International Journal of Waste Resources

Abstract

Evaluation of the Biogas Production Potential by Anaerobic Digestion of Fermentable Agricultural Residues in Côte d’Ivoire

Bodjui Olivier Abo, Loissi Kalakodio and Moussa Bakayoko

Anaerobic digestion is the natural biological process of organic matter’s degradation in absence of oxygen (anaerobic). In this work we estimated the potential of biogas production by anaerobic digestion of fermentable residues from agricultural origin in Côte d'Ivoire. To date, no quantitative estimation or physicochemical parameters of agricultural residues have been undertaken on a national scale in Côte d'Ivoire.

This work gives an initial contribution to the estimation of biogas production potential by the anaerobic digestion process of agricultural residues. It was developed on the basis of statistical data from FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and other structures related to agricultural production.

This study revealed that total agricultural residues were estimated to be more than 5.0 × 10⁶ tons of organic matter or the equivalent of more than 10 × 10⁸ m³ of methane in terms of potential energy by anaerobic digestion. These results put forward opportunities such as access to energy for the benefit of the rural communities in Côte d'Ivoire by anaerobic digestion as well as more sustainable way of recovering agricultural residues available locally in significant quantities. Nevertheless, studies corroborated by field surveys will need to refine this assessment for smaller time intervals and considering a finer geographical mesh.