-
Evaluating the Energy Requirements for Uganda: Case for Natural Gas
Muwanguzi Judah Bumalirivu Abraham,
Kaggwa Ronald,
Werikhe Aaron,
Ajidiru Rita,
Kandwanaho Jonan,
Guloba Asuman,
Muvawala Joseph
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, July 2021
Pages:
68-77
Received:
24 May 2021
Accepted:
4 August 2021
Published:
23 August 2021
Abstract: About 89 percent of Uganda’s total primary energy consumption is generated through biomass. With the country aspiring to become an upper middle-income country by 2040, the total energy requirement is estimated to be 41,738 MW. Currently, 2,000 MW are being produced and the energy mix is dominated by biomass. With a population projected to be 85 million by 2040, there is an urgent need to increase on the generation capacity and diversify and introduce new alternative renewable sources of energy supply especially at the household level. This study was conducted to assess the extent of energy requirements and usage in the country and challenges that need to be addressed to enable the country transition to clean, more sustainable energy sources, with the focus on natural gas. The overall aim was to identify potential demand for natural gas and readiness for its use in the industry and household level. 227 households were visited and the top 25 energy consuming companies. It was discovered that the average LPG consumption per capita is 0.2 – 0.5 kg/year compared to other sub-Sahara countries with an average LPG per capita consumption of 3 kg/year. Even though 22% of the population can afford LPG at the household level, only 0.8-1% use it due to negative attitude, safety concerns, difficult access and the high initial cost of purchasing the cylinders. All industrial stakeholders are eager and ready to take on natural gas to meet their energy needs as long as the cost/benefit analysis is favourable. The natural gas that will be required to produce 550,0000 tpa of liquid steel by 2024 will be 165-176 million Nm3 per year. The most favourable source of supply of natural gas to Uganda is from Tanzania.
Abstract: About 89 percent of Uganda’s total primary energy consumption is generated through biomass. With the country aspiring to become an upper middle-income country by 2040, the total energy requirement is estimated to be 41,738 MW. Currently, 2,000 MW are being produced and the energy mix is dominated by biomass. With a population projected to be 85 mil...
Show More
-
Response of Coffee Husk Biochar on Growth of Faba Bean on Nitisol and Soil Nutrients
Alemnesh Sisay,
Alemayehu Abebawe
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, July 2021
Pages:
78-85
Received:
28 July 2021
Accepted:
10 August 2021
Published:
27 August 2021
Abstract: Soil fertility depletion and the associated soil acidity has a serious problem to crop production in most highland part of Ethiopia Fortunately, this problems can be reclaimed using biochar as soil improvements which can be sequestered in the soil for several years. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of biochar on soil properties, growth response and nutrient uptake of faba bean. The design employed was a randomized complete block with four replications. The parameters analyzed includes: Trace Metals using DTPA extraction, macronutrient using 1 N ammonium acetate (pH=7) extraction. Dry ashing method was used to determine nutrient uptake of plant samples. The studied soil and plant data were collected, using analysis of variance and treatment means were compared at p value 0.05 probability level using list significant difference test. The results showed that application of biochar significantly improved growth of faba bean and soil nutrient content. The highest values for soil chemical parameters such as available phosphorus and exchangeable cations were obtained from the application of 20 t/h CHB. Similarly, the highest growth performance of faba bean including plant height, leaf number, chlorophyll content, nodulation number, root and shoot biomass, uptake of N, P and K were recorded from biochar-amended soil. From this study, it can be suggested that the application of biochar could be an alternative promising amendment to lime for acid soil management and sustainable crop production. But, further investigations need to be continued under field conditions across different soil and crop types.
Abstract: Soil fertility depletion and the associated soil acidity has a serious problem to crop production in most highland part of Ethiopia Fortunately, this problems can be reclaimed using biochar as soil improvements which can be sequestered in the soil for several years. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of biochar on soil proper...
Show More
-
Effectiveness of Sugar Industry Organic Wastes in Reducing Soil Compatibility in Soils of Three Ethiopian Sugar Estates
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, July 2021
Pages:
86-95
Received:
30 July 2021
Accepted:
17 August 2021
Published:
27 August 2021
Abstract: Incorporation of sugarcane industry by-products into soil can reduce the susceptibility of soils to compaction. However, the significance of incorporated filter cake and filter cake compost at different soil water contents at the time of compaction using proctor test load is not well documented. In this context, study was conducted at three Ethiopian sugar Estates in 2017 to examine the effect of filter cake and filter cake compost incorporation to three soils different in clay content on soil maximum dry density, total porosity at MDD, critical moisture content under laboratory conditions. Sugarcane residues were added to soils at rates of 0, 7.75 g of residues per kg of soils. The results of the study showed that the maximum dry bulk density with no sugarcane residue added was achieved at 15.94% for light, 25% for medium and 28.6% for heavy clay. Filter cake incorporated at the rate of 30 t ha-1 reduced the soil compactibility induced by proctor test load at water content of 0.7 PL for light clay soils, 0.97 PL for medium clay and at water content of 0.98 PL for the heavy clay soils. In all three soil types at 0 t ha-1 and 30 t ha-1 residue application levels, the total porosity attained a minimum value at critical moisture content and critical moisture content for the maximum dry density increased as the clay content increased. Filter cake and filter cake compost reduced the maximum dry density of heavy clay soil by 4 and 27.6%, respectively, as compared to the control. Nevertheless, this residues increased total porosity at critical moisture content, respectively, by 2.44 and 46.9% over the control for heavy clay soils. Therefore, it can be concluded that sugarcane residue was most effective in reducing soil compactibility at moisture content less than PL compared to water content higher than PL. Moreover, filter cake compost was more effective in reducing soil compactibility than filter cake. Finally, the study recommended that the heavy machineries operation during sugarcane seedbed preparation and harvesting; shall be made when soil moisture is below 0.60, 0.9 and 0.91 PL, respectively, for light, medium and heavy clay soils and after treating the soil with either filter cake or filter cake compost tentatively. Nevertheless, in order to give conclusive recommendation further research studies are needed for more soil clay levels for the case of filter cake compost and more rates for both sugarcane residues.
Abstract: Incorporation of sugarcane industry by-products into soil can reduce the susceptibility of soils to compaction. However, the significance of incorporated filter cake and filter cake compost at different soil water contents at the time of compaction using proctor test load is not well documented. In this context, study was conducted at three Ethiopi...
Show More
-
Performance Evaluation of Locally Designed and Produced Parabolic Solar Cooker
Samuel Jacob Aliyu,
Chiebuka Timothy Nnodim,
Kazeem Rasaq Adebayo,
Adedayo Aaron Banji
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, July 2021
Pages:
96-106
Received:
12 January 2021
Accepted:
19 January 2021
Published:
27 August 2021
Abstract: Despite being able to supply beyond energy required for global use, the sun is still being greatly under-utilized possibly due to the availability of alternative sources of energies which are finite, costly, and far more hazardous. The aim of this research work is to seek better ways of utilizing the luminous flux (luminous energy emitted per second) or power from solar radiation, which is renewable, pollution free and which is freely available to mankind to generate heat or power required for cooking and for related needs of a cooker. The solar cooker, which is a family size type was designed (with the design specification temperature of 180°C) which was constructed and tested between the periods of 9.00 am and 4.00 pm during sun shine days. The maximum temperature attained was 140°C. The parabolic solar cooker has four panel booster reflectors (with rectangular plane mirrors on each booster reflector) each of which is detachable and a mechanical device is provided to constantly tilt the reflectors in the azimuthally direction so as to track the sun. These reflectors reflect the sun rays which falls incident on it to a focal point which give solar energy of high intensity. A known size pot was positioned with aid of a potholder on the focal point. The use of the parabolic cooker will help tremendously in the conservation of fossil fuel energy. However, on the sunny and cloudless days, the cooker can work effectively for various cooking purposes at almost the same rate as the conventional stoves. The efficiency of the cooker was determined and recorded. Finally, the cooker could be more efficient if the entire reflector surfaces of the cooker can be able to radiate heat energy from all its surfaces to the focal point. The cooker could be used for cooking on sunny days and in areas where electricity availability is questionable in terms of supply.
Abstract: Despite being able to supply beyond energy required for global use, the sun is still being greatly under-utilized possibly due to the availability of alternative sources of energies which are finite, costly, and far more hazardous. The aim of this research work is to seek better ways of utilizing the luminous flux (luminous energy emitted per secon...
Show More
-
Genetic Diversity Analysis for Agronomic Characteristics of Kabuli Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Genotypes at Central Ethiopia
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, July 2021
Pages:
107-111
Received:
5 August 2021
Accepted:
17 August 2021
Published:
31 August 2021
Abstract: Chickpea is one of the important pulse crop next to faba bean and common bean in terms of area coverage and production in Ethiopia. It is usually grown as a source of cash, protein, maintaining soil fertility, used for animal feed and as fuel. Low genetic diversity, poor resistance against major diseases and abiotic stresses are major constraints in achieving high yield potential. Forty-nine kabuli chickpea experimental materials were studied at Debre Zeit and Akaki, Ethiopia with the objective of estimating genetic divergence among the genotypes and clustering them into genetically divergent class using multi-variate analysis technique in 2020 cropping season. Cluster analysis showed the 49 genotypes grouped into three clusters and one solitary. This implies that the genotypes used for the study were moderately divergent. The maximum distance was found between clusters II and IV followed by cluster III and IV. The minimum distance was found between cluster II and I. The first four principal components with eigenvalues greater than one explain about 74.3% of the total variation. genotype DZ-2012-CK-0290 from cluster I for grain yield and number of primary branch, DZ-2012-CK-0242 for high biological yield from cluster II; DZ-2012-CK-0249 for seed size from cluster III; DZ-2012-CK-0309 for early flowering and maturity from cluster III and DZ-2012-CK-0291 for number of seeds per pod, number of seeds per plant could be utilized in hybridization program for kabuli chickpea improvement.
Abstract: Chickpea is one of the important pulse crop next to faba bean and common bean in terms of area coverage and production in Ethiopia. It is usually grown as a source of cash, protein, maintaining soil fertility, used for animal feed and as fuel. Low genetic diversity, poor resistance against major diseases and abiotic stresses are major constraints i...
Show More
-
Evaluation of the 3rd Generation of Backcrosses and Its Parents of Two Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Cultivars for Salt Tolerance
Dheya Buttrus Yousif,
Adel Salim Hadi,
Samer Muhammed Ahmed
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, July 2021
Pages:
112-115
Received:
24 May 2021
Accepted:
13 August 2021
Published:
31 August 2021
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted during the winter season of 2017-2018 at the Center of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Al-Tuwaitha Research Station (30 km south east of Baghdad) to evaluate the performance of two bread wheat genotypes at the 3rd backcross generation with their parents, cv. Furait, Barka and Iraq under saline field condition (12dSm-1). The objective of this study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of different backcrosses and its parents in targeted field condition, on grain yield and its components of bread wheat. Results showed that the two generations of (Furait x Baraka) and (Furait x Iraq) were significantly exceeded their parents and gave the highest values of spikes m-2 (207.0, 196.3), grain spike-1 (37.0, 39.0), 1000 seed weight (34.3, 33.3g) and grain yield m-2 (244.4, 242.7g), respectively. Phenotypic variation and the percentage of broad sense heritability for plant height, tillers m-2, grains spike-1, 1000 seed weight and grain yield m-2 were the highest compared with the value of environmental variation, and emphasized the important of genotypic variation and the ability to improve the desirable quantitative traits and reflects the high percentage of heritability.
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted during the winter season of 2017-2018 at the Center of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Al-Tuwaitha Research Station (30 km south east of Baghdad) to evaluate the performance of two bread wheat genotypes at the 3rd backcross generation with their parents, cv. Furait, Barka and Iraq under saline field condition (12dSm-1)...
Show More