Biogas – a review of Sri Lanka's performance with a renewable energy technology

Sri Lanka's experience with a renewable energy technology, namely biogas, is reviewed in this paper. The discussion looks at biogas technology as adapted and utilized in Sri Lanka. It is shown that the technology has received attention from the initial days of the energy crisis in 1973, including a “Colombo Declaration” calling for regional development of biogas technology. However, there has been limited popularization and application of biogas in the country. Biogas systems have been promoted for their capability to provide lighting and as a cooking gas, both energy needs, and then as a way to produce biofertilizer from solid waste streams for agricultural needs. Biogas systems used and in use, are identified and reasons for failures are summarized. The ways in which the process has been promoted are also considered and it is seen that the container approach has been given more weightage than the process itself. The process taking place during biogasification has been largely ignored and taken for granted in the dissemination of the technology. Also shown is the fact that promises made in trying to get the technology accepted are impossible to fulfil when a simple analysis is performed. This is shown with respect to cattle-owning families of Sri Lanka. The paper concludes with the recent developments in attempts to introduce biogas systems in the country. From a developing country perspective the paper argues that the ways in which this technology has been promoted are unacceptable. Biogas utilization can take place professionally if a systematic approach is adopted and if the advocates look at the technology in an objective manner. Images such as “Biogas is from wastes” and “This energy is for rurals” need to be discarded, the paper argues