Biogas Energy Potential fromCo-Digestion of Avocado Pulp with Cow Manure in Kaitui Location, Kericho County, Kenya

Abstract

The over-reliance on fossil and wood fuels as primary energy source has led to problems such as global climatic change, environmental degradation and various human health complications. Biogas is a renewable energy that has the potential to counteract environmental impacts related to traditional woodfuel as well as fossil fuels.Biogas energy had not been widely adopted in Kaitui location due to reported system failures. Catalysis presents an opportunity for quality and quantity improvements.Co-digestion of cow manure with avocado pulp, bagasse and goat manure were studied and compared with cow manure alone. Feedstocks were collected and subjected to pre-anaerobic digestion treatments of pulverization, screening and mixing. The materials were blended at a ratio of 1:1 and mixed with water at a ratio of 1:2 then introduced to the bio-reactor as homogenized slurry after stirring. The study showed a 113.3% increase in biogas production when co-digestion with avocado pulpwas done,30.0% for bagasse and 21.7% for goat manure, an indication that biogas production can be enhanced by blending cow manure with avocado pulp.