Universitt Stuttgart

Charakterization of decentralized Biogas technology in China and review of the applicability in other regions in Africa and Latin America Jingjing Huang
Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management, University of Stuttgart

Background
Energy scarcity worldwide High pollution from conventional energy Serious hygienic problems and environmental damage in many developing countries, especially in the rural areas Necessity of development of renewable energy Biogas, with the main components methane (60-70%) and carbon dioxide (30-40%), is a renewable and clean bio fuel for household using.
Figure: Amount of Biogas in different regions of China

Development of household biogas plants in China

China as the biggest biogas producer and consumer has rich experience in this technique.
The dissemination and scientific research of biogas in China was initiated around 1970. By the end of 2007, there had been around 26 million registered household biogas digesters all over the country. There is an additional increase of more than 4 million new consumers every year.

Figure: Typical biogas digester in China: Fixed-dome digester

The volume of these household digesters is ca. 6-8 m. Input: 20Kg per day, Residence time: 200-300 days Productivity: 0.15 - 0.25 m per m digester per day

In China, the most basic applied type of digesters is the hydro-pressure digester, it is also called as fixed-dome type digester.

Economic and Ecological Aspects

The cost for household biogas digester: around 200 . Improve sanitary status in rural areas effects of killing parasite eggs, preventing infectious diseases and ensuring peasants health Protecting forest and Fossil energy substitution 8m3 biogas digester can save 0.7 ton of coal or 1.2 ton of firewood per year Reduction of Greenhouse Gas 8m Biogas Digester will reduce 1,6 ton greenhouse gas per year (CO2 equvalent). 1990 until 2005: 88 million ton greenhouse gases in China had been reduced with biogas digester.

Figure: construction of biogas digester in China

Development of household biogas plants in Latin-America and Africa

Figure: biogas digester in Bolivia and Ethiopia

Conditons: optima climatic conditions Abundant substrates available but only a few thousands existing plants. Out-of-date biogas plants built in the 80s or 90s Outlook: establish of organizations start a series of the national and international biogas programs to facilitate the biogas development

Reasons for the inadequate dissemination: lower population density Lack of legal framework The operators / users were not sufficiently trained (information about handling and maintenance was inadequate) Lack of motivation of the operator / user Material errors and technical defects