Paper details

Title:

IREPA - Biomass for Bioenergy Potential Assessment by a Holistic and Participatory Approach

Author(s):

Winkler, B., Lemke, S., Lewandowski, I.

Document(s):

Abstract:

To spur energy security for sustainable rural development the “Integrated Renewable Energy Potential Assessment” (IREPA) was developed to explore the implementation potential of renewable resources considering the role of energy in diverse rural livelihoods. IREPA was applied in a case study in rural South Africa. Based on a participatory and holistic household and community assessment (i) currently un-utilized bioenergy resources, including animal manures, human faeces, organic wastes and grassland biomass, were assessed; (ii) social, environmental and techno­economic sustainability criteria (social cohesion, food and water security, gender aspects -protection of soil, water and air -operation and maintenance, investment costs) and available construction material were identified; and (iii) appropriate bioenergy technologies were selected with the Analytical Hierarchy Process. A simple plastic plug flow biodigester is considered the most appropriate bioenergy technology resulting in an implementation potential of 942 MWh per year on community level (or 3.5 kWh useable energy per household and day). The holistic and participatory bottom-up IREPA approach encourages the implementation of existing bioenergy potentials to spur access to clean and modern energy in rural areas of developing and emerging economies.

Keywords:

rural development, sustainability criteria, small scale application, implementation, biomass potential

Topic:

Biomass Resources

Subtopic:

Biomass potentials and biomass mobilisation

Event:

23rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

1CV.3.21

Pages:

273 - 281

ISBN:

978-88-89407-516

Paper DOI:

10.5071/23rdEUBCE2015-1CV.3.21

Price:

FREE