Kumasi Abattoir to generate biogas with animal waste

The Kumasi Abattoir has been selected as a viable facility where waste generated is set to be used to generate biogas. This is a nationwide pilot project by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which seeks to produce energy from bio waste.

The construction of the biogas plant at the Abattoir which was expected to commence in April has been rescheduled to the second week of May this year.

The 1.28 million Euro biogas plant would be the first in the UNIDO Biogas Project to boost renewable energy and to help Ghana generate gas and electricity from agro waste.

The Korean funded project is also aimed at supporting the greening industries programme in Ghana.

The biogas plant which is of Korean design, would demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of the biogas technology, and is expected to provide gas for cooking and generating electricity.

The project will also generate energy from the productive use of animal waste from the abattoir through biogas technology.

The technology, according to the UNIDO national project coordinator, Edward Awafo, would assist the country in managing its waste.

Edward Awafo added that the idea is to use Kumasi as a model for the other abattoirs in the country.

He said a feasibility study conducted at the abattoir shows that it generates 80 tonnes of waste per day which includes the rumens, darn, and other kinds of solid waste.

He told TV3 the Korean delegation will arrive in Ghana on the 3rd of May to finalize the discussion with Ghanaian contractors and stakeholders and construction will begin the week after.

The Kumasi biogas project would be replicated across the country and the West African sub region in the not-too-distant future, according to the UNIDO project coordinator.

The gas to be generated from the waste at the slaughterhouse could be used in singeing the fur of animals.

This would help the abattoir cut down on cost used to purchase LPG. It will also discourage the use of car tyres which has been condemned as unhealthy for meat consumers.

The Kumasi abattoir spends over GHc 34,000 monthly on LPG for singeing the fur of animals. When completed, 430 cubic metres of biogas would be generated per day using the solid waste.

Other components of the project include training and capacity building of workers of the abattoir. The Kumasi Abattoir Biogas Plant Project will serve as a case study for enrolling out similar across the country.