Ayesha Saba

Pakistan has a substantial livestock population offering a huge resource for the production of biogas to meet its increasing appetite for energy; however, this important source of energy remains largely overlooked. Talking to WealthPK, Director of Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) Dr Tahir Mahmood said, "Our department undertook pioneering initiatives in the installation of 4,095 biogas plants as part of PSDP-based projects. Two projects have been completed, with approximately 2,500 plants installed in the first phase and around 1,600 in the second phase. "In neighbouring countries such as India, there has been a substantial increase in the production of renewable energy generation. India has dedicated a separate ministry exclusively to renewable energy affairs, overseeing initiatives and policies on renewable energy sources." India leads significantly in the biogas sector with over 400,000 installed plants, while China boasts more than 4 million plants, he maintained. Pakistan has ample livestock but has failed to utilize this resource effectively. It even lags behind Nepal.

"The success of these initiatives was hindered by challenges such as the provision of free distribution and subsidies at the project's inception. The government provided a 50% subsidy, expecting the remaining 50% from the end-users. However, due to inadequate oversight and maintenance, most of these plants have now ceased functioning, underscoring the urgent need for improved management and sustainability measures in biogas projects," Dr Tahir shared his concerns. Following this, the private sector began to play a role in Pakistan, contributing to the establishment of numerous biogas plants. He attributed this inefficiency to the prevalent societal mentality perceiving biogas production as a "dirty job." Individuals may be hesitant to execute tasks associated with biogas production and struggle to meet its requirements adequately.

Daily adherence to these requirements is essential for the successful production of biogas. "Regarding policy recommendations for the biogas sector, the government should redirect its focus. Initially, the government aimed to distribute individual biogas plants to households, an initiative that did not yield significant success. My suggestion is to adopt a centralized approach instead." "Rather than exclusively targeting household distribution, emphasis should be placed on installing biogas plants in established dairy farms that operate consistently. In dairy farms, there is abundance of animal waste. Instead of incurring disposal costs, dairy farm owners can use this waste as feedstock for the biogas plants. This would not only produce biogas for their own use but also provide a sustainable and cost-effective solution," he opined.

INP: Credit: INP-WealthPk