Tag Archives: energy

Biogas Powers Homes in Uganda

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Ten-year-old Biasa works the family stove, which operates on biogas.

Ten-year-old Biasa works the family stove, which operates on biogas.

Participants in Heifer Uganda’s biogas project turn animal waste into energy, which lights homes and powers stoves. The benefits of biogas are many, including improved family health, less cutting of trees for firewood and faster cooking times. The connection between our work with livestock and this technology is complimentary: farmers can use what might otherwise be a source of pollution as a fuel for cooking and lighting. The byproduct of the process is an already composted material perfect for fertilizing home vegetable and fruit gardens.

In the video below, Elizabeth Bintliff, Vice President for Heifer International’s Africa Area Program, shares more about this sustainable energy alternative.

Give the Gift of Biogas Today.

Uganda Biogas Project Wins “Best Practice” Award

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Photo by Russell Powell

Heifer International has employed some ingenious solutions to third-world problems over the years. Now, one project has received a “Best Practices and Innovations” award from InterAction, a coalition of nonprofits focused on development.

Heifer’s Uganda biogas project eases the workload of rural women and improves their health by providing a safe, renewable and cheap source of fuel – a fuel that’s much cleaner than firewood. The technique uses cattle and pig waste to produce methane gas for lighting and cooking. The dung is collected in a “digester,” where microbes break it down and release methane, which can be captured in a cylinder or piped straight into the home.

InterAction’s technical review committee noted the impressive results achieved by Heifer International Uganda’s biogas project, especially the improvements in living conditions and incomes in rural communities. The committee was also impressed with the project’s promotion of women’s participation, as well as the strong collaboration with the government and private sector.

Most people in rural Uganda, because they don’t have access to electricity, rely on firewood. But the supply of wood and charcoal is being quickly depleted by deforestation. Women and children spend hours gathering firewood, tending cook fires and breathing in smoke and soot.

Home biogas plants under construction.

 

The biogas project is funded by the Dutch government and began in 2009. It aims to install 12,000 biogas units by the end of 2013. The project trains both the builders and the users of the biogas plants, which are relatively simple to build. The construction enterprises working with Heifer include two run by women.

In addition to easing deforestation, the Heifer International project has lowered women and children’s risk of disease from indoor air pollution, and hygiene has improved since animal waste is no longer left close to the homes. A majority of households have reported a reduction in health care expenditures.

 

There are other benefits, too.

Bioslurry, a byproduct of the methane production, can be used as a natural fertilizer.

The bio-slurry removed from the digester at the end of the process can be used as natural fertilizer, resulting in better crop harvests. Children are able to read and study at night with gas-powered lighting. And interestingly, some men now feel more comfortable preparing light snacks and tea with user-friendly biogas stoves.

“We at Heifer International are very pleased to receive this award,” says Elizabeth Bintliff, Vice-President of Africa Programs. “It’s a huge credit to the Heifer Uganda program, highlighting one simple innovation that can solve many different problems. We hope InterAction’s recognition will help spread the word about this technique, so that we can share its benefits with many more communities.”

Take Advantage of the Sun and Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

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In honor of my birthday (yesterday), I’m going to tell you about one of my favorite activities I learned about during my job at a science museum. It involves two of my favorite things – the sun and chocolate – a perfect combination. Plus, it’s environmentally friendly – what could be better?

Materials:

  • Cardboard pizza box (the kind delivered pizza comes in)
  • Scissors
  • Aluminum foil
  • Clear tape
  • Plastic wrap or heavy-duty/freezer zip-lock bag
  • Black construction paper
  • Newspapers
  • Ruler or stick
  • Chocolate chip cookie dough

diy solar ovenTake the pizza box and cut a flap in the lid by cutting along three sides, leaving about an inch around the sides of the flap. Fold this flap up so that it stands up when the rest of the lid is closed.
Tightly wrap the aluminum foil around the flap, tape it to the back (outer side) of the flap. Make sure to cover the inner side of the flap with the foil to reflect the sun’s rays.

Place double layer of plastic wrap over the opening you made when you cut the flap in the lid, leaving about an inch of plastic overlapping the sides. Tape each side down securely, sealing out the air. If you use a plastic bag instead of plastic wrap, cut out a square big enough to cover the opening, and tape one layer over it. You want to create an airtight window for sunlight to enter into the box.

solar-oven-11

Line the bottom of the box with black construction paper, which will absorb the heat. The black surface is where you will set your food to cook. To insulate your oven so it holds in more heat, roll up sheets of newspaper and place them on the bottom of the box, forming a border around the cooking area, and tape them down. You should still be able to close the lid, but inside there is a seal so air cannot escape.

It is best to use your solar oven when the sun is high overhead – from 11 am to 3 pm. Take it outside to a sunny spot and adjust the flap until the most sunlight possible is reflecting off the aluminum foil and onto the plastic-covered window. Use a ruler or stick to prop the flap at the right angle. You can also angle the entire box by using a rolled up towel.

Now for the best part… place the cookie dough in the center of the black paper so the cookies can be seen through the hole made by the flap. Make sure the shadow from the flap is directly behind the box for the best result. Remember to move the box every couple of hours to keep up with the movement of the sun. After 4-6 hours, your cookies should be done and ready to eat, straight from your new solar oven.

You can also make toast by buttering a slice of bread, or sprinkling cheese on it, then letting the sun do the rest, or hot dogs, nachos. If you plan on using the solar oven more than once, place your food on a clear plastic or glass plate to prevent the black paper from getting dirty.

For more details (and recipes) on this activity, go to:

http://www.playsational.com/solar-cooking-cookies-solar-oven/ or

http://www.solarovens.org/news/cooks_illustrated-article.htm or

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/build-a-solar-oven-project/a/1237/

Energy-Saving Stove in MalawiVisit www.heifer.org/schools for more great lesson plans, experiments, and games. Or learn about how Heifer International project participants in Malawi are saving energy and resources with their own environmentally friendly cooking stoves.