Small biogas plants in Nepal

To offset our CO2 emissions of 3,800 t in 2020, we opted to continue the joint project with the German non-profit organisation atmosfair. In this project, wpd is financing the construction and repair of small biogas plants in Nepal. These plants replace open fires, thus preventing deforestation and CO2 emissions. The open fires are also responsible for serious eye and lung disease. The biogas plants run on otherwise unused cow dung which is converted to biogas through anaerobic fermentation. The biogas is directed through pipes to gas cookers in the kitchens. One such biogas plant can save around 2,000 kg of firewood per year and thus two to three tons of CO2 by comparison with using an open “three stone fire”. After fermentation, the remains of the cow dung can be used as a powerful bio-fertiliser, thus appreciably boosting agricultural yield.

You can find further information on the project on atmosfair’s website.

Nepal Biogas Support Programme

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Besides international projects, wpd is also actively engaged in Germany, supporting the rewetting of a small area of marshland in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in collaboration with the State Forestry Institute of Mecklenburg Western Pomerania.

Within the company, many steps have already been taken with respect to sustainability.

The project has also set itself the goal of protecting existing forested areas and reforesting areas that had been cleared, preserving the natural biodiversity, as well as serving as a centre for information and training (both theoretical and practical) in the sustainable use of forests.

Traditional lighting sources such as petroleum lamps, candles or small, battery-driven lamps are being replaced by the distribution of solar lamps.
The collaboration between wpd and atmosfair has spawned more than the construction of small biogas plants in Nepal. wpd also supports their maintenance and repair, particularly in the aftermath of the earthquake in 2015, the strongest in the region for 80 years.