THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has assisted an agricultural organization build a biogas plant to effectively manage waste coming from the communal piggery of the farmers’ association in Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte.
Nuhman Aljani, DOST’s Zamboanga del Norte provincial science and technology officer, said that the biogas plant, which was constructed in Paraiso village, Kalawit, can also harness the potential of renewable energy from the waste of communal piggery.
The biogas plant, which has a volume of 30 cubic-meter, was designed by Fernando Ablaza, DOST’s science and technology officer of Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte.
The project was realized through DOST local Grant-in-aid (GIA) assistance amounting to P636,684.16.
The project is implemented in partnership with the farmers’ organization Kapunongan sa Mag-uuma sa Paraiso (Kamagpa).
“The association (Kamagpa) is managing a community piggery farm with some 80 swines,” Aljani said in a statement.
He said the biogas plant, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, is now in full operation converting the waste into methane gas that can power up two biogas lamps and up to eight biogas stoves.
He said the technology comes with a fully installed scrubber, which regulates the production of biogas free from toxic and corrosive hydrogen sulfide.
Eusebio Elumba, Paraiso village chairperson, said they are happy with the project as this solves their problem on foul odor emanating from the piggery.
“We received lots of complaints from residents before,” Elumba said in a statement.
Lucy Matutis, Kamagpa project manager, added that they are very delighted that they can now benefit from the project and use biogas for cooking.
The DOST’s GIA program aims to harness the country’s scientific and technological capabilities to spur and attain a sustainable economic growth and development.
Through the funding of relevant science and technology undertakings, the GIA program is designed to contribute to productivity improvement and quality of life of Filipinos by generating and promoting appropriate technologies. (SunStar Zamboanga)