The biogas option

Biogas contains methane and carbon dioxide in 60 percent to 40 percent (average) ratios. Methane is a combustible fuel produced from animal dung. The recent livestock census shows that there are 51 million animals (buffaloes, cows and bullocks) in Pakistan. Thus, 19.125 million cubic meter biogas can be produced daily by the anaerobic fermentation of dung through the installation of about 3.825 million family-size biogas plants. This can meet the cooking needs of about 50 million people.
Our total population is about 200 million out of which 68 percent resides in rural areas. Therefore we can meet cooking/heating requirements of 44 percent rural masses from this single source of energy, besides producing 57,400 tons of nitrogen-enriched bio-fertiliser per day or 21 million tons of bio-fertiliser per year – an essential requirement for sustaining fertility of arable land. Biogas can also be utilised to set up small power plants ranging from 100 to 1000 units of electricity – enough for small villages. In view of the prevailing natural gas crisis, promotion of the biogas technology appears to be our best option.
Col (r) Naeem Ashraf
Rawalpindi