ENERGY FROM BIOMASS & BIOGAS :
MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IN KENYA
OPPORTUNITIES FOR BIOENERGY SOLUTIONS IN THE KENYAN
SUGAR INDUSTRY
Patrick Mugenya
Engineering Manager - South Nyanza Sugar Company Ltd
OVERVIEW
The energy sources in Kenya consist of;
•
Wood-fuel and other biomass - 68%
- mainly fuel-wood and charcoal used in
households, institutions & SMEs
•
Petroleum
- 22%
- Wholly dependent on imports; for transportation,
industrial/commercial use, etc.
•
Electricity
- 9%
•
Others (coal, etc.)
- 1%
OVERVIEW
Available biomass energy resources include;
•
Wood – harvested or waste streams
•
Biomass waste/residue – MSW, agro-
processing/industries, animal/human waste
•
Sugar or starch crops – for bioethanol
production
•
Vegetable oils and animal fats – for biodiesel
production
ELECTRICITY
•
•
There is a steadily
increasing demand for
electrical energy in the
country. Currently the
installed electricity
generating capacity is as
given in the table.
74.5% of generation in
FY2012/2013 was from
renewable resources, with
fossil fuels taking up the
balance of 25.5%
Source of Electric Power
Generation
Installed
Capacity
(MW)
Capacity %
Hydro
761
49.63%
Fossil Fuels
525
34.24%
Geothermal
198
12.91%
Bagasse Cogeneration
26
1.70%
Wind
Isolated Grid
Total
5.45
0.36%
18
1.17%
1,533
100%
ENERGY & KENYA VISION 2030
•
Kenya’s development plan under Vision 2030
anticipates rapid increase in energy demand arising
from economic & social activities that will be
undertaken.
•
Peak electricity demand is expected to rise from
1,350MW in 2013, to 3,400MW by 2015 and 5,359MW by
2017.
•
To meet this demand, new generation capacity of
5,000MW needs to be developed by 2016.
•
It is anticipated that peak demand will be 18,000MW in
2030 against installed capacity of 24,000MW.
ELECTRICITY & KENYA VISION 2030
•
The bulk of this generation capacity is expected to
come from fossil fuel sources, geothermal, nuclear,
wind and solar.
•
There is however opportunity for bioenergy to
contribute significantly towards meeting this demand
•
According to the Ministry of Energy Survey carried out
in 2007, the Kenyan sugar industry has potential to
generate up to 200MW of electricity for export, from
biomass cogeneration.
•
This will also help factories drive down he costs of sugar
production
BIOENERGY POTENTIAL IN KENYAN SUGAR INDUSTRY
•
There are 11 operating sugar factories in the country
currently,
•
One more (Kwale International Sugar Company) is due
for commissioning later this year
•
All factories generate process steam and power required
for own use from bagasse.
•
Only one factory (Mumias) is currently producing surplus
power for export.
•
There is thus a lot of excess bagasse being generated by
the factories.
BIOENERGY POTENTIAL IN KENYAN SUGAR INDUSTRY
•
In 2012 a total of 5.8 million tons of sugarcane was
crushed, producing
- 502,600 tons of sugar
- 222,800 tons of molasses, and
- about 1.9 million tons of bagasse
•
Molasses from the 10 factories is sold to three operating
distilleries in the country, and the rest to farmers as animal
feeds.
•
Other waste materials include filter press-mud (used in
cane fields) and liquid effluent (treated and discharged
into the river)
Factory
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Mumias Sugar Company
www.mumias-sugar.com
South Nyanza Sugar Company
www.sonysugar.co.ke
Chemelil Sugar Company
www.chemsugar.co.ke
Nzoia Sugar Company
www.nzoiasugar.com
Muhoroni Sugar Company
www.musco.co.ke
West Kenya Sugar Company
Kibos Sugar & Allied Industries
www.kibossugar.co.ke
Capacity
(TCD)
8600
3000
3000
3000
2200
2500
800*
8 Butali Sugar Mills Ltd
9 Sukari Industries Ltd
10 Transmara Sugar Company
www.transmarasugar.kbo.co.ke
2500
1500
1250
11 Soin Sugar Company
100
SATELLITE AERIAL VIEW OF HEAP
SATELLITE VIEW OF EXCESS BAGASSE AT SONYSUGAR
FACTORY
SONYSUGAR’S BIOENERGY EXPERIENCE
•
Established in 1976, South Nyanza Sugar Company is located
in the Migori County of Kenya.
•
From the sugar production process, the company generates a
number of by-products and wastes (throughout the year) that
can potentially be used for energy production;
bagasse, molasses, filter press-mud, and waste-water
•
Only bagasse is currently used for energy production through
cogeneration.
•
Process steam and electricity are generated for in-house use
only (4 MWel), and therefore up to 32,000 tons of excess
bagasse per annum is left unused.
•
Two boilers that were installed in 1979.
SONYSUGAR’S BIOENERGY EXPERIENCE
•
A low pressure (22bar, 360oC) steam cycle is used, to
generate electricity and exhaust steam at 1.5bar
used for process energy requirements
•
During 2012/2013 crushing season, a total of
17.1GWh of electricity was generated and
consumed.
•
In addition, 3.6GWh of energy import from the grid
was used (to supply to residential estate).
•
Plans are underway to venture into commercial
cogeneration as well as ethanol production.
COGENERATION
SonySugar has concluded feasibility study for a
21MW bagasse-fired cogeneration plant, with
15MW of electricity for export, on firm basis.
• Plant will be based on high pressure (87bar, 515oC)
steam system.
• Fuel will come from the 1 million tons of cane to be
crushed per annum.
• Power evacuation will be through a 132kV Substation to be built next to the factory by KETRACO.
•
SONYSUGAR COGENERATION SITE
Proposed Power Plant Site is shown
on the RHS while the existing 11kV
Sub-station (to be upgraded to
132kV) is on the bottom LHS corner
ETHANOL PRODUCTION
•
Feasibility study for 35-kilolitres per day (KLPD)
ethanol distillery utilising molasses from the
sugar plant has been completed.
•
Environmental Impact Assessment study is
underway.
•
The plant will run on energy derived from waste
materials of the distillery and bagasse.
•
Incineration of distillery spent wash will produce
process steam and 1.5MW of electricity.
BIOGAS POTENTIAL
•
Filter press-mud, another waste product of the
sugar process can be used to produce biogas
to generate electricity.
•
A pre-feasibility study in 2011 indicated up to
470kW could be generated from the 18,600
tons of press-mud produced per annum.
BIOGAS POTENTIAL
•
Potential supplemental substrates
can come from domestic waste
and sewage generated by the over
900 families that reside within the
estate.