Field Actions Science Reports www.field-actions-sci-rep.net 1867-139X 1867-8521 2 1 2009 10.5194/facts-2-27-2009 http://www.field-actions-sci-rep.net/2/27/2009/ http://www.field-actions-sci-rep.net/2/27/2009/facts-2-27-2009.html http://www.field-actions-sci-rep.net/2/27/2009/facts-2-27-2009.pdf 27 32 2009-01-22 Biogas production using water hyacinths to meet collective energy needs in a sahelian country O. Almoustapha almoustapha1@yahoo.fr S. Kenfack J. Millogo-Rasolodimby Université de Ouagadougou, Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre (UFR/SVT), Laboratoire de biologie et d'écologie végétales, 03 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso Centre Régional pour l'Eau Potable et l'Assainissement (CREPA), 03 BP 7112 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso This paper presents a pilot project that investigates the possibility of producing biogas from a mixture of water hyacinth and fresh rumen residue – replacing firewood as a source of fuel – to meet the energy needs of a maternity facility in Niamey (Niger). The discontinuous-type installation (batch reactors) is made up of six digesters measuring 5 m3 each. The output during hot and cool seasons, 0.52 m3 and 0.29 m3 respectively of biogas per m3 of digester per day, has met the energy needs of the maternity facility, estimated at 8 m3 of biogas per day. 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