ASSESSMENT OF BIOGAS QUALITY ACROSS RURAL HOUSEHOLD BIOGAS PLANTS IN CAMEROON

Abstract

The development and efficient use of renewable energy technologies is essential to sustain access to clean energy for all. In developing countries, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of biogas production to contribute to the decarbonization of the energy supply. This study aims to assess the quality of biogas produced from household biogas plants in rural areas of Cameroon. Through snowball sampling, data were collected from forty-five (45) functional biogas plants across the five agroecological zones of the country. Biogas was analyzed using the portable BIOGAS 5000 gas analyzer and compared for different designs of biogas plants and geographic locations. The results show on average that the floating drum biogas plant produced biogas with a higher methane content (57.90% v/v) than the floating drum design (55.30% v/v). The mean carbon dioxide content is 38.80% v/v for the fixed dome and 30.25% v/v for the floating drum biogas plant. Statistical tests indicate that the location of the biogas plant affected the methane content of the biogas produced. The feedstocks and design of biogas plants varied with the different agroecological zones of the country, and majorly accounted for the different qualities of biogas. The quality of biogas in Cameroon is within the reported range (average) of biogas quality in developing countries. However, it is still essential to promote the production of biogas with optimal quality in the country.