Waste-to-Biogas: Assessing the feasibility of a biogas plant for a fish farm through a pre-feasibility study

Kenya faces a significant fish scarcity, with supply meeting just over 30% of the demand. Overfishing, pollution, climate change, population growth, and lax enforcement of regulation on fish farming practices (which in themselves are polluting) are factors leading to stresses for fish stocks. The fish industry in Kenya plays a crucial role in the economy by providing employment to small-scale and mid-sized fish farmers and contributing to food security. However, it also generates substantial waste, including fish offal and processing residues, which can pose risks to the environment and public health. While repurposing this waste for fishmeal production, fish oil, and organic manure presents potential waste reduction solutions, a significant portion of the waste remains unused.

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) through its knowledge centre, the Sustainable Inclusive Business, is undertaking a feasibility study on the use of fish waste as a feedstock for a biogas-to-energy plant. For this study KEPSA is partnering with Rio Fish Ltd, is a social enterprise empowering women to manage their own aquaculture enterprises, and is also an aggregator, buying from local fishermen and supporting small-scale cage farming through extension services and capacity building, distributing to markets and value adding. KEPSA initially partnered with Victory Farms, who although they are no longer part of the project they remain a key stakeholder interested in the project findings.

The biogas-to-energy process effectively captures methane emissions from decomposing food waste which is then converted to energy. This creates opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The sludge from the biogas production process is nutrient rich and offers opportunities to be used as fertiliser or livestock bedding.

The feasibility study will draw insights from contextual analyses, which encompass technical assessment, economic analysis, and environmental and social impact assessment:

• The technical analysis aims to evaluate the requirements for installing the technology.
• The economic analysis will provide a preliminary assessment of financial viability, including the estimated costs, the potential revenues and profits, and the potential return on investment.
• The environmental and social impact assessment will provide a preliminary assessment of the project’s potential environmental and social impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, and impacts on local communities and stakeholders.

Photo: Fish farms on Lake Victoria owned by Rio Fish Ltd.
Photo Credit: Rio Fish Ltd