IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v17y2024i11p2591-d1403296.html

Opportunities and Barriers to Biogas Adoption in Malawi

Author

Listed:
  • Regina Kulugomba

    (Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), Private Bag 303, Blantyre 312225, Malawi)

  • Harold W. T. Mapoma

    (Department of Physics and Biochemical Sciences, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), Private Bag 303, Blantyre 312225, Malawi)

  • Gregory Gamula

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, School of Engineering, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), Private Bag 303, Blantyre 312225, Malawi)

  • Richard Blanchard

    (Centre for Renewable Energy and Science and Technology (CREST), Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, Leicestershire, UK)

  • Stanley Mlatho

    (Physics and Electronics Department, University of Malawi, Zomba P.O. Box 280, Malawi)

Abstract

Malawi has the potential to explore the utilization of biogas technology. The technology has existed in the country for decades. However, the uptake has been lower than expected. Further, there has been a high rate of dis-adoption of the installed systems. To deal with the problem, this study explored the opportunities and barriers to biogas technology to enhance biogas adoption and utilization in Malawi. Qualitative research methods using key informant interviews were employed to collect the data from biogas adopters, dis-adopters, potential adopters, and experts. A total of 22 households and 6 experts were interviewed. The findings of the study show that the country has opportunities for biogas adoption and utilization. The most mentioned opportunities were livestock farming practices, constraints to access to reliable energy sources, associated benefits of biogas technology, and land holding. However, the adoption of the technology has faced several challenges. Commonly cited barriers were the high installation and maintenance costs, inadequate feedstock, inappropriate dissemination approaches, lack of training after installation services and expertise, lack of reliable water sources, absence of ownership, lack of cooperation amongst institutions involved in biogas promotion, lack of a coordinating body for institutions involved in biogas dissemination, lack of standards, and socio-cultural factors. To overcome the challenges, strategies were identified, and these include the provision of incentives, loans and subsidies, provision of technical support services, having demonstration sites, employing suitable dissemination approaches, co-digestion or diversification of raw materials, awareness campaigns, and collaboration amongst sectors involved in biogas dissemination.

Suggested Citation

  • Regina Kulugomba & Harold W. T. Mapoma & Gregory Gamula & Richard Blanchard & Stanley Mlatho, 2024. "Opportunities and Barriers to Biogas Adoption in Malawi," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:11:p:2591-:d:1403296
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/11/2591/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/11/2591/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ghimire, Prakash C., 2013. "SNV supported domestic biogas programmes in Asia and Africa," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 90-94.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Admore Samuel Chiumia & Betchani Tchereni & Hope Baxter Chamdimba & Benjamin L. Robinson & Mike Clifford, 2025. "Diagnosis of Socio-Economic Prospects and Constraints for Household Biogas Adoption: A Case of Lizulu Market in Ntcheu District of Malawi," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-22, May.
    2. Regina Kulugomba & Harold W. T. Mapoma & Gregory Gamula & Stanley Mlatho & Richard Blanchard, 2025. "Understanding People’s Intentions Towards the Adoption of Biogas Technology: Applying the Diffusion of Innovation Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-13, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ni, Ji-Qin, 2024. "A review of household and industrial anaerobic digestion in Asia: Biogas development and safety incidents," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    2. Rahman, Md. Mizanur & Hasan, Mohammad Mahmodul & Paatero, Jukka V. & Lahdelma, Risto, 2014. "Hybrid application of biogas and solar resources to fulfill household energy needs: A potentially viable option in rural areas of developing countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 35-45.
    3. Dávid Nagy & Péter Balogh & Zoltán Gabnai & József Popp & Judit Oláh & Attila Bai, 2018. "Economic Analysis of Pellet Production in Co-Digestion Biogas Plants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Garfí, Marianna & Martí-Herrero, Jaime & Garwood, Anna & Ferrer, Ivet, 2016. "Household anaerobic digesters for biogas production in Latin America: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 599-614.
    5. Kelebe, Haftu Etsay & Ayimut, Kiros Meles & Berhe, Gebresilasse Hailu & Hintsa, Kidane, 2017. "Determinants for adoption decision of small scale biogas technology by rural households in Tigray, Ethiopia," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 272-278.
    6. Tavera-Ruiz, C. & Martí-Herrero, J. & Mendieta, O. & Jaimes-Estévez, J. & Gauthier-Maradei, P. & Azimov, U. & Escalante, H. & Castro, L., 2023. "Current understanding and perspectives on anaerobic digestion in developing countries: Colombia case study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    7. Wang, Xuemei & Yan, Rui & Zhao, Yuying & Cheng, Shikun & Han, Yanzhao & Yang, Shuo & Cai, Di & Mang, Heinz-Peter & Li, Zifu, 2020. "Biogas standard system in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 1265-1273.
    8. Emma Lindkvist & Maria T. Johansson & Jakob Rosenqvist, 2017. "Methodology for Analysing Energy Demand in Biogas Production Plants—A Comparative Study of Two Biogas Plants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-20, November.
    9. Francis Kemausuor & Muyiwa S. Adaramola & John Morken, 2018. "A Review of Commercial Biogas Systems and Lessons for Africa," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-21, November.
    10. Ketuama, Chama Theodore & Roubík, Hynek, 2025. "Exploring the causes of slow biogas energy transition in rural areas of Cameroon: A technological innovation systems approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    11. Syed M Amir & Yonggong Liu & Ashfaq A Shah & Umer Khayyam & Zafar Mahmood, 2020. "Empirical study on influencing factors of biogas technology adoption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan," Energy & Environment, , vol. 31(2), pages 308-329, March.
    12. Yasmin, Nazia & Grundmann, Philipp, 2019. "Adoption and diffusion of renewable energy – The case of biogas as alternative fuel for cooking in Pakistan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 255-264.
    13. Samira Salam & Rehena Parveen & S.M. Nasim Azad & Md. Abdus Salam, 2020. "Understanding the Performance of Domestic Biodigesters in Bangladesh: A Study from Household Level Survey," Business and Management Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 6(2), pages 2739-2739, December.
    14. Jegede, A.O. & Zeeman, G. & Bruning, H., 2019. "Evaluation of liquid and solid phase mixing in Chinese dome digesters using residence time distribution (RTD) technique," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 501-511.
    15. Ouyang, Wei & Liang, Chen & Zhou, Yang, 2026. "Back to the hearth: Unraveling the triple nexus of population aging, income descent, and regressive energy transition in rural households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    16. Sidahmed Sidi Habib & Shuichi Torii, 2024. "Biogas as Alternative to Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Mauritania: An Integrated Future Approach for Energy Sustainability and Socio-Economic Development," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-18, April.
    17. Abiodun O. Jegede & Grietje Zeeman & Harry Bruning, 2019. "Development of an Optimised Chinese Dome Digester Enables Smaller Reactor Volumes; Pilot Scale Performance," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-15, June.
    18. Cheng, Shikun & Li, Zifu & Mang, Heinz-Peter & Huba, Elisabeth-Maria & Gao, Ruiling & Wang, Xuemei, 2014. "Development and application of prefabricated biogas digesters in developing countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 387-400.
    19. Roopnarain, Ashira & Adeleke, Rasheed, 2017. "Current status, hurdles and future prospects of biogas digestion technology in Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 1162-1179.
    20. Abiodun O. Jegede & Grietje Zeeman & Harry Bruning, 2019. "Effect of Mixing Regimes on Cow Manure Digestion in Impeller Mixed, Unmixed and Chinese Dome Digesters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-14, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:11:p:2591-:d:1403296. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.