Waste-to-Energy Technologies for Banana Waste: A case for Uganda

In this book various waste-to-energy technologies were evaluated for their suitability in banana waste valorization and energy generation for use in the banana processing industry. The potential ones explored were grouped into three: Thermal (Direct combustion and Incineration); Thermo-chemical (Torrefaction Plasma treatment Gasification and Pyrolysis) and Biochemical (Composting Ethanol fermentation and Anaerobic Digestion). However due to high moisture content of banana waste direct application of either thermal or thermo-chemical waste-to-energy technologies is challenging. Although supercritical water gasification does not require drying of feedstock and can be a promising thermo-chemical technology for gasification of wet biomass such as banana waste it is an expensive technology that is less likely adopted by low developed countries. Biochemical conversion technologies are more eco-friendly and appropriate for waste biomass with high moisture content such as banana waste. Furthermore the benefits as well as the shortfall of each technology were highlighted. Finally potential options for enhancement of anaerobic digestion of banana waste were also elucidated.