BSS, RAJSHAHI

BMTF develops energy-saving bio-diesel engine

Bss, Dhaka 

Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory (BMTF) has developed the energy-saving bio-diesel engine and automobile technology recently, engineers of the local company said yesterday.

The innovation would save nearly 80 percent of cost being spent for running diesel engines used in automobiles, generators and irrigation pumps, sources said adding the new technology would generate equal energy of diesel from a simple combination of gas and diesel.

"A combination of 20 percent of diesel and 80 percent of gas would generate the same energy coming from 100 percent of diesel," Engineer Lt. Colonel Mohammad Anwar Hossain told BSS. The conversion cost for the purpose would also be nominal, he added.

Giving a rich credence to the Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed for the success, Anwar said, "His personal enthusiasm and encouragement has made it possible."

BMTF said the new technology would be able to use gas from any sources including compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied pressed gas (LPG), gas through pipeline, bio-gas or even from kitchen line. In rural areas, sources said, the engine can be run by a combination of diesel and biogas, mostly generated from cowdung in villages.

Asked about the negative impact on engine from the gas-diesel mixture, Col Anwar said that a perfect combination of diesel and gas would keep engine cool and give it a longer life.

Published On: 2008-01-23

Food habits

Engr. Quazi Enamul Huq, On e-mail

It is known to all of us that the last devastating floods and the recent cyclone Sidr have caused huge destruction of lives, properties and crops. We feel proud to say that possibly no other nation could have faced such natural calamities with so much courage and patience as the people of Bangladesh did. Historically, our people are used to living with disasters and they always rebuild their own economy for subsistence.

The obvious aftermath of the cyclone, which destroyed standing crops almost ready for harvest on vast areas, is that the food grain reserves of the country faced a challenge and the traders and businessmen took the opportunity to create panic among the common people about the rice stock in the country, causing a sudden jump in its price beyond the reach of common people.

In this context, we should be sincere to evaluate the food market of the entire world. Beyond any doubt we have seen that currently there is no availability of any surplus rice in any country of the world. The reason is also obvious. The present population of the world reached a mark far above six billion who need to be fed, whereas the cultivable land area has reduced tremendously in the recent years. Natural calamities last year destroyed crops in so many countries including the United States and Europe. On top of this, the scientists and technologists of the developed nations are consuming millions of tons of grains to produce "Biogas", an alternative to the fossil fuel, commonly known as petroleum. If this practice continues, the poor countries of the world will face serious food shortage, unless they produce their own food in excess to maintain a reserve for the bad days.

In Bangladesh, the rice and wheat production has increased during the recent years, but we are not able to meet our own requirements. It is possibly high time to seriously consider the ways and means of how we can become self-sufficient in food very quickly. There are two apparent ways :

1) To increase production of rice, wheat, potato and other grains to be used as food grain and 2) To change our food habits gradually, reducing the intake of rice and increasing the quantity of other foods like vegetables.

It is not an easy task and will not be easily accepted by the people. But if we start today, may be in course of the next 5 to 10 years we can achieve some positive results. If we look back to our own history, the people of Bangladesh did not accept ata or wheat as an alternative food grain only a few decades ago. During the fifties and sixties, people reacted very seriously to any attempt of the government to make consumption of wheat popular in Bangladesh. But now the picture is totally different. Even in the remote villages, people consume wheat as an alternative to rice. But, wheat is now dearer than rice. In the world market the wheat price has increased by almost 80 percent during the past few months.

I would suggest educating our children right from the primary level on the facts of nutrition and food values of different materials available in abundance in our country.

The quantity of rice consumed by an average person in Bangladesh is about three times more than what they need for their energy and nutrition. In Japan, the people take about one-fifth of the quantity of rice compared to our people. Their food is supplemented by sea weeds, sea-foods, vegetables, and fish. If our people consume even half the quantity of rice compared to what they eat today, we can be surplus in rice. I have personally seen the food consumption of poor workers in the fields or construction sites. Their food is a huge bowl of rice, a little salt, a very little quantity of leaves (shak), some chillies and occasionally a little daal. This food is not at all hygienic, nor can it provide enough nutrition for a good health. Much lesser quantity of rice along with sufficient quantity of vegetables and daal could be more nutritious. Our people need to be educated gradually on the importance of nutritious foods prepared with less rice but more potato, leaves, vegetables, etc. A primary student should gain sufficient knowledge about the alternative foods. It has to be transformed into a social movement.

Published On: 2008-08-15

TechFocus

Going the green way

Nahid Akhter

Energy is the ultimate essence of life itself. Unfortunately, due to increased demand, it is slowly becoming very limited in supply, which is probably one of the evils of modern technology. This, combined with the impact of global warming has necessitated the need for energy conservation and use of renewable energy sources.

So you would say “Ok, granted that energy conservation helps save the enivronment, but what's in it for me?” . Well, even if you just ignore the fact, that we, as citizens of the World and our next generation are eventually prone to the effects of climate change, you simply cannot ignore the amount of money you could be saving on your utility bills. Given the recent trend in fossil fuel prices, electric costs world wide are expected to increase further in years to come. Besides, who isn't already wary and miserable from our regular load-shedding? Don't you think it's about time we do something about it?

We, as citizens can do a lot to contribute to this move in a wide variety of ways. Some have been outlined below:

Energy saving lamps, like Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) may be purchased, instead of the standard incandescent lamps, which would provide much higher energy efficiency. If a building that runs entirely on fluorescent light bulbs achieves the same level of illumination as a building that runs on incandescent light bulbs, it would consume only 30% of the electricity, 70% of the energy is saved. That also means utility bills will be only 30% of the original. Now we're talking money!

Energy-efficient appliances may be purchased. A number of Brands are now providing this kind of an energy efficiency rating in their electrical appliances, for example, Energy Star, which is a label created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy to help consumers save money and minimize air pollution. Its logo may be found on washing machines, computers, refrigerators, etc.

An appliance receives the Energy Star rating if it is significantly more energy efficient than minimum standards, as determined by standard testing procedures. Most computer monitors available in Bangladesh today have an Energy Star rating. However, there are very few companies that have this rating on their appliances. Policies should be framed to ensure that more of such products are imported and available here.

Our already existing appliances may be used more efficiently. You will be surprised to know that the refrigerator is the single biggest power consumer in most households. To increase its efficiency, the coils in the back of the refrigerator should be cleaned twice a year to maximize efficiency. It should be ensured that the seal of the door gasket isn't broken by debris or food and that the door of the fridge isn't opened too frequently. Your refrigerator should not be located near any appliance that emits heat and should not be exposed to direct sunlight. It should also be ensured that airflow around the refrigerator is not obstructed. Foregoing features like auto defrost, ice makers, and heaters to control condensation can not only save up to 60% more energy and energy costs, but save you money on the purchase price as well.

We're not just talking here about saving electricity, but energy in general. In areas of Bangladesh, including Dhaka, where natural gas is available in abundance for cooking, people have a tendency of keeping stoves on for hours to dry their clothes. Since, they have to pay a fixed amount for the gas every month, how much gas they use isn't an issue for them to consider at all. Such kind of wastage should be avoided.

Furthermore using lids on pots and pans can save gas, since cooking can then be done at lower settings. Pilot light and burner flame on gas stoves should be blue. If the flame is yellow, ports need to be unclogged or adjusted. Ports can be cleared with pipe cleaners. If you can afford it, use a microwave oven. They use only one-third to half as much energy as conventional stoves.

Washing machines should be loaded with a full load of clothes, as far as possible. Moreover, make sure the water level matches the size of your load. There is no point filling up the whole tub for a few clothes. Of course, newer machines have automatic water level settings, which adjust to load size. Interestingly, using more detergent than required actually makes the machine work harder and use more energy.

Air Conditioner filters should be cleaned regularly, as this will reduce fan usage and save electricity. Since Air Conditioners use up a lot of energy, it would be wiser to use fans more often or a combination of your fan and Air Conditioner so that there is lesser load on the Air Conditioner to cool the room. When turning on your air conditioner, avoid using the coldest setting. Let the air conditioner warm up for a while before lowering the temperature setting. The room will cool just as fast.

Computer monitors should be switched off when not in use. That screen-saver will just take up a lot of energy in exchange of only visual pleasure while no one is there to actually see it! In fact, not just the monitor, any computer component should be switched off when not in use. Even machines on standby use up to 30 watts of electricity. Laptops use 10 per cent or less of the electricity consumed by typical desktop computers. When buying a laptop, look for systems comprised completely of 3.3-volt components (processor, memory and LCD). These systems use 40 to 50% less energy than 5.0-volt systems.

Did you know that around 20% of the electrical power used by gadgets in our homes is consumed when they are not in use? Music systems, TVs and computer systems are kept on 'standby' mode all day long in many households, when one can easily just avoid that wastage by switching off the appliance altogether. Similarly, lights, fans, Air Conditioners and TVs are mercilessly left running for hours, even when not required. Why not just take a small step to remind ourselves to switch them off, when coming out of a room?

Offices and Shopping Malls draw up a high amount of electricity in Bangladesh. The Government has already taken a step towards this by enforcing stringent laws to limit market and office timings. Even then, individuals should try to make their own little contribution to consciously save energy while working in the office. You take the first step and the others will follow. Laws have also been enforced to ban the use of decorative lights, but how many of us actually follow? Even today big buildings can be seen smothered with colorful lights blinking up and down to announce a wedding taking place. Wouldn't a huge beautiful banner or flowers do the same?

The Power Division is presently preparing a draft Energy Conservation Act which will include provisions for ensuring efficient use and conservation of energy in building complexes, like insulating a building from sunlight so that less amount of energy is needed to cool or heat the rooms, usage of efficient insulation materials, use of energy-efficient lights and installation of energy-efficient appliances.

The Government has also undertaken several programs for off-grid electrification through solar home systems, on a small-scale. A number of NGOs, like the Grameen Surja Shakti Sangstha are working for the promotion of Solar Home Systems in remote rural areas of Bangladesh, which are in complete darkness after sunset, by providing an LED based lighting System that is non-polluting. So far, more than 250 thousand Solar Home Systems have been installed. Financial and technical assistance is also being extended by the Government to encourage such projects.

Other options for renewable energy sources include wind and natural gas. The Power Development Board has already installed a wind turbine near Feni and Kutubdia. More such projects should be undertaken. IDCOL is implementing a National Domestic Biogas and Manure program, under which, it is estimated that a total of 60 thousand domestic biogas plants will be installed.

So, let us all get together, both citizens and the Government and work in unison to fight the energy crisis, thereby providing a safe and secure future for our next generation.

References: eartheasy.com, inaugural speech by Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed at the National Workshop and Exhibition on Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Programmes

Published On: 2008-05-14

Our priorities

A Mahasen, Dhaka

Our long-term national development projects, especially the one for energy and mineral deposits, have not been planned on regional basis--the northern districts are less developed than the South and SE. Is the extraction of coal in the North being deliberately delayed by vested groups? The record of the political regimes since 1991 has been dismal (too much lobbying through the backdoors).

For example, there is evidence of mineral deposits and hydroelectric potentialities in the Chittagong Hill Tracks. The later (hydro, mini and normal plants) should have draft planned concept papers, starting immediately. The drafts on the tapping of the mineral resources are not getting the headlines. The CTG has a huge workload, but the ball has to roll, to keep up the morale.

Why so many NGOs are swarming the sparsely populated CHT? This is a border state, and its development would benefit the nation. Recently, the government took some decisions on primary education in the CHT. No Bangladeshi minority group should feel that they are sort of aliens. Tourism in CHT would bring economic boom.

The first phase of any new project is always thorny -- the later phases fall into routine level. There are sporadic TV documentaries on biogas plants working in the rural areas - but no integrated project (for injection of investment, and banking facilities).

Published On: 2008-08-15

Integrated solution for water and sanitation

S.A. Mansoor, Dhaka

This refers to the UNB report on experts' views on solving city water and sanitation problems in an integrated manner, published in a local daily on 7 August. The basic idea is to recycle the sanitation waste into potable water as practised in Singapore which has a totalitarian type of administration with strict control on everything. Further, Singapore has the reputation of having one of the highest quality standards in the world based on strict and uncompromising technical discipline.

This is something totally foreign to our culture, where quality control is just to stay on the right side of the specification one way or the other. Bending rules, and shortcuts are the order of the day of Bangladeshi style of technical discipline! Given these facts of life, integrating water supply and sanitation, which is recycling sanitation liquids into potable water may well lead to catastrophic health hazard in Bangladesh. I believe it will be far safer and saner for us to keep the two separate, for our overall health safety!

The pragmatic and realistic approach could be to go for large scale biogas plant managed in industrial scale from the sanitation fluids and sewage. The final biogas digester solids may be mixed with suitable dried and shredded solid refuse and wastes, mixed with oil refinery sludge to make fuel cakes. This could be a realistic option given our shortage of local fuel resources.

In my opinion., integration of water supply with recycled sanitation waste is a dangerous health proposition for the country in real terms, although it is theoretically viable and justified. WASA's water supply system that we have is (suspended and dissolved impurities) as poor as it could be.

The first and important objective is to ensure that WASA water is really safe to drink straight off the tap; unless you have developed built in immunity to intestinal bacterial infection! This is based on the quality of WASA water we get in Gulshan!

Published On: 2008-09-20 

Let's be wise in solid waste management

 Mahfuzur Rahman

Solid waste generation in huge amount is key feature of modern industrial and urban economic system where increasing the production is a prime goal. Waste management is the mechanism of collection, transport, processing, recycling or disposal of waste materials and is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, aesthetics or amenity. Waste management practices differ for developed and developing nations, for urban and rural areas, and for residential and industrial generators. Management for non-hazardous residential and institutional waste in metropolitan areas is usually the responsibility of local government authorities, while management for non-hazardous commercial and industrial waste is usually the responsibility of the generator.

Collection and transportation: Waste collection methods vary widely between different countries and regions. Some areas, especially in less developed countries, do not have a formal waste-collection system. In Australia most urban domestic households have a 240-litre (63.4 U.S. gallons) bin that is emptied weekly from the curb using side- or rear-loading compactor trucks. In Europe and a few other places around the world, a few communities use a proprietary collection system known as Envac, which conveys refuse via underground conduits using a vacuum system. In Canadian urban centres curbside collection is the most common method of disposal, whereby the city collects waste and/or recyclables and/or organics on a scheduled basis. In rural areas people often dispose of their waste by hauling it to a transfer station. Waste collected is then transported to a regional landfill.

Disposal methods
Waste management methods vary widely between areas for many reasons, including type of waste material, nearby land uses, and the area available. An analysis of existing methods of disposal processing waste materials is attempted here.

Landfill: Disposing of waste in a landfill involves burying the waste and this remains a common practice in most countries. Historically, landfills were often established in disused quarries, mining voids or burrow pits. A properly-designed and well-managed landfill can be a hygienic and relatively inexpensive method of disposing of waste materials. Older, poorly-designed or poorly-managed landfills can create a number of adverse environmental impacts such as wind-blown litter, attraction of vermin, and generation of liquid leachate. Another common byproduct of landfills is gas (mostly methane and carbon dioxide), which is produced as organic waste breaks down anaerobically. This gas can create odor problems, kill surface vegetation, and is a greenhouse one.

Design characteristics of a modern landfill include methods to contain leachate such as clay or plastic lining material. Deposited waste is normally compacted to increase its density and stability, and covered to prevent vermin (such as mice or rats). Many landfills also have landfill gas extraction systems installed. Gas is pumped out of the landfill using perforated pipes and flared off or burnt in a gas engine to generate electricity.

Many local authorities, especially in rural areas, have found it difficult to establish new landfills due to opposition from owners of adjacent land. As a result, solid waste in these areas must be transported further for disposal or managed by other methods. This fact, as well as growing concern about the environmental impacts of excessive waste generation, has given rise to efforts to minimize the amount of waste sent to landfill in many areas. These efforts include taxing or levying the waste sent to landfill, recycling waste products, converting waste to energy, and designing products that use less material and thus generate less waste.

Incineration: Incineration is a disposal method that involves combustion of waste material. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are sometimes described as “thermal treatment”. Incinerators convert waste materials into heat, gas, steam, and ash. Incineration is carried out both on a small scale by individuals and on a large scale by industry. It is used to dispose of solid, liquid and gaseous waste. It is recognised as a practical method of disposing of certain hazardous waste materials (such as biological medical waste). Although it remains a controversial method of waste disposal in many places due to issues such as emission of gaseous pollutants, modern combustion technologies such as the RCBC (rotary cascading bed combustor) allows efficient energy production with emissions well within regulatory standards. Incineration is common in countries such as Japan where land is scarcer, as these facilities generally do not require as much area as landfills.

Recycling: The popular meaning of 'recycling' in most developed countries refers to the widespread collection and reuse of everyday waste materials such as empty beverage containers. These are collected and sorted into common types so that the raw materials from which the items are made can be reprocessed into new products. Material for recycling may be collected separately from general waste using dedicated bins and collection vehicles, or sorted directly from mixed waste streams. The most common consumer products recycled include aluminium beverage cans, steel food and aerosol cans, HDPE and PET bottles, glass bottles and jars, paperboard cartons, newspapers, magazines, and cardboard, types of plastic (PVC, LDPE, PP, and PS etc. However, recycling of complex products (such as computers and electronic equipment) is difficult, due to the additional dismantling and separation required.

Biological processing: Waste materials that are organic in nature, such as plant material, food scraps, and paper products, can be recycled using biological composting and digestion processes to decompose the organic matter. The resulting organic material is then recycled as mulch or compost for agricultural or landscaping purposes. In addition, gas from the process (such as methane) can be captured and used for generating electricity. The intention of biological processing in waste management is to control and accelerate the natural process of decomposition of organic matter. There is a large variety of composting and digestion methods and technologies varying in complexity from simple home compost heaps, to industrial-scale enclosed-vessel digestion of mixed domestic waste. Methods of biological decomposition are also differentiated as being aerobic or anaerobic.

Conclusion: Waste management system includes waste collection, processing and disposal mechanism. Various mechanisms are applied for collection, segregation, processing and disposal. For environment friendly disposal various components of waste should be carefully segregated. Different parts of solid waste have their own physical, chemical and biological properties. They separately demand distinctive disposal . It will not be wise to burn the waste that can be composted to produce environment friendly biofertilizer and biogas through anaerobic decomposition in a digester. Again you should not burry the substance you can burn to extract energy and utilize the ash as raw material for certain industry.

Mahfujur Rahman is a post-graduate student, Jahangirnagar University.

May 17 , 2008 

Biofuel: Boon or a crime against humanity?

Md. Mushfiqur Rahman

Development comes at a price. This time the price is FOOD! The physical development that we see all-around is mostly fuel driven. And till recently it has been almost all fossil fuels. These principally include petroleum, natural gas and coal. Decomposed bodies of plants and animals, which lived on earth 300 million years back, deposited way beneath the earth to form fossil fuels. While burned these fuels release chemical energy that run most of the power plants, factories and even help us cook rice.

So far these have been providing the source of energy that humankind needs to carry on its development activities. But heavy reliance on these non-renewable sources of energy is potentially risky in that these are exhaustible in nature and reserves of these are ever dwindling. In the worst-case scenario we will consume the rest of fossil fuels within next 17 years, though the best-case scenario allows us to continue the consumption for next 50-70 years. It widely depends on consumption pattern and discovery of new reserves about which there is no telling.

This crisis of energy source makes countries go desperate, wage illegal wars, put unjustified pressures on weaker countries to export their fuel reserve and what not. With the price of petroleum hitting 126 dollar per barrel and projected to touch 200 dollar within six months, oil politics has reached its peak. This fuel crisis is taxing on every economy, big and small alike. No wonder the world has been longing for renewable source of energy. Solar power has been around as an alternative source for quite a while, so are windmills, but are not just economically viable enough to be used on industrial scale as yet. Biofuel reemerged as the answer for many.

What is biofuel? Fuels produced from biomass are generally termed as biofuels. In this sense woods and leafs used for cooking and heating, and biogas produced from cattle waste to generate electricity are also biofuels. In food vs. fuel debate the term is used in a more specific manner to denote production of ethanol from crops for automobiles. Crops having sugar contents e.g. sugar cane, sugar beet or starch e.g. corn, wheat, rapeseed, maize can be used to produce ethanol through fermentation. Or, naturally oil producing plants e.g. oil palm, soybean, algae or jatropha can be reduced to biodiesel.

The idea of using biofuels in motorized vehicles is not a very new one. In fact it dates back to the very early years of automobile industry. But huge supplies of mineral fuels during the post World War II period shifted the balance in favor of fossil fuels. Discovery of large reserves in the Middle East and the USA made the use of fossil fuel lot cheaper than biofuels. Recent development in fuel-centric incidents including armed conflicts, rapid economic growth in China, India, Russia, Brazil etc, fear of exhaustion within a few years, caused the price of fossil fuel reach levels never seen before. This triggered renewed interest in biofuels among industrialized countries that are no more willing to depend exclusively on the supplies of oil producing countries.

The USA and the EU countries are providing direct and indirect subsidies to the biofuel producers. Regulations are being put in place to mandate use of biofuels up to certain percentage of overall fuel used by consumers. Several US states provide subsidies to support production of ethanol or biodiesel at a rate of $0.05 per litre or more. The US federal government also grants a $0.13 per litre tax credit to companies that blend biodiesel with petroleum diesel. According to one estimate the amount of subsidies supplied by the US in promoting biofuel production and usage is expected to reach $8.3 to $11 billion a year. Along with direct subsidies of the same kind offered to biofuel producers, the EU countries encourage the usage of biofuel through tax preferences.

Soaring economies, driven by their fuel hungry industrialization, are also coming along strongly. Chinese government already has made mandatory rules on blending ethanol with conventional fuels. Thailand has opted for the same kind of measures. Governments of Brazil and India are taking steps to expand the production of biodiesel.

These measures swell the biofuel industries at a rate that goes beyond prediction. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects that distilleries will require only 60 million tons of corn from the 2008 harvest. But the Earth Policy Institute (EPI), an organization advocating for sustainable development, estimates that distilleries will need 139 million tons- more than twice as much. Moreover, the US president gave a go-ahead to the 'Energy Independence and Security Act' on December 19th of 2007. This law mandates fivefold increase in production of biofuel over current production level by 2022. This will substantially reduce the capacity of the US, a major food exporting country, in producing food crops.

This is alarming because this overwhelming increase in biofuel production will claim more cropland and in turn will reduce the production of grains. This way the interest of the world's 800 million motor vehicle owners would be pitted against the right to sustenance of over 2 billion poorest people. While the volume of world food production failed to catch up the consumption need in six of the last seven years, this unethical contest over cropland can only worsen the situation. We already are experiencing an unprecedented high in food price world over. Increasing biofuel production partly accounts for that and its contribution to food crisis will increase over time.

But how effective an alternative biofuel is or can it potentially replace the conventional fuels? No, it is not as good as some optimists may portray it to be. Bio-ethanol produced by distilleries is mainly used in automobiles. But the amount of grain enough to feed one person for whole one year can only fill a 25-gallon fuel tank once. And if the USA opts to convert its entire grain harvest to biofuel, it would only be enough to keep 16 percent of their automobiles mobile.

It is often claimed by the biofuel producers that biofuels are carbon neutral as the carbon absorbed by new plant growth balances the carbon released during the use of fuel. Thus these are adding no net increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This CO2 recycling story conceals some important facts to make it appear better than it really is. The calculation does not take account of the energy that is required to grow crops and process them into fuel. Agriculture of crops requires manufacture of fertilizer, fuel-driven agro-plants and machineries. Again more need of land to produce biofuels would lead to destruction of forests that are acting as significant sinks of carbon dioxide.

Soon, biofuels would catch the imagination of multinational companies and their venture would not remain limited to home countries. Countries like ours would fall prey to their all-devouring need. Croplands today used for food production would be taken over by cash crops to satisfy the needs of fuel hungry countries. We would be in deeper crisis, as the country will have no other choice than to import its necessary grains. So we better beware before it is too late.

We need new sources of energy, possibly renewable sources, but not at the expense of our right to food. But how this crisis of humanity can be confronted? Biofuel producers are doing no crime as such though their actions render millions of people descent below poverty line. One possible way I can see is to argue our point from a human rights perspective using the established principles of international environmental law. One such principle is sustainable development of which 'equitable' use of natural resources forms a core element. It implies that use by one state of its natural resources must take account of the needs of other states. This, in other words, is called intra-generational equity. It makes sense as environmental and human rights issues do often disregard artificial national borders and actions in one place adversely impact people of other nationalities. We live on one Earth and must take care that realisation of the vested interest of a few does not bring the downfall of many.

The writer is advocate, member of Dhaka Bar Association.

May 11, 2006

IDCOL to install 36,450 domestic biogas plants

Matthias Moyersoen, country representative of SNV/Bangladesh, and M Fouzul Kabir Khan, executive director and CEO of Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL), pose for photographs at a programme agreement signing ceremony under National Domestic Biogas and Manure Programme yesterday in Dhaka. Md Ataur Rahman, joint secretary of ERD (Europe), and Riffat Zaman, adviser (Economic & Commercial Affairs) to the Embassy of the Netherlands, are also seen. Photo: IDCOL

Published On: 2007-09-21

Biofuel and food security

S. A. Mansoor, Gulshan, Dhaka

Your staff correspondent's report (Sept:15) about an Indian NGO personnel (expert?) on the subject is subjective, and should be ignored by all concerned. Possibly it relates to the Indian scenario, blessed with vast resources of coal, and now also new offshore resources of oil and gas. To some extent food grain as source of Biofuel production is used in the US, Brazil and a few European countries, and maybe India. However the quantities used are very little compared to their food production; incidentally highly subsidised and surplus to their needs! The fact is that Biofuel can be produced from a wide variety of feed stock; like "shapla" growing wild in water bodies that cannot be contained; plant and vegetable refuses of all types, plant stalks, sugarcanes bark, and skins of peeled fruits and vegetables going to garbage! It can also be produced from all types of animal and human solid excreta.

Given this broad spectrum of feedstock, the priority for using food grain in Bangladesh context does not arise; and the statements of the so-called expert is to discourage our endeavour to generate biogas, and nip it in the bud! The speaker is unaware of the intelligence and business scene of our farmers; which is not inferior to theirs in any manner! They will only sell their products to the highest bidder; and they produce crops based on local demand.

If any organisation (local or overseas), is willing to invest US$1 billion, as reported, then we should look at it pragmatically, and not be swayed by some pseudo expert's shallow views! May be a similar start was done regarding inciting public opinion about open pit coal mining, while in India they are going all out for it! My frank advice to this expert from India is; "Physician Heal Thyself".

July 06, 2003 

Biogas business!

BSS, Shariatpur

Use of biogas in household work is increasing in the district.

A total of 133 biogas plants have been installed in the district. The plants not only produce cooking fuel to save money but also is an organic fertilizer, which keeps the environment pollution free.

Normally, a plant for a family produces 150 CFT of gas, which costs Tk 11,000, of which government gives Tk 5,000, official sources said.

The country's biggest bio-gas plant is at the house of one Abdus Salam at Pachok village in Naria Upazila, which produces 500 CFT biogas.

Salam has provided six gas connections to neighbors. Salam's family is now using hajack lamp by using bio-gas.

He uses the organic fertiliser, a by-product, as fish feed in four ponds.

Rural people are demanding increase in the government subsidy and installation of plants in remote areas. Installation of biogas plant in the district started in 1996.

A seminar was held here recently at Shariatpur town to introduce biogas, where all Upazila Nirbahi Officers and chairmen of union parishads attended.

Published On: 2008-08-03

30,000 biogas plants installed as alternative energy source

Bss, Dhaka

A total of 30,000 biogas plants have so far been installed in rural areas in the country as an alternative source of energy to reduce the use of firewood.

People are using biogas for cooking, lighting and generation of electricity while residues from the plants utilised as organic fertiliser for crop production.

"The plants use cow dung, poultry droppings, waste hyacinth and other biomass waste to produce biogas which ensure a smoke-free, odor-free, clean and healthy cooking environment for rural women," Dr MA Rouf of Institute of Fuel Research and Development (IFRD) of Bangladesh Council of Scientific Industrial Research (BCSIR) told BSS yesterday.

The biogas plants are being used for cooking like natural gas, lighting rooms with mantel of hazak light, generating electricity for power appliances like light, fan, television and radio and it also can be converted into mechanical power for pumping irrigation water, he said.

The initiatives of construction of biogas plants was undertaken as an alternative to the energy produced from firewood, the cutting and burning of which is harmful for the environment, Dr Rouf said.

Out of the total plants, 22,000 were constructed by IFRD of BCSIR in last 10 to 12 years, he said.

Apart from BCSIR, 25 organisations including, Grameen Shakti, Brac, DANIDA, Local Government Engineering Department, Department of Environment, Bangladesh Agriculture University, Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation, and Department of Livestock Service are involved in the development of biogas technology.

Among the organisations, Grameen Shakti shares more than 60 percent of biogas plants being constructed in the country.

"So far, we have installed 4,500 plants and set a target to construct 5,00,000 plants across the country by 2012," head of International Cooperation and Development Department of Grameen Shakti Dr MS Islam said.

The introduction of biogas has reduced the timing the rural women spend on cooking and in turn allowed them engaging in other productive pursuits, he said.

A three cubic meter biogas plant is capable of producing sufficient gas for cooking three meals a day for a family of six to eight members.

The owners of these biogas plants, after meeting their own requirements, sell extra gas to nearby families, restaurant, tea stalls and bakeries, Dr Islam said