New biogas system in Nicaragua makes milking easy

A 40 cubic meter geomembrane bio-digester was recently inaugurated by the Biogas Market Programme Nicaragua's (PBN) producers from the Chontales area and the company Biobolsa. The digester makes Ronaldo Gutiérrez's farm much more productive and profitable.

Biobolsa's system uses biogas to power a 4-piece milking system with a capacity of 50 cows in two hours. Gutierrez indicated that his farm is now more productive and that he has multiple savings and benefits from the biogas system.

Furthermore, the bio-digester will provide 80 drums of bio fertilizer, biol, which will be applied daily to the improved pastures. Biol is an organic fertiliser that provides nutrients to soil and plants such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and micronutrients such as copper, zinc, manganese and magnesium.

Gutiérrez will recover the investment made in the biogas system in two years’ time, by reduced spending on fuelwood, gasoline and chemical fertiliser.

With technical support from the PBN, Nicaraguan producers are already using the bio-digesters for: powering engines, grass cutters, milking systems, water pumps, and other uses.

PBN supports producers to have access to clean energy with rigorous quality control in the construction and operation of biogas systems and provides training and technical assistance in use and application of biogas for domestic and productive purposes. Support is also provided in the use and application of biol, and in good livestock practices.

The biogas system was installed within the framework of the PBN Programme which is implemented by SNV in partnership with HIVOS through an investment of US$ 6.2 million from the Multilateral Investment Fund (FOMIN), the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), SNV, HIVOS and local contributions.

Biogas plants are closed compartments where organic waste (manure, agricultural waste, etc) produces biogas in an anaerobic digestion process. Combustion of this biogas allows the user to generate electric and thermal energy. At the same time, high quality liquid and solid organic fertilizer is generated, that improves the soil and increases yield of crops and grasslands. As such, this makes it possible to obtain multiple economic, environmental and social benefits.