Conversion of Cow Dung, Sewage and Agricultural Waste as Source of Renewable Energy for Electricity and Heat Generation, A Review

Authors

Keywords:

Anaerobic Digestion, Biogas, Electricity, Heat Energy, Renewable Energy

Abstract

Biogas is a renewable, combustible fuel produced when micro-organisms breakdown organic matter such as animal manure, sewage, food-scraps or agricultural waste in an oxygen free environment or surrounding (anaerobic digestion). This renewable energy can be used as an alternative source for electricity and heat generation in our homes, office and industry. The biogas consists of four compartments processes namely; hydrolysis, fermentation, acetogenesis and methanogensis. Embrassing the biogas technology will encourage innovative breakthrough in energy generation to compliment the National Grid of electricity supply to consumers and reduce high cost of power generation at various station. The total electricity energy generated from natural gas and hydro-power in Nigeria amount to about 40,959 MWh which is not enough compared to the demand of electricity. Utilizing the waste from plant and animal that pollute and block our drainage system using the innovative anaerobic digester technology will increase the energy generation. The waste from our suck-way, cow dung and agricultural produced can be easily converted to renewable combustible fuel for lighting, cooking gas and heat for incubation centre when properly manage with anaerobic digestion technology. Also, the by-products from anaerobic digestion showed traces of emission of harmful gases such as hydrogen sulphide, carbon-monoxide. Meanwhile, the presence of carbon(iv)oxide as by-product is useful to plant during Photosynthesis. This will increase plant growth and improve agricultural waste as a component for biogas production. The biogas technology will reduce high cost of electricity and compressed natural gas consumption by citizen.

Dimensions

Alrowais, R., Said, N., Al-Otaibi, A., Hatata, A.Y., Essa, M.A. and Abdel, M. M. (2023). Comparing the effect of mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion for sustainable biogas production: An experimental and recurrent neural network model study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 392, 136248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136248

Chinh, H.D., Anh, H. and Hieu, N.D. (2021). An IoT based Condition Monitoring System of Biogas Electrical Generator for Performance Evaluation. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Research in Intelligent and Computing Annals of Computer Science and Information Systems, 27, 7–11.

Debora, M., Paolo, C., Claudia, C., Giulia, C. and Pasquale, A. (2023). Production of Biogas and Biomethane as Renewable Energy Sources: A Review. Appl. Sci. 13, 1-27.

Devi, M.K., Manikandan, S., Oviyapriya, M., Selvaraj, M., Assiri, M.A., Subbaiya, R. Karmegam, N., Ravindran, B., S.W. Chang, S.W. and Awasth, M.K. (2022). Recent advances in biogas production using Agro-Industrial Waste: A comprehensivereview outlook of Techno-Economic analysis. Bioresource Technology, 363, 127871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127871

Hayyat, U., Khan, M.U., Sultan, M., Zahid, U., Bhat, S.A. and Muzamil, M. (2024). A review on dry anaerobic digestion: Existing technologies, performance factors, challenges, and recommendations. Methane, 3(1), 33–52. https://doi.org/10.3390/methane3010003

Ibro, M.K., Ancha, V.R. and Lemma, D.B. (2024). Biogas Production Optimization in the Anaerobic Co-digestion Process: A Critical Review on Process Parameters Modeling and Simulation Tools. Journal of Chemistry, Article ID 4599371, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/4599371

Ishak, C. and Ahmet, M.C. (2023). Analysis of Biogas Sources in the Context of Renewable Energy; Erzurum Province as an Example. Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 32(4), 3053-3062.

Keene, M., John, M., Edward, R. and Venkataraman, V. (2021). Biogas a Sustainable Source of Clean Energy in Sub Saharan Africa: Challenges and Opportunities, Journal of Applied Material Science and Engineering Research, 5(1),1-6.

Krzysztof, P., Agnieszka, A. P. and Jacek, D. (2025). Biogas as renewable energy source: A brief overview. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 26(7), 408-416.

Mahmoodi, E., M., Mockaitis, G., and Rafiee, M. R. (2022). Dynamic optimization of volatile fatty acids to enrich bio-hydrogen production using a deep learning neural network biomass conversion and bio-refinery 14, 8003-8014.

Pilarski, K., Pilarska, A.A., Kolasa-Więcek, A. and Suszanowicz, D. (2023). An agricultural biogas plant as a thermodynamic system: A study of efficiency in the transformation from primary to secondary energy. Energies, 16(21),7398. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16217398

Pradeshwaran, V., Sundaramoorthy, V. and Saravanakumar, A. (2024). A comprehensive review

on biogas production from food waste: Exploring cutting-edge technologies and innovations. Biomass and Bioenergy, 188, 107336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107336

Sher, F., Smjecanin, N., Hrnjić, H., Karadza, A., Omanović, R., Sehović, E. and Sulejmanović, J. (2024). Emerging technologies for biogas production: A critical review on recent progress, challenges and future perspectives. Process Safety and Environmental protection, 188, 834–859.

Tilki, F. and Cicek, E. (2003). Biomass Energy and Energy Forestry. Journal of Kafkas University Artvin Faculty of Forestry. 1(2), 33-38.

Thuan, N.C., Tokihiko, F. and Chau, N.N.V. (2023). Methane Production from Food Garbage Under the Batch and Semi-Continuous Anaerobic Digestion. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 24(4), 264–278.

Published

2026-09-09

How to Cite

Umukoro, E., Serian, D.-O. I., Olukemisola, O. T., Simon, I. E., & Okoedion, P. (2026). Conversion of Cow Dung, Sewage and Agricultural Waste as Source of Renewable Energy for Electricity and Heat Generation, A Review. Nigerian Journal of Physics, 35(S), 103-108. https://doi.org/10.62292/njp.v35(s).2026.718

How to Cite

Umukoro, E., Serian, D.-O. I., Olukemisola, O. T., Simon, I. E., & Okoedion, P. (2026). Conversion of Cow Dung, Sewage and Agricultural Waste as Source of Renewable Energy for Electricity and Heat Generation, A Review. Nigerian Journal of Physics, 35(S), 103-108. https://doi.org/10.62292/njp.v35(s).2026.718

Most read articles by the same author(s)