TY - JOUR
T1 - Current understanding and perspectives on anaerobic digestion in developing countries
T2 - Colombia case study
AU - Tavera-Ruiz, C.
AU - Martí-Herrero, J.
AU - Mendieta, O.
AU - Jaimes-Estévez, J.
AU - Gauthier-Maradei, P.
AU - Azimov, U.
AU - Escalante, H.
AU - Castro, L.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors are particularly grateful to the industry-academia partnership program of the Royal Academy of Engineering , U.K., and the Newton Fund Institutional Links for funding and support. We would like to thank the Faculty of Engineering and Environment of the University of Northumbria in the U.K. and the Escuela de Ingeniería Química of the Universidad Industrial de Santander in Colombia. Authors are also grateful to Gematech S.A.S for its technical support and advice. We thank Santiago Rincón for his collaboration and support in conducting surveys and gathering information. Claudia Tavera-Ruiz and Jaime Jaimes-Estévez thank the postdoctoral and doctoral program of the Ministerio de Ciencia, tecnología e Innovación of Colombia for funding.
PY - 2023/3/1
Y1 - 2023/3/1
N2 - Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology has become increasingly important due to its contribution to sustainability and a circular bioeconomy. While AD technologies are widespread in developing countries, developed countries have mainly driven research. The aim of this research is to analyze the biogas sector development from the point of view of a developing country like Colombia. AD research ranges from laboratory mesophilic AD to psychrophilic full-scale digesters, which are intergrated with household farms as a thermal energy source for cooking, nutrient recycling for agriculture, and waste management. Research on agricultural waste substrates, inocula, and co-digestion has dominated the Colombian publications, while full-scale digesters performance research is incipient. A survey of installed digesters collected information about 996 systems and found that 79% were psychrophilic low-cost tubular digesters. Regulations for biogas were reviewed, and it was found that they are not adequate for low-cost digesters and are inherited from developed countries, ignoring the national context. Five case studies are presented on the characterization of AD technology experiences, analyzing barriers and opportunities for the technology. National networks that include farmers, NGOs, and academia are driven slowly by Colombia's widespread AD technology, mainly on small-to medium-scale farms.
AB - Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology has become increasingly important due to its contribution to sustainability and a circular bioeconomy. While AD technologies are widespread in developing countries, developed countries have mainly driven research. The aim of this research is to analyze the biogas sector development from the point of view of a developing country like Colombia. AD research ranges from laboratory mesophilic AD to psychrophilic full-scale digesters, which are intergrated with household farms as a thermal energy source for cooking, nutrient recycling for agriculture, and waste management. Research on agricultural waste substrates, inocula, and co-digestion has dominated the Colombian publications, while full-scale digesters performance research is incipient. A survey of installed digesters collected information about 996 systems and found that 79% were psychrophilic low-cost tubular digesters. Regulations for biogas were reviewed, and it was found that they are not adequate for low-cost digesters and are inherited from developed countries, ignoring the national context. Five case studies are presented on the characterization of AD technology experiences, analyzing barriers and opportunities for the technology. National networks that include farmers, NGOs, and academia are driven slowly by Colombia's widespread AD technology, mainly on small-to medium-scale farms.
KW - Biogas
KW - Developing country
KW - Household digester
KW - Policies
KW - Psychrophilic anaerobic digestion
KW - Renewable energy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85143879064&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.rser.2022.113097
DO - 10.1016/j.rser.2022.113097
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85143879064
SN - 1364-0321
VL - 173
JO - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
JF - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
M1 - 113097
ER -
