Consultancy Services for Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of 400 KW Biogas Based Power Plant at Satghoria, Halodia, Lohajang, Munshiganj, Bangladesh for Dutch Dairy Limited (DDL).

The proposed project involves construction and operation of a biogas-based power plant at Satghoria, Halodia, Laohajung, Munshiganj by DDL. The GPS location of the project site is 23.47803˚N; 90.29655˚E. The project will be located within the premise of the dairy farm of DDL. The whole farm area is separated by a boundary wall which is owned by DDL.

The proposed plant consists of a single digester (of 2036 m3) providing a total daily production capacity of 1,800 m3 of biogas as fuel. Electricity will be generated by two biogas generators (each with a capacity of 200 kW). With 10 hours of daily operation, the project will generate approximately 3,600 kWh of electricity per day. This project is intended to produce 3600 kWh of electricity per day for own consumption (captive) in the dairy farm using the cattle manure of 34,000 kg/day.

Once completed, the project is expected to supply 1,168,000 kWh electricity per year, replacing 70,560-liter diesel per year and 956,320 kWh grid electricity. Besides, about 7 ton organic/ bio-fertilizer will be produced per day from the Project.

The proposed Project involves setting up of one (01) biogas-based electricity generation system for captive consumption. Under the proposed project, cow dung and manure generated inside the farm will be used as feed material in the biogas digesters for production of biogas which will be used to run the biogas generator after performing purification process. The bio fertilizer produced as byproduct from the biogas digesters will be filtered to separate solid content of the slurry. Retained solids will be sold out as raw material for bio fertilizer or be used as fish food or agricultural activities inside the farm. The main objective of this project is to use 34 tons of dung produced everyday by Farm Cattle, Sheep and Goats to generate electricity via Biogas route for captive consumption and raw (unprocessed) organic fertilizer.

Scope of Services included –

§  Collection of necessary information and relevant data for preparing Environmental & Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Reports for of 400 KW Biogas Based Power Plant.

§  Collection of primary data, including extrapolation environmental features on proposed project design, tree inventories, location and measurement of socio-cultural features adjoining the proposed project area.

§  Collection of the secondary data on macro-environmental setting, such as, climate (temperature, rainfall, humidity, & wind speed), physiography, geology etc. from secondary sources.

§  Review of the environmental legislation, regulatory policy & guidelines, and considerations relating to the implementation of the project.

§  Review of the policy, legal and administrative framework for ESIA process.

§  Carry out the environmental and social impact assessment up to 1km area on each side of the project.

§  Establish the environmental and social baseline conditions of the project.

§  Assessment of the baseline environmental and social condition through field surveys and investigation (sampling & testing).

§  Impacts assessment of ecologically sensitive areas (e.g. wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserve, and protected places).

§  Environmental quality assessment of terrestrial and aquatic ecology, soil quality (parameters – oil & grease, arsenic), surface water quality (parameters – pH, TDS, DO, BOD, COD), groundwater quality (parameters – pH, Arsenic, TDS, Alkalinity, Fe, Chloride), air quality (parameters – SPM, Sox, NOx, CO, PM₁₀, PM_2.5), and noise level to prepare a baseline database.

§  Assess the existing physical environment, biological environment, and socio-economic environment.

§  Physical environment covered different physical natural features and included major parameters & factors, such as, climate (temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, sunshine, & cloud coverage), ambient air quality, noise level, physiography, topography, geology & hydrology, water resources (surface & ground water), soil quality, agro-ecological zones (soil condition, & floodplain), seismicity, etc.

§  Biological environment covered factors related to life and included major features, such as, bio-ecological zones (major rivers), ecosystem, flora & fauna, protected areas & red book species, etc.

§  Socio-economic environment covered anthropological factors, such as, demography, age, sex/gender, household, nutrition, religion, ethnicity, land use ownership, cropping pattern, occupational pattern, livelihood, income, infrastructure, settlement plan & housing, transport & communication, sources of drinking water, sanitation facility, poverty, health, recreational activities, archaeological & cultural heritage, climate change & natural disaster, environmental & social hotspot, etc.

§  Prepare socio-economic profile and impact on the community.

§  Identification and assessment of potential impacts on the natural and human environment in the project area during pre-construction; construction and post-construction phase of the project.

§  Identification of mitigation measures for minimizing the effect of the negative impacts and enhancement measures for increasing the benefits of the positive impacts.

§  Organize public consultation to explain the local environmental & social conditions and pertinent impacts.

§  Public consultation was conducted to understand the people’s perception, view, and suggestion on the project.

§  Assessment of environmental, economic, and social benefits that will contribute towards long-term global sustainability.

§  Preparation of the recommendations and conclusions to operate the project works in an environmentally safe and sound manner.

§  Preparation of the IEE Report, in compliance with the guidelines of the Department of Environment (DOE) of the Government of Bangladesh, JICA Guidelines for Loan Aid (Japan Bank for International Cooperation Guidelines for Confirmation of Environmental and Social Considerations, April 2010) and World Bank OP 4.01 (Environmental Assessment) guidelines.

§  Preparation of the TOR (Terms of Reference) for site clearance by the DOE.

§  Preparation of the EIA Report, including Social Impact Assessment (SIA), Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and Environmental Monitoring Plan, along with the budgetary cost estimates for the proposed mitigation measures and monitoring plan, in compliance with the DOE guidelines, JICA Guidelines for Loan Aid (Japan Bank for International Cooperation Guidelines for Confirmation of Environmental and Social Considerations, April 2010) and World Bank OP 4.01 (Environmental Assessment) guidelines.

§  Additional data collection and analysis to meet the requirements of the new ESF specifically requirement under ESS1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts, ESS3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management, ESS4: Community Health and Safety; ESS6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources and other ESS related with Environment.

§  Hold fresh consultations with the stakeholders and potential project affected persons (PAPs) of the project and, incorporate the feedback from the consultation in the EIA (if required);

§  Development of additional plans and documents as required by the relevant standards.