2. Research Stay in Kenya
Academic Breakthroughs: BIOVARYA Research Stay Advances Joint Publications and Conference Posters
Between April 18 and May 2, 2026, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) researcher Joshua Ngetuny completed the second official BIOVARYA research stay in Kenya. This intensive two-week mission at the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) yielded significant academic milestones, focusing on the finalization of a comprehensive joint research paper and the official acceptance of project findings at a major international energy conference.
A primary objective of the stay was a series of technical consultations between Joshua Ngetuny and senior scientists at TU-K. The team focused on a joint research paper providing a data-driven assessment of the current status and future biogas potential in Kenya. The upcoming publication analyzes regional feedstock availability, evaluates specific local substrate characteristics, and maps out the methane yields across different Kenyan counties. By identifying these localized energy potentials, the paper establishes the vital scientific baseline required to inform policy and guide the next phase of the BIOVARYA research collaboration. The manuscript is currently undergoing final preparations and is on track for official submission by mid-June 2026.
In a major milestone for the project, key findings from this collaborative research have already been compiled into a conference poster and submitted to the prestigious European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE 2026) in The Hague, Netherlands. The project team is delighted to announce that the submission has been officially accepted for a poster presentation! This platform will allow the BIOVARYA team to present their joint German-Kenyan research findings to a global audience of leading bioenergy experts, policymakers, and scientists. A detailed update on the upcoming EUBCE 2026 presentation will be published on our website shortly.
Beyond the publication work, the research stay directly benefited the next generation of bioenergy experts at TU-K. Mr Ngetuny conducted targeted mentoring sessions with final-year undergraduate and master’s students who are currently writing their theses on biogas technologies. A central element of this training focused on determining biogas potential using the newly procured Automatic BMP Analyzer at TU-K. Drawing from extensive practical experience with identical experimental setups at THI, Mr Ngetuny provided technical guidance on experimental methodologies, data logging, and baseline calibration.
