Reducing fuel wood consumption and waste management
The grantee, Sangchen Chhokhor Shedra (Buddhist College) is situated at about 2700 masl and 5 kilometers uphill on the mountain overlooking the Paro valley. The monastery provides education for 150 monks, with most of the students coming from poor families.
Prevalent situation at Sangchen Chhokhor Shedra is that they uses hot water for washing, drinking and cooking purposes. The water is heated using fire woods and in a month, approximately two truckloads of wood are used for heating purpose resulting in emission of 43 tons of carbon dioxide in the air. Not only are firewood harmful to the natural environment but also, use of firewood for almost everything is proving to be expensive source of energy. A truckload of fuel wood costs Nu. 7500.00 (approx. US$ 130) incurring financial cost of Nu. 180,000.00 (US$ 3250.00) a year. Bhutan has one of the highest per capita consumption of fuel wood in the world at almost 1.3 tons per person.
Shedra?s efforts to keep up with the high expenses on firewood and transportation charges shall no longer be possible when the student enrollment increases by 20 % in the following year. Electric heating isn?t reasonable and economical option for a spiritual academy like ours, as it is not an income-generating institute or that the student-monks cannot afford the monthly electrical tariffs. Thus such an inevitable need for water heating can only be resolved by the use of solar heating system or other fuel efficient options.
Thus, the project is proposed in line with SGP?s objective of preserving environment , Project will reduce carbon emission through reduced use of fuel wood, establish proper waste management system at the monastery and promote environmental education.
Through the project, the group has installed solar heating system catering to over 150 monks and has completely stopped the use of fuel wood for heating of water for hot-stone-bath. This has resulted in saving of over 50 fully grown tress and reduction of about 288 tons of CO2 emission annually.
Under the project, also, the plantation of 2000 saplings around the monastery was done and erected 108+1 number of permanent flag post instead of trees. All these measures were carried out to advocate the importance of preserving and conserving the forest.
Prevalent situation at Sangchen Chhokhor Shedra is that they uses hot water for washing, drinking and cooking purposes. The water is heated using fire woods and in a month, approximately two truckloads of wood are used for heating purpose resulting in emission of 43 tons of carbon dioxide in the air. Not only are firewood harmful to the natural environment but also, use of firewood for almost everything is proving to be expensive source of energy. A truckload of fuel wood costs Nu. 7500.00 (approx. US$ 130) incurring financial cost of Nu. 180,000.00 (US$ 3250.00) a year. Bhutan has one of the highest per capita consumption of fuel wood in the world at almost 1.3 tons per person.
Shedra?s efforts to keep up with the high expenses on firewood and transportation charges shall no longer be possible when the student enrollment increases by 20 % in the following year. Electric heating isn?t reasonable and economical option for a spiritual academy like ours, as it is not an income-generating institute or that the student-monks cannot afford the monthly electrical tariffs. Thus such an inevitable need for water heating can only be resolved by the use of solar heating system or other fuel efficient options.
Thus, the project is proposed in line with SGP?s objective of preserving environment , Project will reduce carbon emission through reduced use of fuel wood, establish proper waste management system at the monastery and promote environmental education.
Through the project, the group has installed solar heating system catering to over 150 monks and has completely stopped the use of fuel wood for heating of water for hot-stone-bath. This has resulted in saving of over 50 fully grown tress and reduction of about 288 tons of CO2 emission annually.
Under the project, also, the plantation of 2000 saplings around the monastery was done and erected 108+1 number of permanent flag post instead of trees. All these measures were carried out to advocate the importance of preserving and conserving the forest.
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Project Snapshot
Grantee:
Sangchen Chhokor Rangzhin Netang Tshogpa
Country:
Bhutan
Area Of Work:
Climate Change Mitigation
Grant Amount:
US$ 24,850.00
Co-Financing Cash:
Co-Financing in-Kind:
US$ 4,700.00
Project Number:
BHU/SGP/OP5/Y2/CORE/CC/2012/12
Status:
Satisfactorily Completed
Project Characteristics and Results
Project sustainability
High Sustainability; high quality improved cook stoves were provided and has already shown results in terms of reduced fuel wood consumption and emission of CO2. The beneficiary monk were actively involved in implementation of project activities.
Replication of project activities
Project demonstrated an incredible use and sustainability of solar heating system in reducing fuel wood consumption thus, few GEF-SGP grantee partners like Longchen Environment Tshogpa (LET) in Bumthang have replicated the use of solar heating system instead of traditional use of firewood at Tharpaling monastery, Bumthang.
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SGP Country office contact
Tenzin WANGCHUK
Email:
Ms. Tshering Yangtsho
Email:
Address
UN House, Peling Lam (Street), Kawajangsa, Thimphu, P.O. Box No. 162
Thimphu, Bhutan, 11001
Thimphu, Bhutan, 11001
Visit the Bhutan Country Page