DESIGN OF A BIOGAS SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION IN HOTELS SND RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES: A CASE STUDY IN CAMEROON

Camerun Ebenki Saabang Chiawah

doi:10.5281/zenodo.22671820

Abstract

The growing dependence of hotels and residential facilities in Cameroon on diesel-powered backup electricity,
coupled with increasing volumes of biodegradable waste, creates an opportunity for decentralized renewableenergy generation through anaerobic digestion. This study presents the design and performance assessment of a
fixed-dome biogas system for electricity generation, using a case study facility in Buea, Southwest Region,
Cameroon. The BRC fixed-dome design methodology was applied to the co-digestion of human excrement and
food waste using primary operational data obtained from the facility. The resulting system has a total digester
volume of 3.44 m³, a diameter of 1.97 m, a 25-day hydraulic retention time, and an optimal total-solids
concentration of 8%. The designed system is projected to produce 3.52 m³ of biogas daily, equivalent to
approximately 5.98 kWh of electricity per day. At a diesel price of 800 FCFA/L, this energy recovery corresponds
to monthly savings of approximately 41,040 FCFA, representing a 9.1% reduction in the facility's baseline
monthly diesel expenditure of 450,000 FCFA. Scalability analysis indicates that the design methodology can be
adapted to hotels and residential facilities of different capacities. Although technically viable, standalone
implementation remains economically constrained, highlighting the potential importance of government
subsidies, centralized multi-facility biogas systems, and supportive renewable-energy policies for wider adoption
in Cameroon.

Keywords

Biogas; Anaerobic Digestion; Fixed-Dome Digester; Electricity Generation; Organic Waste; Cameroon

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