By Markus Faigle | Volunteer Project Director
Energy, or the lack thereof, is a major issue in everybody’s mind. This is especially true for Madagascar, with rolling brown-outs common even in the capital for most of the year.
In a country that does not have the means to just buy more oil or gas and burn it to produce energy, looking for alternatives has become a necessity.
Zahana has tried to address this as well, with improved cookstoves, solar cookers, and last but not least reforestation, to replenish the depleted (free energy source of ) firewood in the first place. A solar powered refrigerator in the health center, and solar flashlights or small panels to recharge mobile phones are becoming commonplace, even in remote places in Madagascar as well.
Solar energy, besides the prohibitive price tag, has of course its drawbacks in the rainy season.
On a national level but Madagascar has been exploring biogas, or biodigesters that can use manure and human waste as a renewable source to produce energy.
To explore this option, we hired two engineering students to conduct a feasibility study for a bio gas installation in our village of Fiadanana. The pictures you see are of the engineers busy at work, measuring and testing next to our CARMMA health center. And, as always in Madagascar, the shoes are a clear giveaway that they are outsiders.
Depending on the results of the feasibility study, you may see the biogas project on global giving one day.
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