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Out of the selected users, 56 percent seem more or less satisfied with the existing services rendered by
the biogas companies and other concerned agencies. They said that the governmental organization
namely AEPC which is established to oversee all alternate energy related activities would be the most
appropriate institution to conduct quality control in the future.
Viewpoints of Biogas Companies
Among the 41 private biogas companies established to provide construction services to meet ever
increasing demand for the installation of biogas plants, GGC is the leading biogas company in Nepal
due to its contribution in the field of extension and promotion of biogas technology for the last two
decades. However, rapidly emerging number of biogas plants carry a question mark about the
ensuranee of quality construction of biogas plants for which quality control measures need to be
enforced effectively.
The study revealed that on an average, 93 percent plants installed by the selected companies are
functional. The reasons for non-functioning of 7 percent plants are attributed to under-feeding of the
plants, lack of knowledge about O & M and poor after-sales services.
Out of the 10 studied companies, all users claim that the company had visited them whenever a
complaint is lodged. 60 percent of the respondents said the companies arc providing routine visit out
of which 50 percent are maintaining their routine visit at the interval of once in a year, while 10
percent provides the services at different time frame as per the convenience of their office. Some users
revpalcd that though company staffs visit them on call, but they often linger on to solve the problems.
The most common problems encountered by the companies are: Slurry in pipeline, gas leakage,
wearing out of the accessories, blockage of gas, leakage of gas, problems regarding pipe fitting,
digging of compost pit, misplacement of useful documents provided by the company.
The company's suggestions to overcome such problems are: Necessity of more frequent visit by the
companies to the users, formation of a well skilled maintenance team in all the field office and their
regular visit to the problematic and non-problematic plants, improvement in the after-sales services,
conduction of orientation programme and training to the users and diffusion of promotional
information to the users.
According to the company, there is a negligence on the part of users as they do not dig out two
compost pits immediately after the construction of biogas plants and also misplace the documents
provided by the company.
Out of total of 156 staffs of different biogas companies, 129 have been trained which constitutes about
81 percent of trained manpower. Recruiting of skilled manpower alone in itself is not sufficient to
meet desired quality of biogas plants. Proper mobilization of manpower and resources (e.g. in time of
construction, O & M and after sales services) is another important factor to achieve the desired quality
of the plants.
Out of selected companies, almost all responded that the present quality of materials used is
satisfactory. About 10 percent of the respondents said that different construction materials exist with
varying specifications. About 20 percent of the respondents said that in some cases, the quality of
construction deteriorates due to the use of poor quality of construction materials used by the masons.