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Forecasting the potential and economic feasibility of power generation using biogas from food waste in Ghana: Evidence from Accra and Kumasi

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  • Cudjoe, Dan
  • Nketiah, Emmanuel
  • Obuobi, Bright
  • Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson
  • Adjei, Mavis
  • Zhu, Bangzhu

Abstract

Global environmental change is driven by food production. Biogas from food waste is a better source of clean energy. Ghana’s energy strategy targets a 10% increase in renewable energy and modern biomass in the national electricity generation mix. Studies on the assessment of electricity generation potential and economic feasibility of biogas to electricity projects in Ghana’s major cities are scarcely available. This study assesses the electricity generation potential of biogas from food waste through anaerobic digestion technology. The municipal solid waste generation potential of Accra and Kumasi was estimated from 2020 to 2039. The potential theoretical methane yield from food waste was calculated using Buswell’s equation. The study analyzed anaerobic digestion projects’ economic feasibility using the total life cycle cost, net present value, investment payback period, levelized cost of energy, and internal rate of return methods. A sensitivity analysis based on two scenarios (optimistic and pessimistic) was performed to analyze the influence of changes in the composition of food waste, per capita waste generation rate, population growth rate, per capita GDP growth rate, discount rate, capacity factor, electricity generation efficiency, waste collection efficiency, and methane production potential on the economic feasibility of the projects. The main findings indicate that the amount of waste generation in Accra during the project life cycle is 899,000 t/y to 3,359,000 t/y, while that of Kumasi is 915,000 t/y to 3,159,000 t/y. The power generation potential of the project in Accra ranges from 80.43 to 300.49 GWh/y, and in Kumasi ranges from 60.63 to 209.31 GWh/y. Economically, the project is feasible in Accra and Kumasi. The net present value of the project in Accra and Kumasi is $217,800,000 and $156,100,000. The sensitivity analysis shows that the project is infeasible in all the cities with a discount rate exceeding 20%. When the discount rate exceeds 20%, the project becomes highly infeasible in Accra compared to Kumasi. This study will offer itself as scientific guidance for investment in biogas to electricity projects in Ghana’s cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Cudjoe, Dan & Nketiah, Emmanuel & Obuobi, Bright & Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Adjei, Mavis & Zhu, Bangzhu, 2021. "Forecasting the potential and economic feasibility of power generation using biogas from food waste in Ghana: Evidence from Accra and Kumasi," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:226:y:2021:i:c:s0360544221005910
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2021.120342
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    1. Cudjoe, Dan & Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson, 2024. "Assessment of the determinants of residents’ participation in local waste-to-energy projects in China: The case of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    2. Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Asamoah, Ama Nyarko & Nketiah, Emmanuel & Obuobi, Bright & Adjei, Mavis & Cudjoe, Dan & Zhu, Bangzhu, 2023. "Reducing waste management challenges: Empirical assessment of waste sorting intention among corporate employees in Ghana," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    3. Sandylove Afrane & Jeffrey Dankwa Ampah & Ephraim Bonah Agyekum & Prince Oppong Amoh & Abdulfatah Abdu Yusuf & Islam Md Rizwanul Fattah & Ebenezer Agbozo & Elmazeg Elgamli & Mokhtar Shouran & Guozhu M, 2022. "Integrated AHP-TOPSIS under a Fuzzy Environment for the Selection of Waste-To-Energy Technologies in Ghana: A Performance Analysis and Socio-Enviro-Economic Feasibility Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-31, July.
    4. Lyu, Zhengwei & Lan, Hongjie & Hua, Guowei & Cheng, T.C.E. & Xu, Yadong, 2024. "How to promote Chinese food waste-to-energy program? An evolutionary game approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    5. Obuobi, Bright & Zhang, Yifeng & Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Nketiah, Emmanuel & Grant, Martin Kobby & Adjei, Mavis & Cudjoe, Dan, 2022. "Fruits and vegetable waste management behavior among retailers in Kumasi, Ghana," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    6. Mairi J. Black & Amitava Roy & Edson Twinomunuji & Francis Kemausuor & Richard Oduro & Matthew Leach & Jhuma Sadhukhan & Richard Murphy, 2021. "Bottled Biogas—An Opportunity for Clean Cooking in Ghana and Uganda," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-14, June.
    7. Nketiah, Emmanuel & Song, Huaming & Obuobi, Bright & Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Adjei, Mavis & Cudjoe, Dan, 2022. "Citizens' willingness to pay for local anaerobic digestion energy: The influence of altruistic value and knowledge," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    8. Dan Cudjoe, 2023. "Energy-economics and environmental prospects of integrated waste-to-energy projects in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(11), pages 12597-12628, November.
    9. Nketiah, Emmanuel & Song, Huaming & Gu, Tao & Adjei, Mavis & Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Obuobi, Bright, 2024. "How willing are residents to accept sustainable energy from food waste generated by anaerobic digestion projects?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).

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