Biogas production from organic solid wastes in Kampala City, Uganda

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2013-12
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
Citation