Sociocultural
- existing willingness to handle feces and gas
- identicality of users (beneficiaries) and operators of the respective biogas plants
- positive image of biogas technology, or image polishing through biogas plants;
Engineering/construction
- well-functioning, durable and good-looking plants from the very start
- availability of well-functioning, inexpensive, modern gas appliances (burners, lamps,
refrigerators, etc.)
- user friendliness of plants and appliances
- guaranteed supply of materials and spare parts and assured repair and maintenance;
Agriculture
- stabling practice or tendency toward such practice
- effective time savings, e.g. by direct connection of the biogas plant to the barn
- willingness to use digested slurry as fertilizer, knowledge of storage and spreading
techniques, and appreciation of the positive effects of fertilizing
- availability of suitable, inexpensive slurry spreading implements;
Economy
- reasonable expense in terms of money and work involved (as viewed from the user's
standpoint)
- real and, for the user, obviously positive cost-bereft ratio (not necessarily just in terms of
money)
- favorable financing(loans,subsidies),
Household advantages
- improved working conditions in the kitchen (less smoke and flies, better appearance,
modernization)
- introduction or improvement of artificial lighting
- effective workload reduction
- complete, reliable supply of energy through biogas.
It is very important that the biogas extension officer seek intensive contact with the potential plant
users and local decision makers in order to maximize the chance of early detection of any deficits
regarding the acceptance of biogas technology in order to promptly modify and improve the project
strategy as necessary.
9.2 Dissemination strategies
Ideally, there are two basic strategies for disseminating family-size biogas plants (cf. table 9.1). The
original "classic" approach to biogas dissemination - the self-helporiented approach - has in many
regions now taken a backseat to the newer professional-artisan approach. While the "do-ityourself7'
approach has the advantage of reaching target groups with relatively little capital and of being
applicable in regions with a few or more scattered biogas plants, recent project experience has
shown that the professional-artisan strategy leads to a faster and numerically more substantial
process of dissemination (once the artisans have been adequately familiarized with the work
involved) and that it does more to promote self-supporting local structures.
Since biogas technology is still regarded as "something new" in most developing regions - even
though some pilot plants may already be in operation - the extension officer must very carefully
study the regional preconditions for a successful approach to biogas dissemination. This involves
getting answers to the following questions:
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