Sensor-enabled Household Biodigester: A Student-driven IoT Prototype

Authors

André Nitze, Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Dietmar Wikarski, Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Emmanuel Yeri Kombe, Kenyatta University, Kenya

Jasper Ondulo, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya

Alice Chesambu Ndiema, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya

Tim Siebert, Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Max Zboralski, Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Published in

IST-Africa 2026 Conference Proceedings

ISSN: 2576-8581

ISBN: 978-1-905824-76-2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.67725/IST-Africa.2026.VRYG4521

Publisher

IST-Africa Institute and IIMC International Information Management Corporation Ltd

Published in Ireland

Abstract

Biogas offers a renewable energy source for rural households. However, many small-scale digesters exhibit unstable yields due to a lack of process monitoring and control. This paper presents the design and evaluation of a small-scale household biodigester equipped with an IoT (Internet of Things) sensor system integrating an ESP32 microcontroller with low-cost sensors for methane concentration, slurry temperature and pH value, and gas-side environmental conditions. Data is transmitted to a cloud backend and visualized in real time through a web dashboard. The construction and evaluation of the prototype system was undertaken as a cooperative students' project within a long-term international collaboration between a Kenyan and a German university. The digester was constructed from accessible materials and operated with cow dung substrate over a four-week test period. The project demonstrates that low-cost hardware combined with IoT monitoring can produce a functional educational biodigester prototype. It further highlights potential for rural energy applications and international collaboration in digital agriculture.

Keywords

Biogas; Household Biodigester; IoT Monitoring; ESP32; Methane; Bioslurry; pH Sensing; Digital Agriculture; Smart Agriculture; International University Collaboration

Cite this paper

A. Nitze, D. Wikarski, E. Yeri Kombe, J. Ondulo, A. Chesambu Ndiema, T. Siebert and M. Zboralski (2026) "Sensor-enabled Household Biodigester: A Student-driven IoT Prototype", IST-Africa 2026 Conference Proceedings, Miriam Cunningham and Paul Cunningham (Eds), IST-Africa Institute and IIMC, 2026, ISSN: 2576-8581, ISBN: 978-1-905824-76-2, https://doi.org/10.67725/IST-Africa.2026.VRYG4521

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