The potentials of the biogas industry in South Africa

According to Southern African Biogas Industry Association (Sabia) chairperson Mark Tiepelt:

• The biogas industry could turn into a R10-billion industry, spurring the manufacturing sector with the development of biogas-specific products and services 
• The biogas sector can create five to ten times the number of jobs that other renewable-energy projects do.

Other benefits include:

• Waste can further be used as compost
• Electricity can be generated in rural areas not reached by Eskom, the State's power utility
• Electricity will help relieve the strain on national electricity grid
• A contribution to carbon mitigation

South Africa has about 300 biogas digesters in operation. Neighbouring Lesotho has some 600! We can do better in this country.

A biogas conference will be held in Midrand on October 30 and 31 to look at the potential of biogas in the country.

Useful contacts are Southern African Biogas Industry Association (Sabia) and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Institute of Agricultural Engineering in Silverton near Pretoria.

Biogas is covered in the Renewable energy chapter of The Agri Handbook.