Estimating bioenergy potentials of common African agricultural residues

Asking a bioenergy researcher about the composition of wheat straw, he would know it by heart. But if enquiring about typical African biomasses – it would be another case. Until now, biomasses common to African countries have not received the same scientific attention as biomasses from Europe, North America or Brazil.

For that reason, it is difficult to estimate bioenergy potentials in the African region. As a part of an on‐going research collaboration investigating production of 2g biofuels in Ghana, this study have analysed 13 common African agricultural residues: yam peelings, cassava peelings, cassava stalks, plantain peelings, plantain trunks, plantain leaves, cocoa husks, cocoa pods, maize cobs, maize stalks, rice straw, groundnut straw and oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB).

This was done to establish detailed compositional mass balances, enabling estimations of accurate bioenergy potentials for bioethanol and biogas. Furthermore, biomasses high in specific biomass constituents, such as hemicellulose or lignin, have been identified for future biorefinery applications.