Quantifying the Power Generation Potential of Nigeria’s Selected Agrowaste Biomass

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

Quantifying the Power Generation Potential of Nigeria’s Selected Agrowaste Biomass

Gregory Obiechefu, Kodak U. Emerson, Anthony U. Onuruka, Paschal I. Nwachukwu

Agricultural & Bioenvironmental Engineering Department, Imo State Polytechnic, Owerri, Nigeria

Abstract: Access to clean energy is crucial for economic development. There is huge gap in the energy demand and supply in Nigeria; and with the country’s growing population, there is need to increase and improve on the country’s energy mix. One of such ways of achieving improved energy supply in Nigeria is through the use of anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies. These technologies are most suited to the rural areas where agricultural activities are the major business, and access to clean energy is limited. Using Buswell’s formula, the yearly methane potential of cattle manure co-digested with maize straw at a ratio of 3:1, on the basis of the organic dry matter (ODM), was calculated as 〖 4.26×10〗^9m3, and estimated to give 1846 MW power of electricity. This will mean approximately 50 % increase in Nigeria’s current power output.Mesophilic operating temperature was recommended on the basis of improving digester process stability and energy conservation. The AD technologies would convert the abundant agricultural wastes into useable energy and also reduce uncontrolled green-house gas emission from landfills.

Keywords Anaerobic digestion, mesophilic, organic dry matter, landfill, methane, co-digestion

I. INTRODUCTION

Energy plays an important role in the economic development of any country. Energy has been described as a domestic necessity and major factor of production whose cost directly affects the price of other goods and services [1]. Energy affects every aspect of development, including social, economic, political, environmental, health, water, agricultural, industrial, education and other important services that promote the quality of life. While access to clean energy is an enormous challenge facing developing countries, the lack of consistent and adequate supply of it has also been identified as a major barrier to the economic development of developing countries [2].
Nigeria is faced with enormous energy challenge both in the urban and rural communities. The country has an estimated population of 184 million [3]; and 64% of the population live in rural areas [4]. Fuel-wood is the most widely used domestic energy resource in rural communities in Nigeria and constitutes about 90% of the energy used by rural dwellers [5]. It is estimated that Nigeria consumes over 50 million tonnes of fuel-wood annually, a rate that far exceeds the rate of replenishment of the resource [6].

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