FAO, partners launch ‘pioneering’ biogas technology training

AMMAN — The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), in cooperation with the Royal Scientific Society (RSS)/National Energy Research Centre (NERC), completed the first day of a pioneering theoretical training on biogas technology, titled “Design, Build and Operate Biogas Plants”.

According to an FAO statement on Monday, this training falls within the activities of the biogas pilot project, which is part of a project funded by the European Union for improving rural livelihoods and the environment through the integral utilisation of residues of treated wastewater and organic solid waste for the production of renewable energy and compost in Mafraq Governorate, the statement said.

The objective of the training is to build the capacity of 25 students from the Faculty of Agriculture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) related to biogas technology by giving them the needed knowledge and technical skills to ensure the successful implementation of bio-energy projects.

According to the statement, the conversion of waste to energy is “the solution for untreated waste”, which has had a negative effect on the climate and the environment.

Understanding bio-energy technologies will increase the performance of designing, installing and operating different types of bio-energy processes, especially the biogas process, the statement said.

Talal Al Fayez, on behalf of the FAO Representative in Jordan, said in the statement: “The FAO estimates that one-third of the food produced for human consumption [about 1.3 billion tonnes] is lost or wasted each year. This leads to the loss of resources that contribute to its production such as water, seeds, fertilisers and feed, in addition to money and labour.”

From this follows an increase in solid waste and its negative impact on the environment, the statement said.

Kamel Mahmoud, dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at JUST, pointed out the importance of this training in educating university graduates on the use of biogas technology as an energy production source. The training will focus on renewable energy and biomass in Jordan as well as bio-energy technologies, biogas plants and their design and safety operations, the statement said.

The FAO is also working with experts and research centres on a pilot project in Zaatari camp to convert solid organic waste and sludge into organic fertiliser and alternative energy, which reduces the amount of solid waste that goes to the landfill by 50 per cent and saves on the energy bill needed for water treatment.