

• Low cost of fuel wood and charcoal results in a negative IRR in almost all cases and areas

• For that reason difficult to promote based on the notion that users can save money from replacement of traditional fuels

Need for domestic biogas ?(3)

• Main “selling point” probably will therefore have to be more towards the other benefits like clean cooking, reducing workload, environmental benefits, organic fertilizer from slurry, etc.

Paek District, Xiengkhuang

Need for domestic biogas ?(4)

• Not sure if these non-financial benefits will be sufficient to develop a commercially viable market for biogas digesters

Paek District, Xiengkhuang

Implementing modalities (1)

• Building on existing, national capacities both on the management side as well as on the “hardware” side

• Using existing management structures both at the National level and at SNV, to be supplemented with a light coordination structure

• Need to find solutions to a few but very important issues

Implementing modalities (2)

• Promotion activities: Promotion is planned to be built on existing, national capacities both from MAF (NAFES, etc.) as well as other organizations at the national and local level

• Promotion will start with general provision of information (flyers) as well as construction of quality and well functioning demonstration units in those districts which have a high potential based on livestock, livestock practices, willingness to innovate, self-financing options (rich farmers), etc.

Implementing modalities (3)

• The well-functioning biogas plants will be used for promotional activities by bringing people to these plants to demonstrate the technology and use “real life” experiences (talking to the people directly involved)

• Veterinary assistants as well as extension services of the Lao Women’s Union, Lao Youth Organizations, etc. are planned to be trained on biogas technologies so that they can act as Promoters/Extension agents.

Implementing modalities (4)

• At the moment still a lot of things need to be done, thought of and thought through in particular with regard to the media to be used (flyers only, meetings, village fairs/markets, radio/TV, through schools, etc.) and we hope we can pick up info from this meeting with regard to what works and what does not work or is less effective as we have a very limited budget

• Once we have decided upon the modalities and media to be used, a lot of hard work is in front of us.

THANK YOU