A high-impact project that can help reduce emissions and help the rural communities.
Improper Manure Management
India has about half a billion livestock, with over 42 million households owning four or more cattle. Manure, along with other organic waste, is dumped into a pit which emits methane over time. This improper manure management system can be attributed to over 31 million tCO₂e emissions in India alone.
3-stone Inefficient Cookstove
Over 70% of rural households in India still use woody biomass and inefficient 3-stone cookstoves for cooking and heating. This has caused India to lose nearly 9% of its tree cover in the last decade. The inefficient cooking method also emits toxic fumes that are harmful to the environment and community.
What are Biogas Digesters?
Anaerobic digesters are usually a pit/vessel/chamber where organic matter can be subjected to the anaerobic digestion process. This allows the naturally present bacteria to break down the organic matter, producing biogas - which contains methane and carbon dioxide - and nutrient-rich slurry, which can be used as a fertilizer.
A household with 3 cattle can produce up to 4m² of biogas every day which can be used for cooking and heating. If we are to convert this into an environmental benefit, a household with 3 cattle can reduce their carbon footprint by up to 6 tCO₂e annually. The nutrient-rich digestate left can be sold as fertilizer.
Our little contribution? We are currently working on a project that is targeting to distribute over 50,000 biodigesters in rural India.
Technology | Biogas generation |
Life of the biodigesters | 7 Years |
Reduction in CO2e emission annually per digester | 6 tCO2e |
CarbonWatch's Targeted Project Size | 50,000 Units |
Expected emission reduction from our programme (10-year Period) | 1,800,000 tCO2e |
Carbon Avoidance
Economic Benefits
The residual digestate is rich in Nitrogen and Potassium, making it sought after by farmers. It can reduce their dependence on chemical fertilizers and reduce their fertilizer costs. Hence, project beneficiaries can sell this digestate to other farmers, earning income and improving their economic standing.
Health Benefits
Improper manure management creates a perfect breeding ground for deadly pathogens. Moreover, smoke-related health hazards exist from burning fuelwood instead of biogas. By avoiding inefficient burning of fuelwood, and properly utilizing the manure and other organic waste, the project improves the community’s overall health.
Gender Equality
The project frees up a significant amount of time tied to collecting fuel woods and cooking time. A healthier environment reduces the downtime due to diseases. This will help the women in these households pursue meaningful economic activities with saved time.
Promote Education
Children in these rural areas spend a significant amount of time collecting and transporting fuel woods. Reducing this time spent will allow them to pursue education.
Employment Opportunity
The project provides direct and indirect employment opportunities to people through the construction and monitoring/maintenance of biodigesters.
