Biogas as sustainable approach for social uplift in South East Asian Region

Abstract

The Asian region has rich agricultural resources that can be utilized for clean biogas technology. Few countries in Asia, namely China and Nepal, have developed policies and technologies for the biogas sector. Whereas Pakistan, a major agricultural country, cannot tap the bio-energy from the agriculture sector. This study aims to present a comprehensive policy analysis across different countries to identify the obstacles that impede the growth of the biogas sector in Pakistan. The research thoroughly reviews the most recent literature and policy documents and engages with stakeholders to gather their feedback on policy formulation. While most renewable energy policies predominantly focus on photovoltaic and wind energy resources, they tend to overlook the utilization of the available bioresources. Further, the absence of banking and microfinance institutions (MFIs) hampers the smooth flow of funds between donor agencies and farmers/end-users, which has proven to be a key factor for success in Nepal and China.