BUEA, CAMEROON — Two towns in Cameroon have installed biogas systems to turn human waste into sustainable energy that can provide fuel and electricity for local communities.


The project was initiated by Bioenergy-Cameroon, a non-governmental youth organization. Local students, especially female students, are trained on how to install and maintain innovative technology systems such as solar power and biogas mechanisms.


According to Reuters, the system includes a septic tank, which is connected to a bio-digester at individual households. Human waste placed in the septic tank is converted into biogas inside the bio-digesters, which release energy into people’s homes for cooking and lighting.


Reuters reports that more than 3,000 households and local schools in the towns of Buea and Bamenda have installed the biogas system. The Center for Environment and Development, an NGO in Cameroon, estimates that the biogas project may reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the vicinity by up to 60 percent.