Dr. Siphila Wanjiku Mumenya
A research team led by Dr. Siphila Wanjiku Mumenya of the School of Engineering, have won a grant from the National Research Fund to develop novel technologies using selected agricultural waste as inputs to for new construction materials and for environmentally friendly electricity generation. Specifically, the project will:
- Develop innovative and efficient gasification technologies to generate high quality synthetic gas from carefully selected agricultural residue,
- Develop a robust system of how this gas can be deployed for household, institutional and industrial use directly and through electricity generation,
- Develop novel materials (geo-polymers) from the ash by-products of gasification and evaluate their suitability for applications in the construction industry, and finally,
- To investigate the possible use of carefully selected agricultural waste as fibre reinforcement for low cost concrete and for soil stabilization.
Other members of the research team are Dr. Ochuku Mbuya, Prof. S.K. Mwea, Prof. Madara Ogot, Dr. Edward Ontita, Dr. Ernest Odhiambo and Dr. Richard Kimilu of the University of Nairobi, together with Dr. Charles Kabubo of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Dr. Isaiah Omosa of Kenyatta University.
The three year research project, that begun in May 2020, shall also carry out an assessment of the economic viability of the proposed technology innovations, develop robust economic and business models, and propose realistic financing schemes taking into account prevailing market forces and future projections.
