One of the key activities under the Low Carbon Emission development project of the Climate Change Division in the Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology  (MECDM) has been launched at the Tetere Correctional Centre, Guadalcanal Plains today.

The Biogas system is a twenty cubic meter (20,000 litres) digester that produces biogas through anaerobic digestion of pig waste. The biogas which is predominantly methane is produced and captured within the digester and piped for cooking by the correctional centre kitchen staff. The biogas generated was also successfully used as fuel for a 3.6KVA biogas generator to produce power.

Launching the project this morning Minister for Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology, Honorable Dr Culwick Togamana said before the project was implemented, pig waste was openly disposed into the environment and allowing methane gas to be directly emitted into the atmosphere. Methane gas is said to be 30 times more climate-harmful than carbon dioxide. Minister Togamana said the installation of the biogas system will have the harmful gas flared through the stove and breaking it down to lesser harmful gases like carbon dioxide and water vapour.

The Minister said it is the intention of his Ministry to work closely with other Ministries such as MMERE, MAL, Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and farmers to replicate similar systems throughout the country. He encouraged Livestock farmers to design their farms well and turn livestock wastes into low-carbon energy source for their use.

Also speaking at the ceremony is the Acting Commissioner CSSI Mr Michael Nagu who expressed his utmost gratitude for the excellent collaboration between the MECDM, YWAM international and the Correctional Services Centre in ensuring the successful completion of the project. He said the aim of the project is to promote biogas system that suites the national context for its accessibility, affordability, reliability and effectiveness. He said if enhanced and promoted properly, renewable energy sources should be the way forward for the country in displacing the expensive fossil fuel dependency.

As part of the project, 15 inmates at the Tetere Correction Centre were trained in the construction of biogas system to help them as they continue their rehabilitation before they finally reintegrate into the society again.

The project is worth approximately SBD$97,000 and funded through the development budget, as part of MECDM’s contribution to the DCGA 100-day priorities.