Africa-Press – Lesotho. In an effort to enhance innovation, while maintaining sustainable environment, Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology is considering building a biodigester to produce biogas in one of the schools in Takatokwane.
Speaking during a meeting with constituency leadership in Takatokwane Thursday, the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, Ms Tshegofatso Zwikula said there was a proposal to build a biodigester at Mahupu Unified Secondary School, owing to its large populace.
The idea to build a biodigester to produce biogas using cow dung in one of the schools in Takatokwane, Ms Zwikula explained, came about after the village hosted science week in the recent past.
The project, she said would not only supply biogas to the school kitchen but would enhance innovation and technology advancement. She said Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) would supervise the project.
BITRI, Associates Researcher, Mr Alfred Pone said they had adopted the dome biodigester because it was efficient and relatively easy to build. He said cow dung was used as feed while water was used to mix cow dung.
He allayed fears that biogas could cause health complications, saying it underwent thorough cleaning process to remove harmful impurities and eliminate odours.
Mr Pone said Dukwi Junior school had been using biodigester technology for the past two years, while Gothibamang Primary School started using the same innovation recently.
Mr Pone said biodigester operation was not a cumbersome process and even members of the public could replicate it. Another BITRI Associate Researcher, Mr Keoagile Mogorosi said biodigester produced bio gas for cooking and rich fertilizer.
He said biodigester project, would go a long way in combating deforestation caused by heavy dependency on wood for energy. He said biogas helped reduce the use of fossil fuels hence saved the environment.
Mr Mogorosi however said because biogas was a low pressure gas, it needed low pressure appliances and therefore modification on conventional appliance would be required.
The village leadership embraced the proposed project and pledged to further consult with the community. They called for the proposed project to be expedited, should the community embrace it.
Letlhakeng Deputy Council Chairperson, Ms Neo Segaise hailed the proposed project saying it would help the council to emerge from budget deficits caused by energy costs and would solve challenges of lack of warm water in school ablutions. She said the community should play their part by supplying cow dung free of charge.
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