Renewable Energy for Agriculture

We want to provide renewable biomass energy for farm productivity, specifically pumping water and for transporting farm inputs and outputs to market to boost agricultural production. The end result of which will see a lowering of dependence on fossil fuels, and improving climate resilience for the small holder farmer, and an increased production in agricultural activity for them. In Kenya (and Africa at large) alone, over 80% of the population (over 24 million people in Kenya) rely on small holder farmers, and rely on climate directly for provision of rain water for farming. Creation of dams is expensive and with rainfall dwindling, become less effective.

We propose rehabilitation of ecological areas and pumping water as a solution, among other farming automation machinery uses. These will use renewable energy: biomass, since using vegetation ensures using carbon in a closed cycle (renewable source), and excess vegetation will lock carbon from the air (carbon sequestration). This therefore will save money for the farmer in producing their own energy and provide a new revenue stream for them by selling excess produced renewable energy (biomass gas).

We will undertake our project in 3 phases/steps:

• Biomass generation: Farmers will grow vegetation to be harvested for synthesis gas production. They may also provide waste biomass such as coffee husks, tree pruning & other waste.
• Biomass harvesting: Farmers will, through a cooperative they join, deliver biomass and get paid for their produce.
• Generate and store synthesis gas for use in farm productivity. Excess gas will be sold and farmers will earn dividends based on their input

Gas will be stored in cylinders, similar to those used for storing and supplying Liquid Petroleum Gas.

Here is a graphic that shows how the gas might be used: