Gilbert Twizere is identified as a secondary-school student involved in constructing a biogas chamber from school sanitation waste. With guidance from teachers, he and fellow students built a digester that produced methane for cooking and could run a generator. Their work exemplifies Rwanda’s pursuit of locally developed renewable-energy solutions in response to energy shortages and deforestation.
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The Story
Gilbert Twizere was a secondary-school student in Rwanda who participated in an unusual energy project. Working with fellow students and receiving technical guidance from teachers, he helped build a biogas chamber connected to the school’s toilets. The students used basic tools, including pickaxes, shovels, and wheelbarrows, to excavate the chambers.
The system consisted of three chambers: a main digester, an exit chamber for excess water, and a compost chamber for solid waste. Bacteria broke down the waste and produced methane gas, which was piped to the school kitchen for cooking. The gas could also run generators and reduce the school’s reliance on firewood and petrol.
The initial cost of the chamber was seven million Rwandan francs, or approximately US$14,000, but energy savings eventually recovered the investment. The school created a private company to produce biogas chambers for the market, hired recent graduates, and planned to build more systems across Rwanda. Twizere’s project therefore connected student initiative, technical education, and renewable-energy entrepreneurship.
Gilbert Twizere is identified as a secondary-school student involved in constructing a biogas chamber from school sanitation waste. With guidance from teachers, he and fellow students built a digester that produced methane for cooking and could run a generator. Their work exemplifies Rwanda’s pursuit of locally developed renewable-energy solutions in response to energy shortages and deforestation.
Continue exploring
The Story
Gilbert Twizere was a secondary-school student in Rwanda who participated in an unusual energy project. Working with fellow students and receiving technical guidance from teachers, he helped build a biogas chamber connected to the school’s toilets. The students used basic tools, including pickaxes, shovels, and wheelbarrows, to excavate the chambers.
The system consisted of three chambers: a main digester, an exit chamber for excess water, and a compost chamber for solid waste. Bacteria broke down the waste and produced methane gas, which was piped to the school kitchen for cooking. The gas could also run generators and reduce the school’s reliance on firewood and petrol.
The initial cost of the chamber was seven million Rwandan francs, or approximately US$14,000, but energy savings eventually recovered the investment. The school created a private company to produce biogas chambers for the market, hired recent graduates, and planned to build more systems across Rwanda. Twizere’s project therefore connected student initiative, technical education, and renewable-energy entrepreneurship.
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