Through the Extended Biogas Programme, the government in support from the World Bank has planned to build 1200 large-scale biogas plants, including 30 by July 2017. Biogas technology, which is a clean and home-grown technology that uses cow dung to produce energy for cooking and lighting purposes, is in practice in the country for more than six decades and has gained worldwide popularity. So far, over 300,000 households have installed such biogas plants.

“Instead of cow dung as used in the traditional biogas plants, the large commercial and municipal solid waste plants will use municipal wastes to generate energy,” said Sushim Man Amatya, programme officer working on Large Biogas and Waste to Energy at the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), which is implementing the programme. Through the installation of large scale biogas plants, the government aims to use waste as a creative source of renewable energy.

Meanwhile, feasibility studies on constructing such plants in Biratnagar and the possibility of using municipal wastes from the Kathmandu valley as a source for transport fuel have already been completed.

According to AEPC officials, the extended biogas project aims to promote innovative approaches to convert bio-waste into energy. The programme supports both converting biodegradable waste into useful energy through conversion into gas and then further conversion into thermal or electrical power.

The AEPC has also invited applications from commercial enterprises that are planning to generate energy from waste. The sectors include poultry farms, cattle and other livestock farms, food industries, distilleries and breweries and hotels and restaurants.