Biogas Technology in Kenya

History

There were already first attempts to use biogas technology to gain energy from coffee pulp in Kenya in the mid-fifties. In the following 25 years, more than 100 plants of varying types were sold mainly to large-scale farmers by a private entrepreneur. After the energy crisis, interest in this technology boomed. A number of Indian floating-drum plants and Chinese fixed-dome plants were installed particularly for public institutes, like schools and other education centres by private organisations often with foreign sponsors. However, since not only did the technical quality leave much to be desired, but also the social and economic conditions were not taken into consideration during implementation of the plants, the plants themselves soon were no longer filled and/or were out of operation due to technical problems. In the context of the Special Energy Programme (SEP) Kenya in 1983/4 several craftsmen were trained in the construction of biogas plants by GTZshort-term experts and these went on to build around 40 biogas plants in the Mount Meru region. However it was soon evident that training craftsmen in the construction of plants alone was not sufficient to guarantee permanent function of the plants or the extension of dissemination into other regions. Shortcomings evident were no kind of quality assurance, no advice for the customer on how to operate the biogas plant and no dissemination strategy. To alleviate this, a long-term expert was employed to provide advice in Kenya in 1985. Around 250 floating-drum plants were installed in various regions by the SEP in cooperation with the Ministry for Energy by 1988.

Financial supports

The budget of the Biogas Section for 1992 amounts to approx. K£ 25,000. This corresponds to about US$ 2,500 per year for training, infrastructure and public relations work and about K£ 200,000 (approx. US $ 15,500) for the wages of 10 members of staff who are not only involved in biogas work. Approx. KSh. 50,000 (US $ 1,500) for training, infrastructure, monitoring and public relations work were made available for 1992 from SEP funds. These funds will however not be provided from 1993 onwards.

Function of the plants

Of the 49 biogas plant owners, around 1/4 (13) stated that plants had functioned without any problem since they had been built. 8 of these plants are no older than 2 years, the oldest has been operating for 7 years. 9 plants built between 1984 and 1988 are no longer in operation. The reasons for this are stated as being:

- is no longer filled: 5
- inferior gas production: 1
- gas leaks and pipes defect: 2
- inlet pipe broken: 1