Renewable Energy

By 2012 the Biogas Programme in Vietnam, with technical assistance from SNV, aims to have built 140,000 biogas plants, reaching over 700,000 people. On average biogas households reduce their energy costs (>70% in 2010-2011) and costs for fertiliser resulting in a payback period of 2,5 years. With around 2 tonnes of CO2 eq reduced per digestor each year  this equates to around 1,787,740 tonnes of carbon emissions reduced between 2010 and 2020.

Under REDD+, priority must be given to potential ‘win-win’ interventions which reduce emissions and increase benefits to local communities. One area in which SNV has considerable expertise is in the provision of improved local energy sources - in particular improved cook stoves (ICS) and biogas digestors. ICS can reduce the overall use of biomass, while biogas can provide a clean and alternative source of fuel to firewood. As well as reducing emissions these local energy solutions bring a range of other social and economic benefits to local communities.

Experience has shown that with some investment it is possible to improve people’s living conditions while at the same time reducing overall carbon emissions.

As part of our REDD+ programme we aim to build on SNV’s expertise and help introduce and further develop reduced biomass use of local energy solutions in areas where firewood is being used as a local energy source for households and small scale industries.