TITLE:
Life Cycle Assessment and Return on Investment of Biogas Utilization in Dairy Farming Areas of Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Yooko Tsuchiya, Tobias A. Swai
KEYWORDS:
Renewable Energy, Biogas, Cow Slurry, Life Cycle Assessment, Investment, Tanzania
JOURNAL NAME:
Low Carbon Economy,
Vol.15 No.2,
June
30,
2024
ABSTRACT: A case study was conducted on a locally installed biogas system as a renewable energy source, aimed at examining off-grid power sources suitable for rural Tanzania. The study estimated energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the procurement of materials, plant construction, and plant operation for a domed biogas plant, widely used in rural areas of Tanzania. The results indicate that the evaluated dome biogas plant exhibits a good energy balance, with an estimated energy payback time of 3 - 4 years, owing to the absence of energy inputs. Moreover, grazing was found to significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to leaving cattle manure unattended. However, the cost-benefit ratio of using biogas as an alternative to LPG was only 1.2, primarily due to the burden of equipment costs. Future considerations should include exploring advanced applications such as power generation, transport fuels, and thermal use, which could potentially offer a clean and modern energy source to replace LPG.