SNV & USLA train and certify masons, professors and engineers for biodigester construction

For the first time in Nicaragua, masons, engineers, and professors from the National Technological Institute (INATEC) and technical institutions will be trained and certified in the construction, installation, and maintenance of biogas systems (camartec type) by the National Biogas Market Development Programme (PBN) and the La Salle Technological Univesity (ULSA). The training will take place from 4 until 15 November.

The course is one of the initiatives being carried out by the PBN so that cattle raisers, rural households and dairy SMEs are able to meet energy needs through being able to access services from people in their geographic areas who are trained to construct and install biodigesters according to quality standards.

The masons, professors and engineers attending the course are from Boaca, Matagalpa, Chontales, León and Rio San Juan, Nicaragua; the areas where the project runs. During the course, the participants will build two demonstration biogas systems on cattle ranches in the department of León.

The training is being given by Mr. Prakash Ghimire, an international expert in Renewable Energy (Nepal) from SNV, the organisation that is implementing the PBN, and by Mr. Markus Neubert, renewable energy expert from ULSA. Mr. Ghimire prepared, in coordination with ULSA´s Cirriculum Department, and INATEC the curricular documents for the training courses for technician, masons and worksite supervisors and for the workshops for small enterprises.

Biogas systems or biodigesters are closed compartments in which organic waste such as manure and agricultural waste decomposes. Given the lack of air, the decomposition process produces biogas, which when burned produces electric and heat energy. The system also produces high quality, liquid and solid organic fertilizer, which can be used to improve soil and increase the yield of crops and pastures

The Biogas Market Development Programme will impact 6,000 small and medium agricultural and livestock business and rural families in the Departments of Boaca, Matalgalpa, Chontales, León and Río San Juan, with access to clean energy through facilitating conditions for them to buy biodigesters and meet their own energy needs. The programme is implemented by SNV in partnership with HIVOS. It has an overall investment of USD 6.2 million funded by the Inter-American Development Bank Multilateral Investment Fund (IDB MIF), the Nordic Development Fund,ondo Nórdico de Desarrollo (NDF),  SNV,  HIVOS and local contributions.