In early November, a two-day biogas class was held with Mr. Kuwabara from Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture as the instructor. Biogas is a biofuel gas derived from organic materials such as food waste, paper, and livestock manure. The residue after fermentation can be used as fertilizer or compost, making it a waste-free process. For this reason, it has gained attention in recent years as a means of generating renewable energy.
Every year, during their observation trip to Ogawa Town in June, participants visit Mr. Kuwabara to learn about his unique biogas project involving the local community. In his area, food waste collected from households is used to produce biogas. In the early days, with public subsidies, residents received coupons usable at local shops for delivering their food waste, making it an initiative friendly to both the environment and the local economy.
On the first day, a hands-on class was held on constructing polyethylene biogas plants. On the second day, each participant challenged themselves to design a concrete biogas plant tailored to the scale and budget feasible within their own community.