Optimisation of energy recovery from domestic animal waste.

M. Tech. Civil EngineeringRural communities in South Africa and Africa as a whole are faced with a problem of the lack of reliable, efficient, sustainable and affordable energy sources. This problem serves as a catalyst to the slow economic development of the rural communities. In order to eradicate the problem and expedite economic development, a need exists to expand energy supply from the national grid or introduce alternative clean, sustainable, environmentally friendly and affordable energy sources to rural areas. However, expanding the national grid would not be sustainable in the long term because 80% of the national grid energy in South Africa is generated from burning fossil fuels, which is neither environmentally friendly nor renewable. The aim of this study was to address the above challenge through scientific investigation of the feasibility of introducing biogas as an alternative source of energy in rural areas. The investigation was to establish a mix ratio of the three types of domestic animal waste namely cow dung, pig dung and chicken droppings, which would optimise biogas production. Biogas, which is a mixture of mainly methane and carbon dioxide gases would in turn be used for cooking. Therefore, the broad objective of the study was to optimise methane gas production through the anaerobic digestion of domestic animal waste