Biogas as a potential renewable energy source: A case of Bhutan

Nikola Sýkorová

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Bhutan’s development, as of any developing country, is besides other determinants dependent on the stability of energetic security. The country is rich in renewable sources of energy, however, strongly depends on the import of fossil fuels from abroad like petroleum products and coal and its derivatives. Further analyses of the potential of renewable energies could drive the shift from non-renewable to renewable sources of energy to reach energy security based on clean energy. These sources are not yet fully explored and therefore utilized in Bhutan. This thesis entitled “Biogas as a Potential Renewable Energy Source – A Case of Bhutan” was written as a literature review that examined the information concerning the energetic situation in Bhutan and particularly the biogas utilization and its feasibility in local conditions. Further mapping of the energy sources in Bhutan and specifically of solar, wind, and biogas plants showed that there is a potential for expansion in domestic usage as well as for the export of energies. A closer focus on biogas plants revealed solid implementation capacity in the residential sector where the usage serves as a substitution mainly to fuelwood and liquified petroleum gas. The resources used for the literature review were mostly based on reports from Bhutan state’s administration and associated international organizations as well as on information from scientific articles published by various scientific web databases. It revealed a gap in the insufficient research into the potential in the usage of renewable energy sources, including the predominantly examined biogas technology.

Keywords

energy consumption, fuel sources, biogas technology, waste management

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 14. 4. 2021

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Hynek Roubík, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / International Cooperation in Agriculture and Rural Development