Today we’ll inform a smart business idea that even a village or poor people will be able to do and manage their finance well. Yes friends, it is how to turn a cow dung into a cooking gas.
In many rural as well as in urban areas, cow dung is used for making dung cakes and is also thrown away. But now, this new idea is turning waste into something helpful i.e. nothing but cooking gas.
Almost many people in villages have cows and buffaloes. Every day, these animals give us milk and also cow dung. Most people dry the dung and use it as fuel, or throw it away. But now, this cow dung can give us cooking gas too!
This is called biogas. Biogas is a gas that we can use to cook food. It is clean and does not create smoke like wood or dung cakes.
This new business is helping many village families, also implemented in towns. It saves money, gives jobs, and also keeps the village clean.
How this Biogas Business Works:
Does anyone know like how this started? It all began when a group of young people in India have started a smart and useful business by making cooking gas from cow dung.
Let’s now see the steps involved, and how the process works like from collecting the cow dung to making it helpful in preparing food in the kitchen.
- Collect Cow Dung: The first and foremost job is to collect daily the cow dung is from cows or buffaloes. You can collect it from your own animals or nearby farms.
- Prepare and Fill the Biogas Plant: Now mix the cow dung with water and put it inside the biogas tank, which is usually built underground. After mixing, close the lid tightly.
- Wait for the Gas: Inside the tank, the dung breaks down slowly. After 7 to 15 days. This gas starts forming and comes up and is stored in the upper or top part of the tank.
- Use Gas for Cooking: A pipe carries the gas from the tank to the kitchen. It works just like LPG gas and is completely safe and gives a blue flame which is suitable for cooking.
- Use Leftover Dung as Fertilizer: After gas is made, the leftover dung comes out. Now the leftover material can be used as good fertilizer for farms and gardens.
How Safe Is Biogas?
Biogas is usually very safe if built and maintained properly. It works under low pressure, so chances of fire or explosion are rare. Also, there’s no oxygen inside the tank or digester, so fire cannot start easily. Moreover, cow dung and organic waste break down slowly, not violently.
But like any gas system, there are some safety tips that should be kept in mind as mentioned below:
Use good quality materials and a proper dome design
- Install a safety valve to release extra pressure
- Never smoke or use fire near the tank or pipes
- Check for gas leaks, use soapy water to check for leaks
- Make sure the gas outlet is never blocked
Now the question arises is how to check for safety? Do not worry! Biogas smells like rotten eggs due to a gas called hydrogen sulfide. If you smell it, or hear a hissing sound, check for leaks using soap water.
Real-Life Example: Backyard Biogas Earning Money
In Maharashtra, a woman named Sita started a small biogas plant in her backyard with help from a local NGO. She used cow dung from her own buffalo. Now, she cooks food for her family using the gas and also supplies gas to two nearby homes. She earns around ₹1,000 every month and doesn’t spend on LPG anymore.
Another example comes from Khamtara village in Madhya Pradesh. There, over 150 small biogas units were built for families. According to a report by The Better India, villagers saved nearly 20 tonnes of firewood and saw an 80% drop in smoke inside kitchens. This not only saved trees but also improved health and air quality in homes.
These real stories show how biogas can bring income, save nature, and improve village life.
How Much Does It Cost to Start?
A small biogas plant for one household costs between ₹10,000 to ₹25,000. This can be reduced if you get government help or build it with local materials.
A basic plant can serve 1–3 homes, depending on how many animals you have and how much dung is collected. Monthly savings can be ₹500 to ₹1,000, and if you sell extra gas or fertilizer, income can go up.
Where to Get Help
If you want to build your own plant, here’s where to start:
- Panchayat Office: Ask about biogas schemes or subsidy
- Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE): Offers training and technical help
- KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission): Gives kits and expert support
- NGOs and SHGs: Many help rural women and farmers
- Rural Banks: Offer small loans to start your plant
Also the government provide few schemes that you can use like:
- New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme (NNBOMP)
- KVIC’s Biogas Scheme for Rural Households
These schemes offer financial aid, training, and even ready-made kits.
Using biogas made from cow dung has many environmental benefits. It produces less smoke in the kitchen, which means cleaner air and better health for the family. Since it replaces firewood, there’s no need to cut trees, helping protect the environment. Biogas is a clean and green source of energy for cooking, and the leftover dung becomes good organic manure for farms, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
You can easily spread this idea in your village. Put a small board outside your home that says “Biogas Plant – Clean Energy” to inspire others. Talk to your neighbours and explain how simple it is to start. You can even show them your own clean kitchen and how much money you’re saving, so in this manner it will encourage more people to adopt the idea.
This is a great business idea for farmers, women, and youth in villages. It needs less money but gives huge long-term benefits, saving the environment and earning income too.
Start small, grow big, just like many others are already doing.
Source:
One of the real-life examples in this article, about Khamtara village in Madhya Pradesh, has been referenced from The Better India.
All other content has been originally written and simplified for easy understanding.
