Challenges and Solutions for Biogas Production from Agriculture Waste in the Aral Sea Basin

Abstract

Energy plays an essential role in the modern society and can serve as one of the vital parameters of socio-economic development. Despite developments in technology, over three billion persons living in rural parts of the low- and middle-income countries continue to cover their energy needs for cooking through traditional ways by burning biomass resources. This paper as a case study focuses on the Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan, possessing a well-developed agricultural production with high livestock numbers and intensive crop production. The manure of the livestock farms is not used efficiently and the energy supply of the farms depends primarily on centrally produced gas and electricity. Some areas are not yet connected to the gas grid. Agriculture causes huge environmental damages in its current form. The benefit of biogas production would therefore be fivefold: (1) local energy source, (2) mitigation of environmental impacts, (3) reducing CH4-emissions, (4) producing organic fertilizer as a side product and (5) additional earnings for farmers.

TOWS analysis for sustainable ecotourism development and state support during the pandemic: The Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan

“…Weaknesses Strengths 1 Absence of regional integration of tourism in Central Asia (Saidmamatov, Rudenko, Baier, Khodjaniyazov, 2021) 1 Popularity of surrounding destinations: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Nukus 2…”

The Nexus between Agriculture, Water, Energy and Environmental Degradation in Central Asia—Empirical Evidence Using Panel Data Models

“…The energy blackout happened in January 2023 is evidence for the fact that that the whole energy system and its infrastructure are in an emergency situation [67]. One of the reasons behind this energy failure is high concentration on fossil-fuel based energy generation, especially in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, that leads to increased CO 2 emissions [65,68]. To diversify and decarbonize the energy portfolio of CA, renewable energy generation is the most feasible approach to decrease the pressure on fossil-fuel dependency for energy generation [37].…”

Solid and Liquid Waste in Manjai-Kotu: A Potential Source of Energy for Agriculture and Households in the Serekunda Area (The Gambia)

“…In addition, most modelling studies estimate that electricity (per unit) generated from waste-to-energy (WtE) typically emits fewer health-related air pollutants (also fewer greenhouse gases), burning fossil fuels (e.g., coal) (Cole-Hunter et al, 2020). The benefits of recycling waste for energy production include increased agricultural productivity (Saidmamatov et al, 2021).…”