Insights from the 2023 Biodigester Enterprises Inventory Report under the African Biodigester Component (ABC-Kenya)
June 19, 2025, 8:38 a.m.
Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS), the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and the European Union (EU), the African Biodigester Component (ABC) in Kenya aims at facilitating a shift of the biodigester market from its pioneering to the expansion phase where more than 20,000 small (0 to 50 m3) and 250 medium (50 to 500 m3) size biodigesters will be installed. The component is implemented by a consortium between GIZ and SNV (the Netherlands Development Organisation) in cooperation with Africa Bioenergy Programs Limited (ABPL - ex-Kenya Biogas Program).
Feb. 19, 2025, 11:44 a.m.
Biogas is a clean, renewable energy source produced from the anaerobic digestion of organic waste such as food scraps, animal manure, or sewage. For schools, biogas systems (biodigesters) convert waste into methane gas for cooking and organic fertilizer for gardening.
Feb. 19, 2025, 11:40 a.m.
How to apply? County authorities must assess if they have sufficient budget to invest in the infrastructure prior to applying. GIZ will not financially support the biodigester infrastructures. GIZ offers 5 days on-site and virtual support for procuring the solution. If interested, the energy director should contact abckenya@giz.de to benefit from the facility.
Feb. 19, 2025, 11:34 a.m.
About 97% of urban Somali households depend on charcoal while rural households rely on firewood as their main source of energy for cooking (AfDB, 2013). This is putting massive pressure on scarce forest resources, contributing to desertification and the destruction of grazing and arable land. There is an urgent need to develop alternative sources of cooking fuel. As such biogas production from crop residues, food waste and animal waste represent an interesting source of higher tier clean cooking energy.
Feb. 19, 2025, 10:35 a.m.
A recent evaluation of the Biogas Business Boost Benefitting Farmers (4B-F) project indicated that digester functionality rates have increased from below 60% to 81% in Kenya. This report presents a functionality assessment survey conducted between 16th May 2022 to 27th May 2022 for domestic biodigester systems in five sampled counties across Central, Western, Nyanza, Lower Eastern and Coastal regions of Kenya. The functionality of biodigesters was assessed based on use for cooking, lighting and use of the bio-slurry for agricultural activities.
Feb. 19, 2025, 10:29 a.m.
A survey of 41 Kenyan biodigester companies reveals that most are officially registered but operate on a small scale with limited outreach. Collectively, these companies have installed nearly 20,000 biodigesters, with prefabricated units constituting 46% and emerging as the fastest-growing market segment since 2018.
Feb. 19, 2025, 10:12 a.m.
The main purpose of the study was to estimate the potential for the installation of small-scale (0 to 50m3) and medium-scale (50 to 500m3) biodigesters in Kenya. This report presents a review of the livestock distribution in counties as well as other sectors that generate biodegradable waste. Biogas has a huge potential for development in Kenya as the technology is known specially in dairy farming. The main barrier for adoption is usually the up-front and investment required by biogas companies. By indicating sub-counties with the highest potential, the African Biodigester Component (ABC) helps biogas companies to de-risk their activities as they could invest in sales and marketing as well as extending their last mile distribution channels in areas with an existing pool of potential customers.
Feb. 18, 2025, 2:59 p.m.