Design of a cost-effective waste to energy system with storage for a typical African animal farm

Abstract

With increasing electricity tariffs for African farmers, as well as pressure on global energy sectors to end their reliance on coal, a renewable system that has the potential to cut both costs and emissions would be a valuable resource. This paper details a waste-to-energy system intended for African animal farms. A focus on animal farms in Africa is important as many African power supply utilities are unreliable and rural areas are often at a loss for power. Africa, as a largely developing continent, is well suited to lead the way in a novel system of on-farm energy production. This paper shows that a system with 84% biomass and 16% PV supply provides an African farmer with the ability to save more than R6 million over the project’s lifespan of 20 years, while also recycling a waste resource and cutting methane emissions.