Simplified Methodology for Biogas Digesters Page1 Proposed new methodology “Simplified standardised ER methodology for household biogas digesters” This methodology is an adaptation of the by the CDM Executive Board approved smalll scale methodology J.C ‘Thermal energy for the user’ applied by the Biogas Support Programme in Nepal {1] and by the Bagepalli CDM biogas programme in India, and also the Gold Standard methodology developed by ECOFYS [2], meant to determine the Verifiable Emissions Reduction (VER) of domestic biogas programmes, ‘The development of this simplified methodology takes into account (a) the constraints for getting the information required for a CDM type approach methodology (especially information required for monitoring), (b) the possibility that the process of acquiring detailed information gives for tampering and (c) the transaction costs involved. The proposed methodology is simple, verifiable and takes a conservative approach for the calculation of the amount of emissions reduction (ER). 1. Prerequisites While the same level of accuracy and stringency will not he achieved as with projects that apply for the CDM, the consistency, credibility and verifiability of the calculations and results is @ major condition for the credibility of the methodology. ‘The rising demand for fuelwood, agricultural residues and dung, accelerates the rates of deforestation and soil degradation. By the implementation of a biogas programme, GHG emission reductions are realised. The biogas production is the result of anaerobic digestion of biomass, animal dung and human faeces. Existing actual emissions will be used to define the baseline. This is justified by the fact that without the instsllation of the biogas plant, households would continue using biomass and/or fossil fuels for cooking. Therefore the use of the actual emissions is the most appropriate baseline approach. The consumption of biogas from the biogas plant replaces the consumption of biomass and eventually fossil fuel. Unless there is strong evidence that this will take place one will _not consider that the pressure of dwindling biomass resources would pressure households to switch to fossil fuels. Experience in many countries shows that households when confronted with this situation, switch to-less quality fuels (agricultural residues, dung, etc.), cook less or differently, and/or put more hours into searching available biomass. Furthermore it is implied that the project would pass the usual additionality tests that are applicable under the CDM, especially that the programme will not happen in the absence of the proceeds from selling the ER and that there are investment barriers to be overcome. This methodology is applicable to programmes involving the implementation of biodigesters in households with 2 maxiraum size of 10 m’, within a distinct geographical area. The project activity is implemented by a project organisation that acts as the project developer and applies for BR credits, The individual households will not apply for ER credits.‘Simplified Methodology for Biogas Digesters, Page? ‘The project should be located in one country. Since the production of biogas depends on the average temperature, the total project area needs to be divided in climate zones, and these geographical zones can be clearly identified. For each climate zone separate baseline and project Emissions need to be determined. The project boundary is basically all individual sites and the geographical area covered the ER project area. ‘The total emissions reduction depend on the average amount of GHG savings per household and the amount of households under the programme. The data for the calculation below is obtained throngh questionnaires held at a sample of the total household population. 2. Methodology for Emissions Reduction Calculation ‘The CDM methodologies for calculating ER are based on the determination of a (static or dynamic) baseline emission and a calculation of project emissions that will have to be verified through monitoring. In the proposed methodology the baseline and project emissions are calculated based on emission patiems of a limited number of households (randomly selected). The developed Emission Reduction Factor will be applied to all biogas plants sold under the programme in an uniform geographical area. The standardized baseline is not an estimate of the baseline emissions but of the nct emissions reduction of a biogas plants (baseline minus project emissions). 21 Definitions and assumptions In this chapter general factors and definitions will be developed that will apply to all projects. 24.1 Baseline and project emission sources ‘The baseline emissions for cooking activities in the households involves emissions from combustion of fuels used for their thermal energy need and methane emissions from the handling of animal waste and fertiliser substitution. The project emissions for the households comprise methane emissions from physical leakage from the biogas plants and methane emissions from incomplete combustion of the biogas, and N20 emissions from the slurry produced by the biogas plant and its use.Simplified Methodology for Biogas Digesters Page 3 Table 1 - Emissions sources included in or excluded from the project boundary Emission source / Baseline Project GHG Manure treatment / Pertiliser displacement | CH4 *¥ From cow dung stored * Physical leakage (fugitive | and applied in the field emissions) of biogas from digester *** Incomplete combustion of biogas N20 ¥* From reduction in From biogas slurry pit chemical fertilisers duet 0 use of biodigester slurry +#*From slurry used in the field Fuel use co ¥ From burning unsustainable fuelwood and \ from fossil fuel use | ** From kerosene used for lighting CHA ** From burning of | fuelwood ** From storing and burning cow dung ‘Human excreta **CH4 emissions * Included in ER caleulation ** Excluded for simplification, this is conservative ##* Excluded for simplification, this is NOT conservative Justification A calculation based on the data available from the biogas programme in Nepal for all plant sizes and in all geographic areas shows that the N2O baseline/project balance in fertiliser displacement and manure treatment is almost zero in all cases. The same calculation shows that the CH4 emissions reduction from fertiliser displacement and manure treatment is in all cases significantly positive, with an average for all sizes and regions of 0.38 tCO2equivalent per plant per year. For Nepal the caléulated project methane emissions are 0.59 tCO2equivalent per plant per year, slightly larger than the reductions therefore the balance is negative. But we chose to exclude the emissions reduction and to include the physical leakage in the calculation, so this is very conservative. Besides that, the emissions reduction from eventual kerosene use for lighting, CH4 emissions from storing and handling and buming of cow dung, the CH4 emissions from incomplete combustion of fuelwood, and the small contribution of human excreta are also excluded. ‘This emission factor based on the data from Nepal is around 0.35 tCO2equivalent per plant per year (above calculations based on [1]) Concerning the incomplete combustion of biogas one can make a simple calculation based on the part of formula 15 [2] referring to this issue. Take for example the case of a4 m* biogas plant in Nepal, for which the dung of two cows is needed, and use the CH4 emission factor for Asia for Gairy cows for 20 °C temperature (see Table 10.14 in Annex I of [2]) of 18 ke CH4 per head per year, The efficiency of biogas stoves given in the literature is between 50 and 60%, use 50% toSimplified Methodology for Biogas Digesters Page 4 be sure that these not conservative emissions are maximised. This gives 18 * 2 * 21 * 0.5 / 1,000 = 0.38 tCO2equivalent per plant per year. It is therefore assumed that until project data can prove the contrary that the balance of emissions included and excluded still is conservative. 2.1.2 Identification of emission factors In this chapter the emission factors for the most common fuels in Africa will be calculated. CO? emissions from fuelwood burning Emission factor is 1.83 kg CO2/kg of fuelwood (IPCC, 2006) CO2 emissions from charcoal burning ‘The quantity of non-renewable biomass going into the charcoal making process is 6 kg wood per kg charcoal (PCC, 1996). It is assumed that all charcoal production is from unsustainable biomass. Emission factor is 6 * 1.83 = 11 kg CO2/kg of charcoal (IPCC, 2006) CO2 emissions from fossil fuel buming ‘Most likely fossil fuel used for cooking in rural areas is kerosene (per project situation the most commonly used fuels per household will be determined) Emission factor is 2.54 kg CO2Miter kerosene (IPCC, 2006) CHG emissions from fugitive gas GWP (CHA) = 21 kg CO2/kg CH4 Density (CH4) = 0.71 kg/m? Average biogas leakage per digester = 10% (IPCC, 2006). Depending on the outcome of field testing this percentage can be adapted in later years. Emission factor is: 21 * 0.71 * 0.10 = 1.49 kg CO2/m? CH4 Note: this leakage concerns both the leakage from the’ biogas reactor via the slurry chamber when more gas is produced than used, and leakage from the pipes and appliances. The Nepalese programme is a high quality programme with high construction standards, and pipes and appliances leakage is small, but at this point in time there is still no guarantee that these standards will be achieved in Africa, and henceforth the biogas leakage rates can be higher.Simplified Methodology for Biogas Digesters Page 5 2.2 Emission Reduction Calculation Process A process consisting of three steps is followed to determine the net emissions reduction: Step 1: Identification of activity volumes. Step 2: Calculations of emissions per source. Step 3: Calculation of emission reduction factors per plant per region. Step 1: Identification of activity volumes CO2 emissions from fuelwood burning ‘Average consumption of fuelwood per day before installation of digester (kg/day from survey) ‘Average consumption of fuelwood per day after installation of digester (kg/day from survey) UP: Percentage of unsustainable fuelwood use per household (from survey) CO? emissions from charcoal burning ‘Average consumption of charcoal per day before installation of digester (kg/day from survey) ‘Average consumption of charcoal per day afier installation of digester (kg/day from survey) CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning ‘Average consumption of kerosene per day before installation of digester (kg/day from survey) ‘Average consumption of kerosene per day after installation of digester (kg/day from survey) (CH4 emissions from fugitive gas ‘Average biogas production in m°/day for each plant size ‘MC%: Methane concentration in biogas in percentage (usually 60%) Step 2: Calculation of emission per source The calculations below are for each plant size, it is assumed uniform climacteric conditions in the geographical area of the project. Values obtained are in (CO2eq/year. COQ2 emissions from fuelwood burning Foelwood savings in (ke/day) * UP * 365 days * 1.83 kg CO2/kg fuelwood / 1,000 kg/t .668 * UP * Fuelwood savings (ke/day) CO2 emissions from charcoal burning Charcoal savings in (kg/day) * 365 days * 11 kg CO2/kg charcoal / 1,000 ke/t = 4,02 * Charcoal savings (kg/day) CO2 emissions from fossil fuel bumning Kerosene savings in (litres/day) * 365 days * 2.54 ke CO2litre / 1,000 kg/t = 0.927 * Kerosene savings (litres/day) ‘CH4 emissions from fugitive gas Average biogas production (m*/day) * MC% * 365 * 1.49 kg CO2/m* CH4/ 1,000 kg/t = 0.544 * MC% * Average biogas production (m”/day)Simplified Methodology for Biogas Digesters Page 6 Step 3: Aggregation of emissions per source into standardised emission reduction factors Average yearly emission reduction factor for a biogas plant ofa particular size (n) (RF) = +CO2 emission reduction from kerosene savings in tCO2 equivalent + CO2 emission reduction from fuelwood savings in (CO2 equivalent + CO2 emission reduction from charcoal savings in (CO2 equivalent ~ CHi4 emissions from biogas leakage from the digester in tCO2 equivalent 2.3 Total Emission Reduction Calculation Based on the above calculation of a standardised net emission reduction factor per biogas plant size, now the emission reductions due to the project activity during a given period can be calculated. The following steps are required: Step 1: Number of installed biogas plants of size (n) under the project = Nn Step 2 Determine annual performance ratio of the installed biogas plants size (a) in year 1 given by Pn,l = Total Number of Biogas Plants that are operational/Total Number of Biogas Plants Sold Whereby 0 < Pn,1 < 100% (from survey or programme data), Assume for a priori calculations Pn,l = 90% Step 3: Emission reductions of the digester size (n) in year 1: ERn,1 = Nn * Pa,l * RFn Total emission reductions of the project activity in year 1= J” ERnJ forn = 1 to n= number of existing sizes in the programme. References [1] Nepal Biogas Sector Partnership — Simplified PDD. Winrock and Eoosecurities. December 3, 2004. [2]. Draft GS Proposed New Baseline and Monitoring Methodologies. ECOFYS. March 2006,