NATIONAL 6 -(Spotlight Weekly)]

Alternative Energy

Bio-gas establishes itself as a reliable alternative energy source

By KESHAB POUDEL

Kapai Devi Tharuni (Biswas), a resident of Khanar VDC of Sunsari District, didn't realize she would save time by installing a bio-gas plant.

As soon as she installed the plant, her lifestyle underwent a change and household chores became less tedious. She no longer has to walk long distances to collect fuelwood or spend money on expensive kerosene.

People in villages like Khanar have to spend the whole day --sometimes a couple of days -- to fetch fuelwood from the forest.

As forest cover in the terai and hills is shrinking, women like Kapai Devi have to walk extra distances to collect fuelwood. As most households in the terai have several cattle, dung has been acknowledged as a leading source of gas for cooking and lighting.

Studies have shown that bio-gas plants provide direct benefits, especially to rural women, in the form of reduced workload.

Installing bio-gas plants is comparatively cheap. To encourage more rural people to use this form of energy, the government provides subsidies and soft loans.

"Apart from the relatively low cost, I also get clean energy," said Kapai, who received a certificate from Crown Prince Dipendra last week as the owner of the 50,000th bio-gas plant. "Ever since I began using bio-gas, there is no smoke inside the house. For rural women, such plants will also promote health."

Run under the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV-Nepal), German Financial Cooperation (KW) and His Majesty's Government, the Bio-gas Support Program has been encouraging farmers to use this source of energy.

Although the project is very small, rural people are seeing the benefits.

The Biswas family decided to install a six-cubic-meter plant. Devi received a loan from the local branch of the Agriculture Development Bank.

Bio-gas technology was introduced in Nepal in 1950 but it has spread rapidly during the last few years, increasing the cumulative number of plants installed to 71,490 as of August 2000.

SNV-Nepal has played a very important role in promoting the bio-gas program in Nepal since 1989.

"As Nepal is a rural-based country, it needs sustainable energy sources. Bio-gas is one of the most reliable and clean sources of energy," says Jan De Witte, director of SNV.

"Nepal needs to expand the use of bio-gas in more rural areas," he adds.

In a ceremony to mark the construction of 50,000th gobar gas plant, BSP\SNV organized a program to honour those who have been actively involved in the campiagn.

"At a time when everyone is talking about the need to reduce the level of carbon dioxide, introduction of bio-gas will be of great help," says Surendra Chaudhari, Minister of Science and Technology. "The ministry will support efforts to increase the installation of such plants," he adds.

As Nepal is searching for alternative energy to replace fast-depleting fuelwood, bio-gas may be the best available option.

"We will protect valuable forest resources and significantly contribute to protect the environment," Minister Chaudhari says.