UPTAKEUptake of biogas as a cooking for cooking is expected to increase as industry players, experts, development partners and users push for the development of standards to allow packaging and commercialisation of the same.

Last week, energy actors blamed low uptake of the biogas to lack of standards to promote commercialisation as compared to other cooking technologies notably the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and paraffin.

Francis Ochieng, Thematic Head of Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology (IEET) said compared to cooking technologies, for instance, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and paraffin, biogas even though is in use in some rural households, industrial companies and gated communities, is still low in terms of use countrywide.

“This follows lack of a comprehensive packaging method,” said Ochieng who heads the constituent College of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

During a biogas standard propagation workshop organised by Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) at a Nairobi hotel, participants heard that recently the bureau published KS 2951:2022 standards to regulate farm and industrial scale biogas systems.

“The code of practice gives guidance on planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of farm and industrial scale anaerobic biogas systems,” said Esther Ngari, Kebs director standards development and international trade.