Biogas production from organic solid wastes in Kampala City, Uganda
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Date
2013-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kampala International University,School of Natural and Applied Sciences
Abstract
Biogas refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the
absence of oxygen. Organic waste such as dead plant and animal materials, animal
dung, and kitchen waste can be converted into biogas. The main objective of the study
was to find out how biogas production process is well known by the local communities
in Kampala, Uganda. The specific objectives were to find out the potential organic solid
wastes used for biogas production, establish the benefits of using biogas as an
alternative energy source, examine the factors affecting biogas generation from organic
solid waste and also investigate the relationship between organic solid waste generation
and biogas production. The methods used in the study are purposive and snowball
sampling. The data collection instruments were the structured questionnaires and
interview schedules. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social
Scientists software. The Pearson’s chi-square was used to analyze the hypothesis “the
relationship between the generation of organic solid wastes and biogas production.”
The study found out that the most commonly used types or potential of organic solid
waste for the production of biogas are animal wastes, followed by household wastes,
crop residues and industrial waste at lowest level. The benefits of biogas production
are: it saves time for women and children, it provides a low cost energy source, it is
also a clean fuel, further reduces deforestation and forest encroachment, produces an
effluent called bio-slurry which is an excellent organic fertilizer, and finally it reduces air
and water pollution in that it does not emit large quantities of greenhouse gases. The
most common factors affecting the production of biogas are: the high initial investment
costs, a relatively high degree of maintenance efforts, the storage and disposal of the
bio-slurry, high cost of collecting wastes, and finally the water supply which should be
good and constant within reach for the digested. There is a very weak relationship
between the factors affecting biogas production and organic solid wastes generated
hence the hypothesis was accepted.
Description
A Dissertation Presented to the College of Higher Degrees and Research, Kampala International University Kampala, Uganda, In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for award of the Degree of Master of Science in Environmental Management and Development
Keywords
Solid waste, Production, Boigas