Balikini.Net – The rising spirit to utilise biogas energy as an alternative energy is steadily growing in the Island of the gods. This spirit is in line with the target of the Provincial Government of Bali to bring “Green Province” dream into reality, including utilsation of clean energy. The spirit to socialise biogas in one the global destination of world tourism has also received supports from various parties, including Yayasan Rumah Energi (YRE) “BIRU” Bali.

Yayasan Rumah Energi (YRE) Bali aims to build approximately 200-300 units of biogas digester annually in Bali. The expectation is to utilise cattle manures and convert it into the source of renewable energy. Moreover, domestic biogas programme (BIRU) is in line with Bali traditional lifestyle in which majority of them are small-scale cattle farmers. “The more discovery of the benefits of biogas, the higher the interest of biogas users,” uttered Dewa Gde Weda Dharma, the Biogas Quality Inspector for Yayasan Rumah Energi (YRE) “BIRU” Bali in his recent statement in Denpasar (10/16/2017).

According to Weda Dharma, as of August 2017, BIRU Bali has built 1,180 units of BIRU digester with the highest quality. With the ongoing development of BIRU, it is expected that the community in Bali will not only acquire renewable energy, but will also have access to quality fertilisers, and the creation of gender equality, as well as the availability of more family time as there are less time to collect fire woods.

In effort to expand the utilisation and socialisation of biogas, Yayasan Rumah Energi (YRE) has embraced 3 partners in Bali. Those three BIRU partners are Manikaya Kauci, Dewata Mason Group, and Sastra Loka Samgraha. “Those partner organisations are part of Cipta Wana Bakti organisation. They are expected to preserve and improve the utilisation and roles in developing BIRU in the future,” uttered Weda Dharma.

Weda Dharma reveals the challenge in biogas development throughout these times are due to the ease of access and subsidy toward fossil fuels. These conditions have further prolonged the people’s tendency to rely on fossil energy. Thus the government’s roles from the village level up to the provincial level are vital in biogas energy development. The expected roles include socialisation of biogas utilisation, financing the reactor construction, and issuing regulations, primarily regulations which are relevant with waste processing.

Weda Dharma acknowledged the policy made by Bali Provincial Administrative in conjunction with utilisation and biogas development through integrated farming system (Simantri). Moreover, Bali Provincial Administratives, has listed biogas as one of its primary element and it is mandatory to have biogas energy in an integrated farming system. “The Response of Bali Provincial Administrative is good, but there are still rooms to improve thus it will provide even more added values,” uttered Weda Dharma.

The Head of Food Crops, Horticulture, and Estate Crops of Bali Province, Ida Bagus Wisnuardhana in his report during the occasion of awarding ceremony to the top achievers among the integrated farming system for Bali Provincial level in 2017 revealed that as of the end of 2017, there have been 701 units of integrated farming systems scattered throughout Bali. The improvement of integrated farming system through various innovations will be consistenly pursued through improvement of the techniques in waste processing within integrated farming system, insure cattle animal ownership within the integrated farming system, require every integrated farming system to grow crops with high economic values, and synergise organic fertiliser programme with integrated farming system.

Wisnuwardhana mentioned that in an attempt to utilise biogas in 2017, several collaborations have been established. These collaborations include collaboration with the School of Engineering Research Group of the University of Udayana in conjunction with utilising biogas-fueled 1000-watt generator set belonging to an integrated farming system. Additionally, there is also collaboration with Yayasan Rumah Energi (YRE) in developing household scale biogas and collaboration with Bali Hydroponic to develop hydroponic at integrated farming system location.

Wisnuwardhana further added, several positive achievements have been attained by integrated farming system programme specifically consistent growth of integrated farming system groups. Total cow owernship within integrated farming systems have also increased from 200 cows in 2009 to 11,543 in 2017. Similarly, total organic fertilisers and biourine production have increased to 66,529 tons.

Previously, a senior researcher with the School of Agriculture at the University of Udayana, Dr. Gusti Ngurah Alit Susanta Wirya, S.P., M. Agr stated that actually the biogas programme of integrated farming system developed by Bali Provincial Administratives may also serve as energy securit programme and provision of affordable energy at farmer’s level. Biogas technology is one of the appropriate technologies to process cattle farming wastes and is expected to support the efforts in overcoming environmental issues. The utilisation and conversion of cattle manures into biogas is an effort to reduce the effects of global warming as consequences of the emission of methane gases. “Future technology of biogas is expected to provide affordable and ecologicall friendly energy for farmers’ family in a self-sufficient manner,” explained Alit Susanta.

Alit Susanta hopes that the government will evaluate biogas development on integrated farming system programme in order to achieve the optimum level. There are adequate farmers within the integrated farming systems which have the skills and capabilities to manage cattle manures into biogas. The problem is only a handful of farmers involved in the conversion process of manures into biogas. Not to mention that only some integrated farming system enjoy the benefits of biogas. “The group’s cowsheds are far from the farmers’ residents, thus the installation are unable to reach the farmers’ houses,” Alit Susanta explained. (Muliarta)

(Source: http://www.balikini.net/2017/10/geliat-membumikan-biogas-di-pulau-dewata.html?m=1)