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Wilson Parawira - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Biogas Technology in sub-Saharan Africa: status, prospects and constraints
Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio Technology, 2009Co-Authors: Wilson ParawiraAbstract:Africa is a continent with abundant, diverse and un-exploited renewable energy resources that are yet to be used for improving the livelihood of the vast majority of the population. The production of Biogas via anaerobic digestion of large quantities of agricultural residues, municipal wastes and industrial waste(water) would benefit African society by providing a clean fuel in the form of Biogas from renewable feedstocks and help end energy poverty. Biogas Technology can serve as a means to overcome energy poverty, which poses a constant barrier to economic development in Africa. Anaerobic digestion of the large quantities of municipal, industrial and agricultural solid waste in developing countries present environmental conditions that make use of anaerobic bioTechnology extremely favourable under perspective of sustainable development. However, the use of Biogas is not widespread in Africa. There are many reasons of economic, technical and non-technical nature for the marginal use of Biogas in Africa. The key issue for Biogas Technology in Africa is to understand why large scale-up has not occurred despite demonstration by several programmes of the viability and effectiveness of Biogas plants. This article provides knowledge-based review of Biogas Technology status, constraints and prospects in Africa. In addition, recommendations to overcome the technological and non-technological challenges to commercialise Biogas are discussed. Recommendations for large scale adoption for Biogas Technology include establishing national institutional framework, increasing research and development, education and training and providing loans and subsidies and major policy shift in the energy sector. The conclusion is that Biogas Technology must be encouraged, promoted, invested, researched, demonstrated and implemented in Africa.
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Biogas Technology research in selected sub-Saharan African countries – A review
African Journal of Biotechnology, 2009Co-Authors: Anthony Manoni Mshandete, Wilson ParawiraAbstract:This reviews aims to provide an insight and update of the state of Biogas Technology research in some selected sub-Saharan African countries in peer reviewed literature. This paper also aims to highlight the sub-Saharan countries’ strengths and weaknesses in Biogas research and development capacity. An attempt is made to pinpoint future research in critically reviewing the Biogas Technology research. The methane-producing potential of various agriculturally sourced feedstocks has been researched, as has the advantages of co-digestion to improve carbon-to-nitrogen ratios and the use of pretreatment to improve the hydrolysis rates. Some optimisation techniques associated with anaerobic digestion including basic design considerations of single or two-stage systems, pretreatment, co-digestion, environmental conditions within the reactor such as temperature, pH, buffering capacity have been attempted in some of the researches in Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. However, there appears to be little research in Biogas Technology in many sub-Saharan African countries in internationally peer reviewed literature. Biogas production from large quantities of agricultural residues, animal wastes, municipal and industrial wastes (water) appears to have potential as an alternative renewable energy for many African countries if relevant and appropriate research is carried out to adopt the Biogas Technology to the local conditions in African countries. African scientists are urged to carry out research in Biogas Technology to locally demonstrate the feasibility, application, and adaptation of this Technology and help improve the quality of energy supply in their respective countries.
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Biogas Technology research in selected sub saharan african countries a review
African Journal of Biotechnology, 2009Co-Authors: Anthony Manoni Mshandete, Wilson ParawiraAbstract:This reviews aims to provide an insight and update of the state of Biogas Technology research in some selected sub-Saharan African countries in peer reviewed literature. This paper also aims to highlight the sub-Saharan countries’ strengths and weaknesses in Biogas research and development capacity. An attempt is made to pinpoint future research in critically reviewing the Biogas Technology research. The methane-producing potential of various agriculturally sourced feedstocks has been researched, as has the advantages of co-digestion to improve carbon-to-nitrogen ratios and the use of pretreatment to improve the hydrolysis rates. Some optimisation techniques associated with anaerobic digestion including basic design considerations of single or two-stage systems, pretreatment, co-digestion, environmental conditions within the reactor such as temperature, pH, buffering capacity have been attempted in some of the researches in Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. However, there appears to be little research in Biogas Technology in many sub-Saharan African countries in internationally peer reviewed literature. Biogas production from large quantities of agricultural residues, animal wastes, municipal and industrial wastes (water) appears to have potential as an alternative renewable energy for many African countries if relevant and appropriate research is carried out to adopt the Biogas Technology to the local conditions in African countries. African scientists are urged to carry out research in Biogas Technology to locally demonstrate the feasibility, application, and adaptation of this Technology and help improve the quality of energy supply in their respective countries.
Getachew Sime - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Technical Potential of Biogas Technology Adoption in Replacing Firewood, Kerosene and Chemical Fertilizer: The Case of Misrak and Mirab Estie Districts, in Northern Ethiopia
2020Co-Authors: Haile Fentie, Getachew SimeAbstract:Abstract Background: The depletion of bioenergy sources has caused significant deforestation, low agricultural production and energy crisis. This study evaluates the technical potential of Biogas Technology adoption in replacing firewood, charcoal, kerosene and chemical fertilizer in Northern Ethiopia. Methods: Questionnaire household survey, key informant interview, focus group discussion and field obervation were used for data collection. Results: Biogas Technology adoption reduced the use of firewood, charcoal, dung cake, and kerosene consumption by 58%, 36%, 71%, and 74%, respectively. It also reduced the use of chemical fertilizer by 94% and the combined use of chemical fertilizer and manure by 91%. Adoption turned the majority of households (65.4%) to use combination of bio-slurry and chemical fertilizer. It helped the majority (89.95%) of adopters to construct and connect toilets to Biogas operational system. In doing so, adoption reduced defecation in the field and improved environmental sanitation and human health. It further enabled saving of about 38% of adopters’ time, which otherwise would be expended for firewood and dung collection. It similarly enhanced adopters’ income through decreasing expenses for chemical fertilizer, kerosene, and other fuel sources. Conclusions: Biogas Technology has huge potential of replacing traditional fuel sources for domestic consumption, and of reducing the consumption of kerosene and chemical fertilizers as well as of increasing income and decreasing time for biofuel collection.
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Determinants of Biogas Technology adoption in southern Ethiopia
Energy Sustainability and Society, 2020Co-Authors: Lemma Shallo, Mitiku Ayele, Getachew SimeAbstract:Renewable energies such as Biogas are considered as clean sources of energy that minimize environmental impacts and are sustainable with regard to current and future economic and social needs. Biogas offers an attractive option for replacing the unsustainable usage of traditional energy sources such as firewood, cow dung, and charcoal in developing countries. In Ethiopia, these energy sources have been in decline. To address these challenges, mainly in rural areas, Biogas Technology has been domesticated since 2009, as seen in the National Program. The purpose of this study is thus to examine factors that influence households' decisions of adopting Biogas Technology in rural areas in southern Ethiopia. A sample of 268 households with 134 Biogas adopters and 134 non-adopters were surveyed using simple random and purposive sampling techniques, respectively. The data were collected through individual interviews of households using a semistructured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model were used for the data analysis. The binary logistic regression model was applied to identify determinant factors affecting the adoption of Biogas Technology. The results of the study indicated that Biogas adopter and non-adopter households had significant mean differences in education level, cattle size, household income, farmland size, number of planted trees as well as the distance to water sources, market places, and firewood sources. Level of education, level of income, access to credit, distance to firewood sources, and access to electronic media had a significantly positive influence on the adoption of Biogas Technology. Conversely, distance to water sources and access to electricity had a significantly negative influence on the adoption of Biogas Technology. Biogas Technology mostly appears in privileged households having a better socioeconomic status and other resource endowments. The beneficiaries are thus households that can afford the higher initial investment costs for bio-digester installation, maintenance services and purchasing bio-digester spare parts; as well as households that have access to credit facilities, water sources for adequate water supply, markets for purchasing spare parts and electronic media for information, and also households residing far away from firewood sources.
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Determinants of Biogas Technology adoption in southern Ethiopia
Energy Sustainability and Society, 2020Co-Authors: Lemma Shallo, Mitiku Ayele, Getachew SimeAbstract:Background Renewable energies such as Biogas are considered as clean sources of energy that minimize environmental impacts and are sustainable with regard to current and future economic and social needs. Biogas offers an attractive option for replacing the unsustainable usage of traditional energy sources such as firewood, cow dung, and charcoal in developing countries. In Ethiopia, these energy sources have been in decline. To address these challenges, mainly in rural areas, Biogas Technology has been domesticated since 2009, as seen in the National Program. The purpose of this study is thus to examine factors that influence households' decisions of adopting Biogas Technology in rural areas in southern Ethiopia. Methods A sample of 268 households with 134 Biogas adopters and 134 non-adopters were surveyed using simple random and purposive sampling techniques, respectively. The data were collected through individual interviews of households using a semistructured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model were used for the data analysis. The binary logistic regression model was applied to identify determinant factors affecting the adoption of Biogas Technology. Results The results of the study indicated that Biogas adopter and non-adopter households had significant mean differences in education level, cattle size, household income, farmland size, number of planted trees as well as the distance to water sources, market places, and firewood sources. Level of education, level of income, access to credit, distance to firewood sources, and access to electronic media had a significantly positive influence on the adoption of Biogas Technology. Conversely, distance to water sources and access to electricity had a significantly negative influence on the adoption of Biogas Technology. Conclusions Biogas Technology mostly appears in privileged households having a better socioeconomic status and other resource endowments. The beneficiaries are thus households that can afford the higher initial investment costs for bio-digester installation, maintenance services and purchasing bio-digester spare parts; as well as households that have access to credit facilities, water sources for adequate water supply, markets for purchasing spare parts and electronic media for information, and also households residing far away from firewood sources.
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Technical and socioeconomic constraints to the domestication and functionality of Biogas Technology in rural areas of southern Ethiopia
Cogent Engineering, 2020Co-Authors: Getachew SimeAbstract:Although Biogas Technology has been introduced as a national program to respond to the ever-increasing energy demand in Ethiopia, empirical studies on the technical, institutional and socioeconomic...
Tilahun Seyoum Workneh - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Factors affecting households' decisions in Biogas Technology adoption, the case of Ofla and Mecha Districts, northern Ethiopia
Renewable Energy, 2016Co-Authors: Mulu Getachew Mengistu, Belay Simane, Getachew Eshete, Tilahun Seyoum WorknehAbstract:This study examined the factors that influence households' decisions on adoption of Biogas Technology in northern Ethiopia. It involved 179 Biogas-user and 179 non-user sample households. They were selected using proportionate simple random and purposive sampling techniques, respectively. Data were collected mainly using semi-structured questionnaires. Data analyses employed logistic regression model. The results of the study showed that male-headed households are more likely to adopt the Technology than female-headed ones. Educational level, heads of cattle, income level, access to credit, distance to the main fuelwood source, and number of planted trees have significant (p < 0.01) positive influences on adoption of Biogas Technology. Significant (p < 0.01) spatial variations are also obtained between the two study sites. Furthermore, the interaction effects of a few pairs of explanatory variables were found significant (p < 0.1). Empowering females and female-headed households, improving educational levels of the household heads, increasing cattle size, raising income levels, improving access to credit, and encouraging households to plant more trees are likely to be some of the way forward to increase the adoption of the Technology. Considering the spatial variations, ensuring the creation of satisfied Biogas-users, upgrading the existing Biogas model through addition of ‘injera’ stove can also enhance adoption of Biogas Technology.
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The environmental benefits of domestic Biogas Technology in rural Ethiopia
Biomass and Bioenergy, 2016Co-Authors: Mulu Getachew Mengistu, Belay Simane, Getachew Eshete, Tilahun Seyoum WorknehAbstract:Abstract This study examined the diverse environmental impacts of domestic Biogas Technology in rural Ethiopia. It employed a cross-sectional survey approach involving a total of 358 sample Biogas-user and non-user households. The results of the analyses showed that the substitution of traditional biomass fuels and kerosene with Biogas energy enabled the Biogas-user households to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on average by about 1.9 t of CO 2 equivalents per digester per year. The reduced use of chemical fertilizer also assisted GHG emission reductions. Moreover, the Technology helped in reducing depletion of woody biomass through improving efficiency of energy use and energy substitutions. It assisted in improving the fertility of soil via reducing biomass removals as fuel and the direct use of nutrient enriched bio-slurry. Furthermore, the reduced biomass removals contributed to carbon sequestration. To further enhance the diverse environmental benefits of the Technology, proper and uninterrupted operation and utilization of the Biogas Technology should be ensured; skillful and standby Biogas technicians should be present at reasonable distances to provide maintenance and aftersales services. An operational platform for joint stakeholders' actions should also be in place to assist in exploiting its full potential, and seeking and realizing the carbon reduction financial incentive for the households.
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A review on Biogas Technology and its contributions to sustainable rural livelihood in Ethiopia
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2015Co-Authors: Mulu Getachew Mengistu, Belay Simane, Getachew Eshete, Tilahun Seyoum WorknehAbstract:Biogas Technology has uneven dissemination over the globe. The Technology is at its infant stage of development and dissemination in many developing countries while China has the largest implementation record. The principal factors controlling its dissemination include: policies and institutions, financial constraint, subsidies, availability of inputs, awareness about the Technology, consumers’ considerations, and success stories about the Technology. However, Biogas Technology is a multipurpose Technology which assists in addressing economic, health, social and environmental problems simultaneously. Thus, development and dissemination of the Technology certainly minimize energy poverty and improve peoples’ status in the energy ladder. In line with this, Ethiopia has completed implementing the first phase (2009–2013) of its National Biogas Programme and has started implementing its second phase. During the first phase, it was able to disseminate 57.6% the total 14,000 domestic Biogas plants planned for the period. Though the Technology was introduced about five decades ago into the country, Biogas installations constructed prior to the establishment of the National Biogas Programme were having varied digester models, lacked standards and central coordination and their entire number was not more than 1000. This paper reviews the status of dissemination of household Biogas Technology, factors influencing the dissemination of the Technology, benefits of the Technology at global scales, energy resources, consumption patterns and brief account of the Technology at national scale-Ethiopia.
Kidane Hintsa - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Determinants for adoption decision of small scale Biogas Technology by rural households in Tigray, Ethiopia
Energy Economics, 2017Co-Authors: Haftu Etsay Kelebe, Kiros Meles Ayimut, Gebresilasse Hailu Berhe, Kidane HintsaAbstract:The deployment of Biogas energy as alternative energy source can have the potential to fill the gap in the energy needs of the rural community if it is effectively managed and appropriately utilized. Using a logistic regression analysis of cross sectional data, the driving forces for adoption decision of Biogas Technology by rural households in the Tigray region, Ethiopia, were examined. The study found that the factors that significantly affect Biogas adoption decision of rural households were for the most part socio-demographic factors and access to basic infrastructures. Besides, some environmental, institutional and economic attributes were significantly associated with diffusion of Biogas Technology. From among the variables included in the model, age of household head, family size, level of education, cattle size owned, distance to firewood collection site, access to electricity, access to credit and access to all weather roads were found to positively affect Biogas adoption decision of households. On the other hand, distance to the nearest market negatively affected the adoption decision of the households. Female headed households tend more to adopt the Biogas Technology as compared to their male counterparts. As socio-economic attributes of households and environmental factors are mostly varied contextually and spatially, the policy of Biogas Technology promotion should be tailored based on the principle of fit for the purpose instead of the existing unimodal approach for all settings.
Roman Kvasnička - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Uncovering the dynamic complexity of the development of small–scale Biogas Technology through causal loops
Renewable Energy, 2020Co-Authors: Hynek Roubík, J. Mazancová, Jan Rydval, Roman KvasničkaAbstract:Abstract The objective of this study is to identify the system of implementation of small-scale Biogas Technology from the farmer’s perspective, presenting all of the major stakeholders, factors and processes involved and to establish the principle relationships and feedbacks among them. This paper uses an innovative approach to the problems using the methodology of system dynamics and employing causal loop diagrams elaborated using data collected from the target groups (Biogas plant owners, facilitators, key informants) in Vietnam from 2016 to 2017. The results show the complete causal loop diagram, where the motivation of farmers is a key variable that influences the final decision regarding purchasing (or not) a Biogas plant and keeping it (or not) functional. The important variables and relationships are clustered into technical, financial, and satisfaction aspects. The causal loop diagrams will serve as a decision support and policy-making tool for influence assessments of various measures and decisions.