Connection of a Toilet to a Biogas Digester

Overview

Household toilet can be connected to a biogas digester. These toilet systems can turn human waste into biogas.

Types of Toilets

At least two types of toilets can be connected:

• pit latrine type without water flush
• pit latrine type with manual 1litre flush

Impacts

• Access to modern energy: The toilet is connected to an anaerobic digesters which produces biogas that can be used for lighting, cooking and generating electricity.
• Fuel switching: Substitution of unsustainably harvested biomass and maintenance of forest habitat, with associated biodiversity benefits and local benefits to soil stability and to the dry season stream flows in the region.
• Time saving: Rural women expend a substantial portion of each day gathering fuel wood and cooking
  meals.
• Productivity: The residue of the process, bio-slurry, can be easily collected and used as a potent organic fertiliser to enhance agricultural productivity.
  
• Health: Connecting biogas digesters to lavatories contributes to improving hygiene and sanitation practices, and the use of biogas for cooking results in a smoke-free indoor environment.

Existing Projects / Case Studies

• The National Biogas Programme (NBP), Ethiopia
• Getting Attached, A study on domestic biogas and the integration of sanitation, Ethiopia
  
• Case study of sustainable sanitation project - Public toilet with biogas plant and water kiosk Naivasha, Kenya
• From open defecation to toilets that produce biogas and fertiliser New innnovations in compost toilets aim to make a dent in sanitation and energy problems in the developing world, India
• Biogas from human waste wins over few cooks, Nairobi, Kenya
• BIOGAS FOR BETTER LIFE: AN AFRICAN INITIATIVE Report on the Feasibility for a National Household Biogas Commercialization Program, Uganda

Further Information

• Here a few information concerning conection of the pipes from the toilets to the digester
  
• Biogas Portal on energypedia
  
• susana.org