A researcher at the Bayelsa State -owned University of Africa, Toru-Orua (UAT), Dr. Faith Ogbole, has made a breakthrough in converting waste to methane gas or biogas which serves as cooking gas.
The research which was funded by the Bayelsa State Government through the Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund (BYEDTF) took over a year to materialize.
The researcher, demonstrated the workings of the biogas plant, when officials of education trust fund visited the University of Africa, Toru-Orua in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
She expressed appreciation to the trust fund for funding her project, production and purification of methane gas from sceptic tanks and other environmental wastes like plantain peals, animal dung and grasses.
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The researcher explained that the plant is locally fabricated and accepts wastes of all kinds, which are then grinded and poured into a specially built air-tight tank to generate gas.
She added that thereafter, the waste is then passed through a purifier and ends as methane gas that can be used for cooking, amongst other uses.
Ogbole said the high cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and the need to create jobs and wealth for the university and the state, propelled her work.
She said it also serves as a way of eradicating waste and improving the environment.
The researcher interacted with the Vice Chancellor of UAT and acting Chairman of the fund, Prof. Francis Sikoki, who led other members of the scientific research and technology development committee on the project inspection visit.
Prof. Sikoki recalled that the fund in 2024, awarded grants to researchers cutting across the state-owned tertiary institutions, commending the waste to biogas project as the most outstanding.
He stressed that the fund is committed to supporting researches that are commercially viable and providing solutions to problems of the society.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Scientific Research and Technology Development Committee, Chief Evelyn Adombazi said the fund made a good decision in funding the research work, particularly the biogas oroject.
She encouraged the lead researcher to further improve on the project, to make it affordable and accessible to most homes, as pocket friendly options will attract commercial patronage.
The team also inspected the progress of other projects funded through the trust fund, such as the Bayelsa larvae project and the separation of cyanide from environmental waste.
