Water for small-scale biogas digesters in sub-Saharan Africa

Biogas could provide a more sustainable energy source than wood fuels for rural households in sub-Saharan African

From:
Department for International Development
Published
1 January 2015
Document Type:
Journal Article
Theme:
Climate and Environment, Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation
Authors:
Bansal, V, Tumwesige, V, Smith, J

Abstract

Biogas could provide a more sustainable energy source than wood fuels for rural households in sub-Saharan African. However, functioning of biogas digesters can be limited in areas of low water availability. The water required is approximately 50 dm3 day-1 for each cow and 10 dm3 day-1 for each pig providing manure to the digester, or 25 (±6) dm3 day-1 for each person in the household, using a digester volume of 1.3 (±0.3) m3 capita-1. Here, we consider the potential of domestic water recycling, rainwater harvesting, and aquaculture to supply the water needed for digestion in different countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

This research was supported by the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) programme

Citation

Bansal, V. , Tumwesige, V. and Smith, J. U. (2017), Water for small‐scale biogas digesters in sub‐Saharan Africa. Global Change Biology Bioenergy, 9: 339-357. doi:10.1111/gcbb.12339

Water for small-scale biogas digesters in sub-Saharan Africa

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Published 1 January 2015
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