Biogas Laboratory Set up in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

The Observatory for Renewable Energy in Latin America and the Caribbean is a regional programme that UNIDO initiated in 2007 as a result of the agreements reached at the Iberoamerican Ministerial Meeting on “Energy Security In Latin America: Renewable Energy as a Viable Alternative” which was jointly organized by UNIDO, the Iberoamerican General Secretariat (SEGIB) and the Ministry of Mining, Energy and Industry of the Government of Uruguay (MIEM) in Montevideo, Uruguay on September 2006. One of the major outcomes of the Iberoamerican Ministerial Meeting was the signature of a Ministerial Declaration by 13 countries of the region, who called for the creation of this initiative; besides from commitment letters received by further 7 countries who as well endorsed the regional programme. Today, the Observatory - with the support of the governments of Italy and Spain-, is operating in the following 8 countries: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay. The Observatory for Renewable Energy in LAC is an answer to the call for unity, integration and coordination made in the Latin America and the Caribbean region. This initiative will provide support to the LAC countries in developing and adopting the necessary measures to meet the challenge of guaranteeing energy security on the basis of renewable energy sources. Therefore, the main objective of the Observatory is to provide assistance to the public and private sector to mobilize the necessary technical and financial resources to increase the generation of renewable energy in the region, by taking the role of a facilitator of projects The Brazilian Renewable Energy Observatory is the result of a strong cooperation between UNIDO, Itaipu Binacional and Eletrobras. It was established according to the Memorandum of Understanding, signed in December, 4th 2008 by UNIDO, Itaipu and Eletrobras. The Brazilian Renewable Energy Observatory is established in the Itaipu Technology Park, in Foz do Iguaçu, State of Parana, and is operating since May, 2009. At the lab facilities that are proposed in these ToRs, anaerobic digestion and methane production from various substrates will be researched in detail. Thus, the laboratory will produce verifiable data on the quality of feedstock utilizable for fermentation including their methane production capacity. The identification of optimal parameters for controlled biogas production will provide to the farmers in the region crucial information that enables them to incorporate biogas in their agro-industrial activities. The Biogas Laboratory will identify and promote the best conditions for using animal waste and plant biomass for biogas production, guaranteeing economic efficiency and environmental sustainability within the overall process. This activity, which has been strongly demanded by our counterparts in LAC, will undoubtedly contribute to trigger a process of massive biogas utilization in the agro industry sector starting in the region of Parana and being extensive to the rest of the LAC region. The Laboratory, which is a regional effort, will cooperate with UNILA and serve as a complement to the educational activities that UNILA will address in the field of engineering - Renewable Energy.