Low-cost, Smart and Automated Biogas System from Food & Agricultural Waste for Cooking and Rural Electrification

The initiative will bring some meaningful results. It will, first, provide a working version of a smart and automated biogas system that will convert food and agricultural waste to clean energy. The innovation will depreciate organic waste in the pilot area, which will assist in the problem of waste management. The system will also help reduce the purchasing of charcoal and firewood as a source of energy to cook and as a result of which, will help reduce deforestation and indoor air pollution as it will offer an alternative source of energy through renewability in energy provision. Also, the project will sensitize people about clean energy technologies and how they can be beneficial, particularly in the rural setting. It will bring about development of skills in students and local community members through training and participation. Finally, the project will contribute to the green growth plan and the circular economy of Rwanda and provide a sustainable solution of achieving energy access and protecting the environment, which it will scale in the future. Technical performance of the biogas system will yield on the average 2 to 3 cubic meters of biogas per day that adequately takes 4 to 6 hours of cooking per day in a household. In addition to it, the system connected to a generator working on biogas may produce approximately 1 to 1.5 kWh electricity daily, which is sufficient to operate the basic illumination, phone, and small appliances in a typical rural setting. This has made the system a two-in-one energy system, since it can fulfill both cooking and basic electricity demand. the project also shows the potential with which small-scale innovative technologies can promote national and global sustainability agenda, including some Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) like SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).