Availability and Energy Generation Potential of Cattle Rumen Content collected from Vegetable Market Abattoir in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a proven technology for treating biomass materials with a view of producing bioenergy and recovering nutrients. Cattle rumen content (CRC) is an example of a waste biomass material that can be a viable feedstock for AD process. This paper accesses the availability and energy generation potential of cattle rumen content (CRC) collected from vegetable market abattoir in Benin City, Nigeria for a ten-year data of slaughtered cattle in Nigeria. Data obtained revealed that an average 99581.303 Metric tons of dry matter from CRC is generated per annum and with a theoretical biomethane yield of 444.90 ml/gVS can potentially generate 420 GW (gigawatts) in form of biomethane annually in Nigeria through the AD process. When compared with other renewable energy sources in Nigeria, it potentially meets 6.44 % supply from other renewable energy sources, and exceeds energy currently being generated from wind and solar sources combined. Anaerobic digestion if deployed is an effective technology to harness the potential that CRC presents Nigeria as a country for affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), clean water sanitation and sustainable communities (SDG 6 and 11), and zero hunger (SDG 2) through soil nutrient enhancement.