By Jolly Kabirizi
Water hyacinth is an ideal clean energy source, and the development of biogas can improve ecological and environmental conditions, such as reducing deforestation.
Biogas can be used for cooking and generating electricity.
Biogas is a clean and environment-friendly fuel produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic wastes such as cow dung, vegetable waste, municipal solid waste and industrial wastewater.
It is increasingly becoming important in domestic and industry as fuel due to its costs and cleanliness. The main component of the gas is methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen and hydrogen sulphide.
Water hyacinth can be used as a potential feedstock for biogas production due to its abundance and high carbon-nitrogen ratio.
Several studies have shown that water hyacinth is a good feedstock that can be utilized as a renewable energy source. The production profiles compare well with those of conventional feedstocks such as cow dung.
The utilization also provides an innovative way of managing the invasion of weeds in freshwater bodies in an environmentally sound manner.
Chop the water hyacinth into 5–10 cm pieces.
Feed the water hyacinth to the digester where it is kept for 10–15 days by continuous daily feeding.
Fermentation Slurry –The organic manure digested produces biogas.
Biogas – After slurry formation, the biogas generation will start. This biogas is fed to the gas collector. Then it is sent to the dual gas fuel engine.
Dual fuel gas engine – This engine uses dual fuel diesel as well as gas in proportion and produces electricity.
