Focus: Bio-gas, a solution for cooking and lighting energy

For long Rwanda has been facing energy problems. The price of electricity per kilowatt has been a little bit unmanageable and most of the people who have been connected, about 6%, have been using electricity just for lighting and probably watching television. When it comes to cooking, only a few consider using electricity. Many have always turned to ‘cheaper’ sources of fuel such as charcoal and fire wood. However, in the long run, these are expensive not that environmentally friendly. However things have turned for better and thanks to business men and women who have devoted themselves to the production of Biogas, a technology that provides solutions to some of energy problems. Ehudi Shingiro, a civil engineer and managing director of Appropriate Community Sanitation and Energy Services International (ACSES) says that Biogas is a science of all biodigestible materials or all that decompose. For the sake of energy components, he says that he uses ashes from homes, human and animal waste materials to produce biogas energy. Biogas has reduced costs in most places where it has been applied. Schools, hospitals, homes and all populated areas are great sources of biogas material. They are also the best potential consumers. Biogas installation is affordable for most people. The fact that the government encourages its application with some subsidies for whoever opts to install it helps matters. Shingiro says that government contributes Rwf 200.000 for the installation of the equipment for anyone who does. Two cows in a home are enough for one to have biogas equipment to be installed. They provide the raw materials, dung and urine, for the gas. Many have viewed cows in their homes as just sources of milk. They should instead make more savings by installing bio gas equipment, thanks to the cows. This will save them expenses on charcoal, firewood, paraffin and even prevent destruction of forests and soil erosion. According to Shingiro, a reactor is built where organic wastes are fed through closed channels to prevent smell and contamination. Biogas is stored at the upper part of digesters/ reactors. The gas that is always stored on the upper part is sucked by pipes that transport it to its last destination. He says that so far biogas is still being used for cooking and lighting but adds that it still can be used for generating electricity. Success stories of biogas energy include the home of Catholic Brothers in Kiyovu and the Batsinda estates, among others. “St. Gabriel Brothers’ home has been depending on biogas for two years now. The reactor can serve over 50 people everyday at any time they feel like cooking,” Shingiro said. “It was designed according to the eight cows they had. This biogas design has a guarantee of 50 years with little renovation needed.” 250 homes in the Batsinda Estate in Gisozi use bio-digesters as septic tanks and in turn they harness biogas for cooking purposes. The bio gas business is not only good as a source of energy but fertilizers too. This would translate into bigger volumes if applied in agriculture. According to Shingiro, there is pure fertiliser, without gases, generated from the bio-digesters. The bio-digesters act as a factory for fertilisers which would help entrepreneurs earn a lot from agricultural business. Shingiro says that if you are stressed by lack of alternatives, cost effective source of energy for cooking and lighting, biogas is your practical answer. Hopefully, for those in rural areas where it is hard for government to install hydro energy, they will adopt this new energy source. Ends