Post-installation sustainability of small-scale biogas programs: a mini review conceptual model
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Anaerobic digester technology provides households with gas for cooking and heating while supporting waste management and greenhouse gas mitigation. Many initiatives around the world continue to evaluate success by the number of digesters installed without full knowledge of their operational status or value to beneficiaries. This mini-review focuses on research and reports published between 2005 and 2026 on household-scale anaerobic digesters. Small-scale biogas programs are touted as a renewable energy solution, but their long-term sustainability remains a problem. Much of the literature discusses implementation, but few papers address post-installation challenges. The review found that the technical quality is an important factor leading to the failure (or not) of systems. Continuous access to feedstock for example is essential if the system is to operate; this can be secured through good marketing; but equally a good quality system will in the first place create demand. The ongoing availability of water as both a resource in the biogas process and a consumable is also critical, particularly in dry areas where irrigation is not practicable. This study proposes the Post-Installation Sustainability Model (PISM), an operational synthesis that organizes seven established determinants into four interacting layers, with accountability cutting across them. The PISM treats installation as a transition to continuing service rather than the endpoint of implementation. The central implication is that biogas programs should be financed, monitored and governed as long term energy services rather than one-time technology transfers.
Author: Vhutshilo Nekhubvi
Institution: University of Venda
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
Funder: University of Venda
OpenAlex ID: W7223354638