Department of Technology and Innovation, Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation, Nairobi, Kenya
Research
Economic Analysis of Biogas Production from Pineapple Waste as Alternative Source of Energy in a Pineapple Processing Plant, Case of Del Monte Kenya Limited
Author(s): Edwin Ochieng Otieno*, Robert Kiplimo and Urbanus N.Mutwiwa
This study assesses the economic feasibility of harnessing biogas derived from pineapple waste as an energy source
within the operations of Del Monte Kenya Ltd (DMKL), a prominent exporter of canned pineapple products.
DMKL operates on a vast expanse of approximately 10,000 acres dedicated to pineapple cultivation. The company’s
processing capacity of 100,000 tons of pineapple yearly produces approximately 23,000 tons of pineapple waste per
year. Currently these wastes are sold to local farmers as animal feed at $20 per ton. A study was conducted at Jomo
Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) that revealed that a ton of pineapple waste has the
potential to generate 7.41 m3/day of biogas. Cost comparative analysis was conducted between employing anaerobic
digester to treat pineapple wastes to generate biogas for usage within the .. View more»