Biogas for cooking 

After two years applying the model, Ninh Binh’s has been considered the most efficient model and become typical in the whole country for Energy Efficiency activities.

Monetary benefits

Ninh Binh Women’s Union has offered very convincing data. If a family of 4-6 people use ordinary tripod to cook in one year, they consume 3,600kg of straws or 3,240kg of woods. Using new type of oven, they need 1,080kg of fuel equivalent or 972kg of woods.

On average, each household monthly spends VND120,000 on gas for cooking and VND90,000 on electricity for lighting. If they use biogas pit, they will save all that amount, making yearly savings of VND2,520,000. Meanwhile, building a 10m3 biogas pit only costs VND6 million, therefore, the initial capital could be returned after 2 years.

With those practical figures and the supporting funds from the National Program, Ninh Binh Women’s Union has facilitated the construction of 530 biogas pits under the project.

Currently, all of the pits meet technical standards and aesthetic requirements, producing good gas and remaining safe. Many families also use them to light, warm the chickens and pigs, incubate eggs and dry mushrooms.

Three communes Khanh Cong, Khanh Loi and Yen Nhan are the pioneers in this program with hundreds of biogas pits built in each commune.

In Khanh Loi commune, Mrs Bui Thi Huong’s family, who is breeding more than 1000 poultry, has been using biogas pit to treat waste, incubate eggs, heat the newly hatched chickens and light the whole farm since 2009.

Mrs Pham Thi Tham’s family in Khanh Cong commune, who is breeding 200 pigs, built the pit in 2009. After one year, the family saves approximately VND300,000 – 500,000 a month.

Additional benefits

Many families not only gain benefits from using biogas but also make use of waste water and residues as food for fish, micro-organic fertilizer or irrigation for vegetables, which provides a secure source of fertilizer and limits the development of insects, thereby reducing pest by 70-90% and protects people’s health.

Skilled masons are trained professionally to build standard biogas pits

Ninh Binh Women’s Union has been not only successful in building biogas pits but also very professional when implementing communications programs related to this activity. They have established the executive committees at the provincial and communal levels. 330 survey questionnaires on the needs for biogas pit have been designed, printed and delivered to 330 families in 11 communes of 4 rural districts: Nho Quan, Gia Vien, Yen Khanh and Yen Mo.

The implementation has been sensible and practical, so progress and quality have been achieved. Especially, the coordinators and propagandists are very enthusiastic and responsible, the technicians experienced and creative in construction.

The Union has printed 110 sets of “Manual on Building biogas equipment” to deliver to all communications staff and masons. Besides, 2,450 flyers on biogas pit have been handed out to members of the Union and households in 11 communes of the project.

In these 11 communes, the Union has held 11 media conferences for 550 representatives on subjects such as: Benefits of biogas technology; Introduction of kinds of biogas pit; How to use and maintain the biogas pits, etc.

The communications has also contributed to the success of the program. It enriches people with better understanding of energy conservation and environmental hygiene. The project has been so successful that as many as 409 pits have been built by the households beyond the project.

The use of biogas pit has proved that the development of closed family economy is proper. Breeding and cultivation provide materials for biogas. Biogas in turn provides fertilizer for cultivation and food for breeding.

Ninh Binh is an agricultural province where large-scale breeding farm model is developing strongly. Survey results show that biogas pits are much needed. Developing the biogas model not only brings about energy and economic efficiency but also frees women from manual labor.

By Hung Linh