The Biogas Program is addressing health, energy, and environmental challenges while creating and supporting a sustainable commercial sector in Vietnam. The program provides technical assistance, training local workers to become technicians and biogas masons. It also raises awareness about how the technology is helping hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese, further increasing adoption of this renewable source of energy. In areas that lack adequate manure management, using biogas technology can help to address hygiene and odor issues. It also benefits the environment by reducing the pollution of waterways and greenhouse gas emissions. The clean energy produced by a digester can be used to power stoves for cooking, as well as appliances such as lamps and boilers. The generation of biogas also creates a valuable fertilizer by-product that increases farmers’ agricultural yields.
The Biogas Program began in 2003 and has now installed 171,935 digesters in 55 provinces, supporting more than 790,000 people. The project is implemented by the Vietnamese government’s Livestock Production Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in cooperation with SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.
The sale of Gold Standard carbon credits enables the program to train more people in digester construction and maintenance, thus reaching additional farm families.
Awards:
- World Energy Award (2012)
- Ashden Award (2010)
- Energy Globe Award (2006)
Key achievements:
- 500,000 tonnes of CO2e saved per year
- 15,935 hectares of forest preserved (that’s 25,000 football pitches) since 2007
- 2,757 local people trained as masons and technicians since 2007
- 1-1.5 hours in time savings for women each day
- 253,082 kg fuel saved
- $22,136 household savings on fuel purchase and collection
- 19 fewer cases of acute lower respiratory illness
Source: https://nexusfordevelopment.org/project/biogas-vietnam/#video - Video credits: SNV
