Publications

The principal objective of this survey is to evaluate the effect of domestic biogas installations. To this extent, the survey shall assess relevant and unrelated aspects like energy, agriculture, health and sanitation, environment, economics and users convenience.  The BUS aims to get a better understanding of the user’s opinion and satisfaction, besides its difficulties and constraints for operation and maintenance. Additionally, BUS seeks to deliver trends on the biogas program development and its impact. The methodology of the survey consisted of defining the content of the structured questionnaire forms, in depth interviews and observations. The survey sample was of 407 households (382 users, 25 non-users). 

The main conclusions are: using biogas helps families to save time in cooking, cleaning, fuel collection/buying. Families have more time for business activities. However, the biogas plant does not affect livestock/plants breeding. The surveyed households mentioned that the subsidy (VND 1 million/per biogas plant) is quite low and the process of obtaining is slow. The knowledge of mason and quality of construction is quite good; almost biogas plants still operate well. Extensive recommendations are provided on the basis on the conclusions.

The biogas user survey 2009 evaluates the the use of biogas and biogas plants of 211 households.

The biodigester user profile details on the socio-economic condition of the households; numbers of animals owned; and cooking practices. Awareness of biogas technology and decision making in the households is surveyed, as well as the construction costs for biodigesters and loans provided. Mason skills and trainings, like bio-slurry or operation trainings, are assessed.

The study elaborates on the performance of biodigesters and the owner’s satisfaction levels. Savings in terms of time and finances provide insight in the effects of switching to biogas use.

Detailed conclusions and recommendations are provided.

The overall objective of the Biogas User Survey (BUS) is to assess the impact of the biogas program on smallholder farms.  The BUS aims to get a better understanding of the user’s opinion and satisfaction, besides its difficulties and constraints for operation and maintenance. Additionally, BUS seeks to deliver trends on the biogas program development and its impact. The methodology of the survey consisted of defining the content of the structured questionnaire forms, in depth interviews and observations. The survey sample was of 383 households (303 users, 80 non-users). 

The main conclusions are: users are very satisfied with their investment in biogas plants since it provides them great and multiple benefits, in overall they are satisfied with the services provided by the biogas program staff. Important to mention is that more than half of households (65.3%) attached the toilet to their biogas plants in order to solve the human waste disposal problem. There is a trend to enlarge the pig herd once users accustomed to the use of biogas plants, among the 72% of biogas users that did increase it in average acquired 2.9 heads of pig showing that biogas goes behind the pure production of energy and it offers a broad range of advantages for people in rural areas. However the survey raised a few issues within training, operation, maintenance, warranty and biogas appliances that are in need of a revision.

This Biogas User Survey (BUS) report aims to evaluate the quality of services rendered by Vietnamese Biogas Program such as training, construction, quality control; carry out an assessment on the operation and maintenance aspects of biogas plants, slurry used, biogas used by households; evaluation of the functions and roles of Biogas Programme and other organisations/ individuals in project propagation; and assessment of impacts of biogas plants on socio-economic, environmental, health and sanitation, time-use, fuel substitution condition of the users; and validation and verification of multi-benefits claimed by the program.

To obtain this information, different methods were used: collection of secondary data from the desk review, and a field survey that used structured interviews and observations. The total number of surveyed households was 323 biogas users and 80 non-biogas users.

Currently, 92% of the bio-digesters are in operation; around 80% of the interviewees remarked about a decrease in dust, soot and fume; On average, each biogas users save 210,000 VND monthly for fuel used in cooking; 89% of the interviewees revealed they could save time for collecting firewood and other kinds of fuel; and about 70- 80% respondents use the bio-slurry for fertiliser or/ and feeding fish.

Key recommendations include: Prioritization on subsidy from the biogas project; effectiveness of communication; more training for biogas users; and amount of manure fed into the bio-digester.