Barriers to the Growth and Implementation of Biogas Technology: The Kenyan Experience

Abstract

Households in sub‐Saharan Africa predominantly rely on biomass energy for cooking, which has negative impacts on health and the environment. Biogas technology presents a promising alternative for developing nations like Kenya, yet its adoption faces multiple barriers at both individual and systemic levels. The study aims to investigate the obstacles to biogas development and adoption in Kenya. Thirty‐two (32) biogas experts from the renewable energy, biogas, and government & policy sectors were randomly selected for the study. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to prioritize the main barriers, with reliability ensured through a consistency ratio (CR < 0.1). Findings revealed high participant understanding and involvement, with economic factors being identified as the most significant barrier (weight = 0.4163). Other challenges included technical (0.3541), societal (0.0859), infrastructural (0.0734), and policy‐related issues (0.07040). Lack of awareness about biogas benefits emerged as the top sub‐criterion (0.4960), followed by poor distribution infrastructure (0.4286) and technician availability (0.4278). In conclusion, the study found that enhancing technical support, improving infrastructure, and raising awareness about the benefits of biogas are crucial for its wider adoption. The study recommends public awareness and educational training programs to improve overall understanding, capacity‐building initiatives to improve technical expertise, and further studies focusing on the exploration of affordable technologies, such as cost reduction methods, scalable production techniques, or localized innovations for rural areas.