March 2018 marks the closure of a 2-year collaboration between Sistema.bio Nicaragua with Biogas Nicaragua Program (PBN) in partnership with the Dutch Development Cooperation Service (SNV), the Multilateral Investment Fund (FOMIN), the Nordic Fund for Development (NDF) and the Humanist Institute (HIVOS). Through this partnership and other complementary activities of market positioning and promotion of the biogas technology, Sistema.bio team in Nicaragua has installed more than 315 biodigesters for domestic and productive uses. A move that saw the attainment of the set goal.
Biogas innovation in the productive sector in Nicaragua with the PBN
The Biogas Nicaragua Program and SNV have been key in enabling access to clean energy and automation of the productive sector with biogas to the Nicaraguan smallholder farmers. To achieve this, they explored offering a market-oriented energy solution through the use of biogas to agricultural SMEs within a broader context of mitigating the effects of climate change, SMEs development and economic growth in rural and country communities. Within this framework, Sistema.bio and IRRI Mexico participated in Technical and Economic Feasibility Studies of Biogas for Productive Farms as well as in the implementation of biogas plants in the Dairy Sector.
“Sistema.bio has had the opportunity not only to install productive biogas plants and demonstrate the adaptability of it ’s biodigesters is to the country context, but we have also adapted our biogas engines for milking processes in at least 5 farms. These farms are already taking advantage of savings in electricity; which represents a direct advantage in the operating costs of the farms, making them more productive “- Rolando Reyes, General Manager of Sistema.bio Nicaragua.
Success stories of engines to Biogas
In 2017, 6 biogas engines (16Hp) were installed for 6 and 12 milking stations respectively, an example being the estate of Ms. Kiara González; a member of the Cooperativa Multisectorial de Chontalac of San Pedro de Lovago R.L. With her 20m3 digester system and two-place biogas milking system, she is able to save upto US $ 750 per month by replacing gasoline engines. This represents a return on investment of 18 months besides savings from the use of biol in the fodder fields that goes into feeding livestock. Building on this successful pilot, the cooperative Chontalac in collaboration with Sistema.bio Nicaragua has now installed another 7 biogas systems that are running biogas engines.
Under the same framework is Finca San Francisco, which has a herd of 120 cattle, of which 80 are being milked. After a technical and financial feasibility study on the farm, Sistema.bio designed a 320m3 digester, two 32 Hp biogas engines for milking in 12 stations and a biol collection system for 40 ha of pasture.
With a system of 8 interconnected reactors, the Don. Alcides Zeledón’s farm located in Jinotega is currently treating 100% of waste generated by its cattle (2,700 kg/day) enabling it to comply with the environmental standards. The farm also has monthly savings of US $ 500 in energy supply, which is equivalent to 38% of what he was previously spending on the use of diesel and electricity to activate the vacuum pumps.
Regarding biol’s benefits, it is projected that the farm will save approximately US $ 12,000 per year by replacing the chemical fertilizer with the use of biofertilizer in improving pastures. To do this, Sistema.bio’s engineers in Nicaragua installed 6 collection tanks for biol of 15,000 L each with an innovative gravity distribution design.
Other cases of productive farms that have been installed in partnership with other national institutions and the PBN include the case of the ULSA (Technological University La Salle), where Sistema.bio Nicaragua installed three systems.One of this productive scale digester forms a centre where tests are carried out with biogas engines with students in the Mechanical Engineering and related careers.
Other farms with demonstration carried out for Sistma.bio Nicaragua, are listed bellow:
- Finca of Ronaldo Gutiérrez, located in Acoyapa Chontales, Biobolsa Systems of 40m3, 6-seater Mechanical Milking.
- Finca de Reynerio González, located in San Pedro de Lóvago, Chontales, Biobolsa System of 40m3, Milking of Biogas with 16 HP Engine and 6 places of milking
- Finca de Francisco Castillo, located in Matiguas, Matagalpa, Biobolsa system of 40m3, 6.5 kW generator for 1.5 HP water pump.
- Commercial Agreements with Cooperatives of COOPERIO, ASOGAMAT and APRODIM.
Agreement with the American Nicaraguan Foundation Associations ANF and HEIFER (191 Biobolsa System), Fabretto Foundation (10 Biobolsa Systems) - In conversations to sign the Agreement with the financial companies: FUNDESER, MICREDITO VERDE and Asociación Aldea Global
