On August 22, 2017, the Environmental Protection Bureau of Yunlin County held a session on subsidizing biogas power generation and the following equipment: vehicles for collecting and transporting biogas slurry and biogas residue, vehicles and facilities for farmland fertilization and irrigation, and storage tanks used at farmlands. Personnel from the following domains in Yunlin County were invited to the session: (1) livestock industry personnel who raise more than 5,000 pigs and have already submitted applications for using biogas slurry and residue to fertilize and irrigate farmlands; (2) manufacturers specialized in techniques related to biogas power generation; and (3) personnel from the Environmental Protection Administration of the Executive Yuan. Personnel from the livestock industry responded enthusiastically and indicated that they are willing to set up biogas power generating systems and submit applications for purchasing the following equipment: vehicles for collecting and transporting biogas slurry and residue, vehicles and facilities for farmland fertilization and irrigation, and storage tanks used at farmlands.
To facilitate the promotion of turning the feces and urine of livestock into resources, the Environmental Protection Administration promulgated the following program on April 14, 2017: “Promoting Local Governments to Set up Facilities for Anaerobic Fermentation and Biogas Power Generation that Process the Feces and Urine of Livestock at Small Ranches: A Program Subsidized by the Environmental Protection Administration of the Executive Yuan” (shortened as The Hen-Leading-the-Chicks Program). All the city and county governments are encouraged to promote setting up anaerobic fermentation and biogas power generation facilities among the livestock industry, the industry of related technologies, agencies, foundations, and social groups, in order to recycle the feces and urine of livestock and assist in collecting and transporting animal waste produced at small ranches. Applications can be submitted when meeting the following conditions: (1) feces and urine from at least 200 pigs or 50 cattle at small ranches have been collected for anaerobic fermentation; (2) new power generating facilities have been purchased; (3) 75% of the resources to be used are generated from the feces and urine of livestock. Depending on the number of pigs at small ranches, applicants may receive a subsidy of NT$1 million minimum (when collecting the animal waste from 200 to 399 pigs) and NT$50 million maximum (when collecting the waste from 10,000 pigs or above). Those who wish to submit their applications can fill out the “Plan for Turning the Feces and Urine of Livestock into Resources” and send it to the Environmental Protection Bureau of Yunlin County. Applications for subsidies must be completed before December 31, 2019.
Moreover, in 2017, the Environmental Protection Administration especially subsidized for the following equipment: vehicles for collecting and shipping biogas slurry and residue, vehicles and facilities for fertilization and irrigation, and storage tanks used at farmlands. The aim is to make fertilizing and irrigating crops with biogas slurry and residue more convenient and simple for farmers, in the hope that they can reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and get the most out of recycled resources. Those who wish to submit their applications can fill out the “Plan for Fertilization and Irrigation Using Biogas Slurry and Residue” and send it to the Environmental Protection Bureau of Yunlin County. The goal is to recruit more livestock industry personnel to join this program, thereby fulfilling the vision “Green Yunlin County, Clear Yunlin River” and preserving a clean water environment for the future generations.
Director-general Chang Chao Lin of Yunlin County’s Environmental Protection Bureau reported that in addition to the currently promoted policy “Using Biogas Slurry and Residue Derived from the Feces and Urine of Livestock to Fertilize and Irrigate Farmlands”, the Bureau is also cooperating with the Environmental Protection Administration to promote the following: (1) The Hen-Leading-the-Chicks Program; and (2) the subsidy program for vehicles for collecting and shipping biogas slurry and residue, vehicles and facilities for irrigation and fertilization, and storage tanks used at farmlands. The aim is to facilitate the recycling and reuse of the feces and urine of livestock. Livestock industry personnel who wish join the program can contact the Water Quality Protection Section at the Environmental Protection Bureau, Yunlin County.
Contact number: 05-5526255
