Determination and prediction of biogas production potential from selected biomasses as alternative renewable energy source in Sapele, Nigeria

Energy is a serious crisis in Nigeria due to insufficient generation and increasing population, which cost the nation an estimated $26 billion annually. The search for alternative source for power generation is receiving attention especially the use of biomass as a renewable energy source. This paper employed three selected biomasses: Pennisetum purpureum, Polyscias balfouriana and Breynia nivosa for biogas generation. The biomasses were subjected to physiochemical analysis, employing mono and co - digestion biochemical techniques at 20–37 °C. Results showed that the moisture content and volatile solid ranged from 62.11 to 83.72 % and 65.99–87.79 % respectively. The carbon and nitrogen content were 26.25–45.61 % and 0.99–2.19 % respectively while the energy content varied between 13.95 and 17.21 kJ. The mean volume of biogas for mono and co-digested samples were 14,337.20 mL and 19,820.81 mL respectively. The maximum cumulative composition of methane for mono–digested and co-digested samples were 54.6 and 75.3 % respectively. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal varied between 50 and 68 % for mono-digested and was above 80 % for co-digested samples. The samples used in this work is sustainable, ecofriendly and has the potentials to serve as an alternative and renewable energy source to solve energy crisis in Nigeria.