Duped “The Green Ribbon Initiative” the Biogas project is one our biggest programmes that has taken us a long time to develop. A research that we conducted in twenty Schools in Uasingishu, Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot Counties on energy use revealed that most of these school use an average of 30 Tons of firewood every term (Three Months) this translates to 10 Tons in a month. These institutions are licensed to collect dead wood from the forest by the Kenya Forest Service. However due to the pressure and the demand by the many institutions surrounding the forest, the suppliers have resorted to illegal felling of trees in the indigenous Cherangani Forest Water Tower.
On analysis we found that these institutions through the use of firewood directly and collectively destroy an average of ten hectares of forest each month. This was a real shock to us and we had to re-visit these schools again to discuss if they are ready to adopt alternative sources of energy to save the forest. Many school heads were positive on realizing that it was inevitable given the suppliers cannot get firewood outside the forest.
We are therefore bench marking on the best Biogas technology to use in large institutions like schools and that will be sustainable. Secondly is to seek finances to pilot in four schools in the region for adoption by the rest in the near future.
Other than saving the hundreds of hectares of forest land, Biogas is also a clean energy source that has been proved to take up Methane that is mostly in animal dung. Methane has been found to be the greatest contributor to Green House Gases (GHGs) . Biogas technology enables the effective use of accumulated animal waste from food production and of municipal solid waste from urbanization. The conversion of organic waste into biogas reduces production of the greenhouse gas methane, as efficient combustion replaces methane with carbon dioxide.
