Joel Chaney , Benjamin L. Robinson , Mike Clifford
{"title":"测量家庭规模圆顶沼气池的过压沼气排放:肯尼亚和乌干达的案例研究","authors":"Joel Chaney , Benjamin L. Robinson , Mike Clifford","doi":"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101815","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Methane emissions from household-scale biogas digesters represent a potentially significant climate concern that has been largely overlooked in rural energy access programmes. This study presents the first assessment of biogas venting patterns, resulting from over-pressure, across 53 household-scale biogas digesters in Kenya and Uganda. We develop and apply a methodology for estimating venting using digital monitoring technology known as ‘Smart Biogas’, which continuously measures pressure and flow data to quantify both the volume and timing of biogas loss.</div><div>Our findings reveal a complex picture of household biogas use. By measuring the Biogas Utilisation Factor (BUF) - the ratio of consumed to generated biogas, where a lower BUF indicates higher venting rates - we found that households can achieve excellent performance during optimal periods, with venting rates below 3 % across all digester sizes, which demonstrates the potential for optimised biogas use. However, although most households maintain good biogas utilisation most of the time, periodic episodes of underuse significantly impact overall performance. The mean pressure-driven venting rates ranged from 10.8 % ± 12.7 % for 10 m<sup>3</sup> digesters to 20.9 % ± 20.9 % for 6 m<sup>3</sup> digesters (overall mean: 15.9 % ± 20.2 %). Temporal patterns also emerge, with increased venting likely during afternoon and nighttime hours, and during agricultural planting seasons when cooking patterns change. Drawing from these insights, we propose strategies to help households maintain the consistent high biogas utilisation they achieve during optimal periods.</div><div>The methodology developed in this paper can be applied across other biogas programmes to build a broader understanding of patterns of biogas use and the likelihood of venting. These findings have implications for biogas programme design, carbon credit methodologies, and efforts to maximise both the climate benefits and household value of small-scale biogas systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49209,"journal":{"name":"Energy for Sustainable Development","volume":"89 ","pages":"Article 101815"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Measuring biogas venting from over-pressurisation of household scale dome biogas digesters: A case study in Kenya and Uganda\",\"authors\":\"Joel Chaney , Benjamin L. Robinson , Mike Clifford\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.esd.2025.101815\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><div>Methane emissions from household-scale biogas digesters represent a potentially significant climate concern that has been largely overlooked in rural energy access programmes. This study presents the first assessment of biogas venting patterns, resulting from over-pressure, across 53 household-scale biogas digesters in Kenya and Uganda. We develop and apply a methodology for estimating venting using digital monitoring technology known as ‘Smart Biogas’, which continuously measures pressure and flow data to quantify both the volume and timing of biogas loss.</div><div>Our findings reveal a complex picture of household biogas use. By measuring the Biogas Utilisation Factor (BUF) - the ratio of consumed to generated biogas, where a lower BUF indicates higher venting rates - we found that households can achieve excellent performance during optimal periods, with venting rates below 3 % across all digester sizes, which demonstrates the potential for optimised biogas use. However, although most households maintain good biogas utilisation most of the time, periodic episodes of underuse significantly impact overall performance. The mean pressure-driven venting rates ranged from 10.8 % ± 12.7 % for 10 m<sup>3</sup> digesters to 20.9 % ± 20.9 % for 6 m<sup>3</sup> digesters (overall mean: 15.9 % ± 20.2 %). Temporal patterns also emerge, with increased venting likely during afternoon and nighttime hours, and during agricultural planting seasons when cooking patterns change. Drawing from these insights, we propose strategies to help households maintain the consistent high biogas utilisation they achieve during optimal periods.</div><div>The methodology developed in this paper can be applied across other biogas programmes to build a broader understanding of patterns of biogas use and the likelihood of venting. These findings have implications for biogas programme design, carbon credit methodologies, and efforts to maximise both the climate benefits and household value of small-scale biogas systems.</div></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":49209,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Energy for Sustainable Development\",\"volume\":\"89 \",\"pages\":\"Article 101815\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":4.9000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-09-24\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Energy for Sustainable Development\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"5\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0973082625001656\",\"RegionNum\":2,\"RegionCategory\":\"工程技术\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q2\",\"JCRName\":\"ENERGY & FUELS\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Energy for Sustainable Development","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0973082625001656","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENERGY & FUELS","Score":null,"Total":0}
Measuring biogas venting from over-pressurisation of household scale dome biogas digesters: A case study in Kenya and Uganda
Methane emissions from household-scale biogas digesters represent a potentially significant climate concern that has been largely overlooked in rural energy access programmes. This study presents the first assessment of biogas venting patterns, resulting from over-pressure, across 53 household-scale biogas digesters in Kenya and Uganda. We develop and apply a methodology for estimating venting using digital monitoring technology known as ‘Smart Biogas’, which continuously measures pressure and flow data to quantify both the volume and timing of biogas loss.
Our findings reveal a complex picture of household biogas use. By measuring the Biogas Utilisation Factor (BUF) - the ratio of consumed to generated biogas, where a lower BUF indicates higher venting rates - we found that households can achieve excellent performance during optimal periods, with venting rates below 3 % across all digester sizes, which demonstrates the potential for optimised biogas use. However, although most households maintain good biogas utilisation most of the time, periodic episodes of underuse significantly impact overall performance. The mean pressure-driven venting rates ranged from 10.8 % ± 12.7 % for 10 m3 digesters to 20.9 % ± 20.9 % for 6 m3 digesters (overall mean: 15.9 % ± 20.2 %). Temporal patterns also emerge, with increased venting likely during afternoon and nighttime hours, and during agricultural planting seasons when cooking patterns change. Drawing from these insights, we propose strategies to help households maintain the consistent high biogas utilisation they achieve during optimal periods.
The methodology developed in this paper can be applied across other biogas programmes to build a broader understanding of patterns of biogas use and the likelihood of venting. These findings have implications for biogas programme design, carbon credit methodologies, and efforts to maximise both the climate benefits and household value of small-scale biogas systems.
期刊介绍:
Published on behalf of the International Energy Initiative, Energy for Sustainable Development is the journal for decision makers, managers, consultants, policy makers, planners and researchers in both government and non-government organizations. It publishes original research and reviews about energy in developing countries, sustainable development, energy resources, technologies, policies and interactions.