Economic viability of biogas and green self-employment opportunities

To analyze economic viability of the biogas plants in Bangladesh six case studies are carried out in some selected upazilas of greater Sylhet district in Bangladesh where NGOs like Grameen Shakti (GS) and Rural Services Foundation (RSF) are delivering and servicing biogas plants. Economic viability of the biogas plants are measured by comparing prior expenditure (before implementing biogas plant) for firewood, kerosene, and other conventional sources. Economic viability refers to an estimator that not only seeks to maximize the effectiveness of financial viability but also considers environmental externalities. Economic viability for six different cases of biogas plants provides information about relative performance of the product in six different situations. A sensitivity analysis is performed using artificial neural network (ANN) model. Although economic viability of biogas is sensitive to kerosene price, firewood availability, this study reveals that biogas is economically more attractive when women could render their saved cooking time for other income generating green jobs. Biogas plant results a number of income generating new green employments for the rural community in Bangladesh. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.