The International Forum for Sustainable Asia and the Pacific 2019 (ISAP2019) was held on 30-31 July 2019 with the aim of sharing information and facilitating diverse discussions on sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. Taking this opportunity, CCET organized two sessions during ISAP2019 focusing on biogas technology as a solution to advance organic waste management. Following the discussion at Thematic Track 3 “Strengthening the Synergies between Waste, Climate and SDGs” 30, this session aimed to encourage further practical discussion on biogas technologies.

Background

Biogas technology has been utilised as one of the technical options to treat organic waste. This session aimed to discuss the benefits as well as weak points of this technology under the participation of relevant stakeholders who have experience of biogas to enhance implementation of actions, maximise benefits, and strengthen partnerships towards more sustainable and efficient resource management.

Summary

Following Thematic Track 3, this session was dedicated to discussing methane fermentation (biogas) in rural areas while Thematic Track 3 focused on the city cases. The government policies and successful cases of effective utilization of liquid fertilizer were introduced by Mr.Koga. Mr. Kawai told the story of biogas business in India and Bangladesh, where the company runs the small-scale biogas power generation systems by using cow and chicken manure. The company applies its advanced engine technology to the systems. Mr. Okaniwa mentioned the issues on Feed in Tariff (FIT), and emphasized that it is important to consider not only selling the power through FIT, but also cost-benefit performance of the entire biogas business in order to monetize the biogas systems efficiently. Mr. Yamaoka explained the issues on utilization of liquid fertilizer and heat energy produced by biogas system from the academic point of view.

In the panel discussion, the issues and benefits on commercialization of biogas systems in Asia were discussed such as investment recovery, market status, the government subsidy, and benefit for the local residents. Also, the panelists shared successful domestic cases where municipalities supported to promote utilization of liquid fertilizer in cooperation with local farmers.

Key Messages

• Biogas produces renewable-energy such as gas, heat, and electricity, which has economically high value, and a way to utilize organic wastes as resources, hence, biogas business has high potential to contribute to establishing circular economy.
• There are technical, financial and institutional issues to be addressed such as utilization of liquid fertilizer and subsidy, however, successful cases have been observed in rural areas in both Asia and Japan. Biogas business can grow by developing various business models appropriate to different conditions. 

It is necessary to establish more economically sustainable models to encourage more business entities and municipalities to enhance biogas system. One of the possible options is to expand the marketing targets for selling the biogas system and produced energy for not only farmers, but also other sectors.

■ Speakers:

• Yosuke Koga, Section Chief, Biomass Circular Resources Division, Food Industry Bureau, MAFF
• Yasunori Kawai, Manager, Innovation center, AISIN SEIKI Co., Ltd.
• Yoshiyasu Okaniwa, Executive director, Biogas Process Council
• Masaru Yamaoka, Leader, Aquatic Environmental Engineering Unite Hydraulic Engineering Research Division, Institute for Rural Engineering, NARO(National Agriculture and Food Research Organization)

■ Moderator:

• Kazunobu Onogawa, Director, IGES Centre Collaborating with UNEP on Environmental Technologies (CCET)

Visit our ISAP 2019 Official Website.