A biogas stove

Flickr/AIDG

With the continued rise in energy prices, biogas looks set to become a viable alternative for small business owners in Vietnam, according to this article from Viet Nam News.

Biogas — an alternative cooking fuel produced from animal waste — has been used throughout Vietnam since the 1980s, both for cooking and in large-sized engines.

Now it is being expanded for use in small engines and generators. Professor Bui Van Ga and colleagues from Da Nang University have developed an electric generator fuelled by the biogas not required in cooking.

Using biogas as an alternative to diesel engines requires the eradication of impurities and the creation of a 'regulating kit', which ensures a stable electric current. Both the regulator and filter are made of materials that are readily accessible and affordable for users. Additionally, the technology is simple to install.

Ga calculates that the waste from 20 pigs can power a small-sized electric generator, and farmers could save up to two million Vietnamese dong (US$110) a month, as well as cutting down on 9.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Link to full article in Viet Nam News