Biogas Technology, Transfer and Diffusion

The International Conference on the State of the Art on Biogas Technology, Transfer and Diffusion was held in Cairo, Egypt, from 17 to 24 November 1984. The Conference was organized by the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASR T), the Egyptian National Research Centre (NRC), the Bioenergy Systems and Technology project (BST) of the US Agency for International Development (US/AID) Office of Energy, and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). A number of international organizations and agencies co-sponsored the Conference. More than 100 participants from 40 countries attended. The purpose of the Conference was to assess the viability of biogas technology (BGT) and propose future courses of action for exploiting BGT prospects to the fullest extent. The Conference emphasized a balanced coverage of technical, environ­ mental, social, economic and organizational aspects relevant to biogas systems design, operation and diffusion. It was organized to incorporate experiences that are pertinent, for the most part, to developing countries. In addition to the wide spectrum of presentations and country programs, structured and non-structured discussions among the participants were strongly encouraged in thematic sessions at round-table discussions, and through personal contacts during poster sessions and field trips. It was clear from the enthusiastic response of most participants that the Conference, in large measure, succeeded in fulfilling its mission. Although draft papers were distributed to all participants, it was felt that the results obtained were worthy of organized and refined documentation. And this is precisely what this book intends to do.

Section 1: Introduction and Summary.- Executive Summary.- Section 2: General Topics (the Opening Session).- Session Overview.- Biogas: A Global Perspective.- The Realistic Potential of Biogas.- Force-Field Analysis of Biogas Systems and Proposed Means for Optimizing their Prospects.- Information Needs for Diffusing Biogas Technology into the Rural Areas of Developing Countries.- The Integrated Digester Plant.- Section 3: Sociocultural Aspects of Biogas Technology.- Overview of the Thematic Session and Key Results.- Social, Ecological, and Cultural Realities of Biogas Development.- Technical and Social Problems for the Propagation of Biogas in Rwanda.- Towards Obtaining Optimum Benefits from Biogas Technology.- Section 4: Economic Aspects.- Section Overview.- A Critique on Cost-Benefit Analysis of Biogas Programs.- Assessment of the Feasibility of Rural Biogas Systems.- Analysis of Economic Factors in the Dissemination of Biogas Plants—Case Studies from Africa and the Caribbean.- The Economics of Biogas Systems—A Shorter Communication.- Section 5: Institutional and Financial Infrastructure.- Institutional and Financial Infrastructure of Biogas Systems.- Summary of Group Discussions on Institutional and Financial Infrastructure of Biogas Systems.- Section 6: Regional Programs, Networks, and Aid Agencies.- Section Overview.- Experiences with Rural Biodigesters in Latin America.- ICAITI’s Dissemination Activities of Biogas Systems.- GATE-Biogas Consultancy Service.- FAO Activities in the Field of Biogas.- The Bioenergy Users’ Network (BUN): An Executive Summary.- Section 7: Technical Aspects.- Engineering Designs.- Engineering Design of Biogas Units for Developing Countries.- Technologies for Biogas Production of Developed Countries and Possibilities of Transferring them to Developing Countries.- Engineering Aspects of Small-Scale Biogas Plants.- Design Parameters Affecting Success and Failure of Biogas Systems.- Preliminary Assessment of a Farm-Scale Digester in Relation to Possibilities of Operating an Integrated Bioplex System.- An Improved Plug-Flow Design for the Anaerobic Digestion of Dairy Cattle Waste.- Multicriteria Optimization Design of Methane Fermentation Systems.- A Village Scale Biogas Pilot Plant Study Using High Rate Digester Technology.- Compost-Heated Small-Scale Farm Digester Appropriate for Korean Conditions.- Structural Behaviour and Stress Conditions of Fixed Dome Type of Biogas Units.- Ferrocement Gasholder for Two 60 m3 Digesters.- Simplified Anaerobic Digesters for Animal Waste.- Cold Condition Biogas.- A Modified Anaerobic Fermenter for Egyptian Agricultural Residues.- Modular Biogas Plant Particularly Adapted to Tropical Rural Areas: A Shorter Communication.- Gas-Use Devices.- Overview.- Mechanical and Electrical Power from Biogas in Developing Countries.- Performance of a Small Diesel Engine Operating in a Dual Fuel Mode with Biogas.- Bioconversion and Experience in Using Alternative Raw Materials.- Microbiology and Biochemistry of Methanogenesis, A Selected Review.- Methane Production from Farm Wastes.- Optimization of Bioconversion of Solid and Liquid Residues.- Study of the Optimum Operating Conditions for the Anaerobic Digestion of Some Organic Wastes.- Novel Processes for High-Efficiency Biodigestion of Particulate Feeds.- Biogas from Organic Waste Diluted with Seawater.- The Assessment of Methanogens by the Quantitative Determination of Coenzyme F420 in Anaerobic Systems.- Fuel Gas Production from Organic Wastes by Low Capital Cost Batch Digestion.- Biogas Production from Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes): Influence of Temperature.- Anaerobic Digestion of Organic Fraction of Garbage: A Pilot Plant.- The Toxicity Effect of Pesticides and Herbicides on the Anaerobic Digestion Process.- Biogas Production from Some Organic Wastes.- The Assessment of Cellulolytic Activities in Anaerobic Digesters by the ‘Textiles Coupon Technique’.- Biogas Production from Antibiotic-Contaminated Cow Manure.- Biogas from Liquid Agroindustrial Wastes Derived from Banana and Coffee Processing.- A Simple, Rapid and Accurate Method for Determination of Carbon Dioxide in Biogas.- Use of Digested Materials.- Assessment of Anaerobically Digested Slurry as a Fertilizer and Soil Conditioner.- Repeated Application of Aerobically Digested Slurry and its Effect on the Yield and NPK Uptake of Wheat, Turnips and Onion Plants.- Biogas Manure as a Complete Fertilizer, Feasibility for Egyptian Farmers.- Control of Pathogens.- Health Risks Associated with the Use of Biogas Slurry: An Introductory Note.- Incidence, Persistence, and Control of Parasitic Eggs and Cysts in Anaerobically Digested Wastes.- Incidence, Persistence, and Control of Some Pathogens During Anaerobic Digestion of Organic Wastes.- Survival of Pathogens and Parasites During the Anaerobic Digestion of Organic Wastes.- Section 8: Country Programs and Projects.- Africa and Arab Countries.- Arab Republic of Egypt.- Development and Application of Biogas Technology for Rural Areas of Egypt: The National Research Centre Project.- Biogas Production from Kitchen Refuses of Army Camps of Egypt Using a Two Stage Biogas Digester.- An Integrated Renewable Energy System: Project Overview.- Botswana.- Biogas Technology for Water Pumping in Botswana.- Burkina Faso.- Report of Burkina Faso to Conference.- Ivory Coast.- Biogas Plant in Ivory Coast.- Kenya.- Biogas from Biomass for a Kenya Farm Service Center.- Lebanon.- MECTAT’s Experience in the Transfer of Biogas Technology.- Mali.- The Production and Use of Biogas at the ‘Laboratoire d’Energie Solaire’ (LESO) in Bamako, Mali.- Morocco.- Biogas in Morocco.- Sudan.- Biogas Activities in Sudan.- Tunisia.- Biogas and Biomass in Tunisia: A Summary Presentation.- Uganda.- Uganda Biogas Project.- Asia.- China.- The Experience of the Development and Research of Biogas Technology in the Rural Areas of China.- India.- The Biogas Program in India.- Nepal.- Summary of the Nepal Biogas Program.- Philippines.- Biogas Technology Development and Diffusion: The Philippine Experience.- Sri Lanka.- Biogas Technology: Research, Development, and Diffusion Projects in Sri Lanka.- Thailand.- Biogas Program of Thailand.- Europe.- Italy.- Problems Concerning Biogas Production at Farm Level in Italy.- Portugal.- Anaerobic Digestion in Portugal.- Latin America.- Brazil.- EMBRAPA’s Food-Feed-Bioenergy Production Systems.- Costa Rica.- Biogas Technology in Costa Rica: Its Development.- Jamaica.- Jamaica Country Paper.- Author Index.