20 November 2014: Although many Asian countries have set renewable energy targets, specific policies and targets on biogas are lacking, according to participants at a workshop held under the auspices of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Energy for All (E4ALL) partnership. The ‘Regional Workshop on the Policy and Regulatory Framework of the Biogas Sector’ focused on the small- and medium-scale biogas sector in Asia.

The workshop featured presentations on ten different countries, including India and China. Speakers identified finding an “institutional home” for policymaking as one obstacle faced in advancing bio-digesters, as the technology delivers multiple benefits beyond just energy. Participants suggested establishing and maintaining a regional or global platform for sharing knowledge and experience on the development of biogas policy and regulatory frameworks. On the third day of the workshop, participants visited a biodigester site.

The Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), the Government of Bhutan and ADB organized the workshop, which took place from 18-20 November 2014 in Thimphu, Bhutan. It brought together almost 60 participants from 14 countries to deliberate policy and regulatory issues, such as institutional set-up, incentives, standards and regulation. Attendees included representatives of government institutes, private and civil society organizations and development agencies.

SNV’s work on creating and implementing national biogas programmes started in 1989. By mid-2014, these programmes had used market-based approaches to install more than 620,000 bio-digesters in 19 developing countries worldwide. ADB’s E4ALL programme convenes stakeholders from all sectors to drive knowledge-exchange, innovation and action to implement both top-down and bottom-up solutions to energy challenges. The workshop served as the the sixth annual meeting of the E4ALL domestic biogas working group. [Energy For All Press Release] [SNV Workshop Announcement] [IISD RS Sources]