Today we went to a village on the outskirt of Kunming to visit a biomass project site. We received a lecture by a local professor, who explained to us how animal waste could become renewable energy sources for people living in rural areas in China. We were next taken into the village to see for ourselves how the system work! For many of us, it was the first time we saw farm houses. After tracking over some muddy grounds, we went into one where we were shown a large opening on the ground where animal waste materials were dumped in. We learnt that through some chemical reactions, the waste products would be turned into bio-fuel (mainly methane) to be used for cooking over the gas stove. However, it is quite troublesome and dangerous for human beings if they do not take safety precautions. We felt that the bio-fuel is one of the unique ways to conserve energy.
