Kenya to expand electricity generation from manure

• 11 years ago (2013-05-04)
• David Flin

North America 1021

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The Kenya National Domestic Biogas Programme (KENDBIP) is expanding the use of manure created by the country’s livestock industry to generate electricity for domestic and industrial use, particularly in areas not connected to the national grid.

George Nyamu, KENDBIP Coordinator, said: “The country has enormous potential to exploit manure to generate electricity and cooking gas, thereby curbing deforestation. Biogas technology will also mitigate climate change because it does not produce greenhouse gas emissions.”

KENDBIP, a unit within the Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers, has built around 8000 bio-digesters across the country, and aims to have 11,000 by 2014, Nyamu said. He said that expanding the use of biogas can mitigate frequent rural power outages and cut production costs. Banks have also been embracing this renewable energy, with ten financial institutions offering loans for biogas projects.