Criteria for the Dissemination of Biogas Plants for Agricultural Farm and Household Systems (GTZ, 1993, 25 p.) 6. Criteria (introduction...) 6.1. Excluding factors 6.2. Critical factors 6.3. Ideal conditions

Criteria for the Dissemination of Biogas Plants for Agricultural Farm and Household Systems (GTZ, 1993, 25 p.)

6. Criteria

So far, the areas of problems in biogas dissemination have been described. These are to assist in preparing coordinates for the assessment of a location for a project. It has been shown how biogas dissemination requires definite background conditions for its success. The reality of a location will be shown by favourable and unfavourable factors. It is the job of the expert to judge this mixture in favour of or against possible biogas dissemination.

Following, are the criteria which make biogas dissemination impossible or more difficult. The ideal project location will rarely be found. The "ideal conditions" stated are to make the individual factors clearer.

6.1. Excluding factors

If only one of the following criteria is evident, then the dissemination of simple household biogas plants is not possible (As an exception, suitable farms in the region could allow individual measures under some circumstances.)

- too cold or too dry region
- very irregular or no gas demand
- less than 20 kg dung/day available to fill the plant or less than 1,000 kg live weight of animals per household in indoor stabling or 2,000 in night stabling.
- no stabling or livestock in large pens where the dung cannot be collected
- no building materials available locally
- no water available
- integration of the biogas plant into the household and farm routines not possible
- no suitable institution can be found for dissemination

6.2. Critical factors

Each of the following factors will lead to great problems in biogas dissemination. Accompanying measures, particularly modified technical developments, high financial promotion or additional organisation structures within the dissemination programme are necessary to guarantee project success.

- low income or unstable economic situation of the target group
- unfavourable macro and microeconomic coefficients
- gas appliances not available regionally or nationally
- irregular gas demand
- very good supply of energy throughout the year and simultaneously only moderate economic coefficients for the biogas plant
- high building costs
- low qualification of artisans
- counterpart organisation has only indirect access to the target group
- weak structure of the counterpart
- no substantial interest of the government is evident over the medium term
- low regional or national potential

6.3. Ideal conditions

If each of the following conditions is fulfilled then household biogas plants will definitely get a foothold. A dissemination programme is then expressly recommended

- even, daily temperatures over 20°C throughout the year
- regular gas demand approximately corresponding to gas production
- full stabling of animals (on solid floors as far as possible)
- at least 30 kg/day dung available per plant
- dairy farming
- use of organic fertiliser is normal
- farmers are owners of the farm system and primarily of the farm
- plants can be located in favourable positions to the stables and to the point of gas consumption
- the biogas plant can be integrated into the normal working routine in the house and on the farm
- gas utilisation and attendance of the plant can be clearly regulated within the household
- low price of plant in relation to the income of the target group
- favourable economic coefficients for the biogas plant - economically healthy farms open to modernisation
- insufficient supply of fossil sources of energy
- building materials and gas appliances available locally
- qualified artisans locally
- counterpart organisation has access to and experience in contact with the target group
- efficient counterpart organisations with the possibility of cooperating with the private sector
- counterpart organisation has experience in programmes comparable to biogas dissemination
- political will on the part of the government towards not only biogas technology but also towards strengthening small and medium-scale farm systems
- secured financing of the dissemination structure