Rural Kenya turns to biogas as cheap source of energy

By Grace Wekesa

Most Kenyans in rural areas are quickly embracing biogas as a way of cutting on the cost of fuel for domestic consumption.

Several households now have now installed biogas digesters. They want to into the potential of the locally available animal waste to produce clean energy.

They then use biogas for cooking, lighting, heated baths and room warming.

 Others use it to power shaft cutters and other mechanised domestic functions.

Overhead costs

Although many of them still find the Sh100,000 needed to install the units to be steep, they contend that what accrues from this renewable energy source is worth it in the long run.

After footing the initial capital, the overhead costs needed to maintain the units is negligible. This is because  the digester only needs occasional addition of fresh cow dung.

 The refuse that emanates from the overflowing by-product is then channeled to the farms to be used as farm-yard manure.

Martin Sango, a resident of Ikumba village, Vihiga County and a local biogas expert says farmers have incorporated the new technology in their farms.

  He adds that there is still need for further enlightenment on the benefits of biogas as a fuel for greater adoption of the technology. The 30-year self-made entrepreneur has constructed over 100 biogas digesters in various parts of the country and in Cameroon. He says he discovered new techniques used in making revolutionary biogas digesters.

 “The first step involves digging a pot shaped reservoir that is seven feet in depth with a small gaping opening at the top to emit gas, “ he explains.

Materials used in the construction are bricks and cement. Water proof cement is used to construct the outer part of the doom tank.

Nationwide, Takamoto Biogas, supplies new model of biogas systems and appliances. The firm has been recognised by the Climate Innovation Centre of Kenya  (CIC) as a company that will help Kenya in cutting costs of energy. CIC-World Bank-infoDev initiative designed to support the development and scale of locally relevant climate technologies in Kenya.

CIC provides Takamoto with technical support including the testing and improving the life span of its biogas system, developing application of the bio-fertiliser and defining the digestor design to increase biogas output

Others are business of supporting the process of applying for patents and obtaining of regulatory status for the systems in particular masonry digestors and solar lighting to level to playing field in terms of taxes and subsidies

Macdonald Ndanyi, a farmer who owns a similar biogas unit says it has helped him save money when working on mechanised projects.

Local resources

 He operates a shaft cutter in the farm and other domestic energy needs like cooking and lighting are all generated using the readily available cow-dung.

 “I didn’t know that biogas was less costly but when I installed one in my compound, the gains were enormous. I never worry about charcoal or electricity costs anymore,’’ said Ndanyi.

“It is costly at the initial stage, I must admit. But once construction and connecting the pipes is done with, the farmer obligation is to ensure cow-dung is available to maintain the digester daily.’’

He says his biogas digester has been designed to cook for eight hours a day. However, Sango affirms that archaic biogas energy initiated decades ago failed because of poor design.  He said it could only serve the purpose of boiling milk and vegetables.

“I tried to look for ways it could be improved so that it works efficiently. After research and comparison, I decided to construct the biogas energy with three tanks and none has ever failed,’’ Sango observed.

“Even without plastering the pot-shaped reservoir, it’s still stable and serves its purpose,” he adds. The self-made expert is currently undertaking further research to ascertain if a refrigerator can use biogas energy in the future.

He affirmed that the methane gas released from biogas contains properties which when harnessed can produce greater energy.

Saving on fuel

Sango who has founded a company called Pem Biogas is also researching to find out if the biogas can be used in companies and run vehicle engine to save petrol.

He encourages the hotel industry in Western Kenya to begin using biogas energy in their cooking adding that Central region has embraced the technology and they are reaping big. “If the big hotels construct three biogas digesters, they can work for 24 hours continuous a day without breaking down,’’ he advised.

His main challenge in urging local to use the technology is pessimism among many who think the technology could work.

Sango has tried using metal to construct the digesters but it failed since most metals react with rainwater causing unwanted chemical reactions and corrosion of the metal itself.

“My biogas digesters requires Sh100,000 to be installed but in areas with different environmental conditions, the price could vary,’’ he explains. He wants to pass on the baton to young people interested in the craft to have them benefit economically.