Biogas and electricity
S. A. Mansoor, Gulshan, Dhaka
This refers to the letters of Mr. Kabir and Mr. Haider. Biogas is another gaseous fuel like natural gas, used as a source of energy for running generators, pumps or any utility equipment. Animal manure in rural as well as urban areas of Bangladesh is used directly as cooking fuel, and often as a fertiliser in preference to producing biogas. I believe use of biogas from human excreta is somewhat taboo being associated with filth in rural areas. However it is slowly being introduced; after overcoming normal social stigma. It has been used as a cooking fuel in some rural areas through active advocacy of some NGOs. As far as I know biogas is also being used in our armed forces barracks (possibly navy) as a cooking fuel instead of natural gas. The quantity of gas available depends on the quantity of excreta. It can therefore be utilised in places like hospitals, hotels, hostels and other community based locations for a continuous source of biogas. Use of biogas as fuel for power generation depends on the economy of size and costs, as explained by Mr. Haider. As a matter of fact many industries generate in house electricity using natural gas as fuel, both as prime and stand by power; which is economic and reliable.What we should go for is ease our demand for electric power by paralleling all stand-by power generators to the grid. The cost of the protection and paralleling equipment is small compared to new investment. It will provide additional power without capital investment for land and machinery to obtain power. Using this option there should be no difficulty in getting between 80 to 100 MW of power particularly during maximum demand period in Dhaka city. This is what needs to be done, instead of going for use of biogas for power generation. However the use of biogas as domestic cooking fuel is an area that deserves encouragement.
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