On 20th and 21st of Last January, the East Java office of the BIRU Program held a Training of Trainers (ToT) attended by 19 biogas supervisors from 10 of BIRU’s development partners. This activity was held for two days at the Hotel Metropole in Batu Town, Malang and was directly guided by Sundar Bajgain, senior technical advisor of BIRU Program. In the training, participants gained general biogas knowledge and was explained the benefits and rights of users regarding three-year warranties and subsidies accepted. Participants also received training of technical operations and biogas reactor maintenance, various problems which often came across, how to overcome them as well as utilization of bio-slurry.

The main purpose that we’d like to achieve from this training is to ensure that all digesters built are operating well and that BIRU users gain maximum benefit especially with the use of bio-slurry and the exchange of knowledge between BIRU Program executors are effective.

After the training, biogas supervisors are expected to have accurate technical and general knowledge about BIRU’s reactors from utilization to reactor maintenance aspects. The training’s participants are also expected to be able to disseminate knowledge and train biogas owners of proper utilization and maintenance.

Domestic Biogas Program (BIRU) was established since 15th May 2009 and aims to disseminate biogas digesters as a form of renewable sustainable energy source, at a local level with the development of new market-oriented business sector.

In its implementation, the BIRU program collaborates with development partners at local levels not merely as key executors during the development stage but also in terms of service to ensure owners of biogas reactors are able to properly maintain and utilize the reactor and gain maximum benefits of the reactors.

Up to Jan 2011, there are 11 development partner institutes in East Java which has built over 1200 reactor units.

(HBN/BPO Malang)