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Abigail Mawonde Herald Reporter
Government and its developing partners have embarked on a five-year domestic biogas project which seeks to construct 8 000 digesters in rural areas.
Energy and Power Development Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire, in a speech read on his behalf by his Permanent Secretary Mr Partson Mbiriri on Monday at the commissioning of the Sandringham biogas project in Norton, said provision of reliable electricity was important for the development of rural communities.
“The Ministry of Energy and Power Development in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, SNV and HIVOS (two Dutch NGOs) and the Rural Electrification Fund, are also implementing a five-year domestic biogas digester programme from 2013 to 2018, targeting to construct 8 000 digesters countrywide at farms and homesteads,” he said.
Minister Mavhaire noted that the REF had already started solar and biogas programmes with 395 mini grid solar systems having been installed in rural schools, hospitals and chiefs’ homesteads.
Nearly 400 mobile solar units were also distributed to rural public institutions while 13 institutional biogas digesters were constructed. An additional 28 digester units are at various stages of construction throughout the country.
“Provision of biogas energy to rural public institutions will no doubt bring numerous benefits to the institutions and surrounding communities.
“Many people are not aware of the vast potential presented by biogas technology to solve energy problems encountered in both urban and rural communities. It is a low cost clean energy option,” said Minister Mavhaire. Biogas energy can be used for cooking, lighting and heating.
On a larger scale, biogas technology can be used for electricity generation.
Its other benefits are reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, waste management and production of organic fertiliser for agricultural purposes.
Online Reporter