ZEF | ERA-SOLMAB: New project on waste management and energy generation in Mali

New Project: ERA-SOLMAB – Energy recovery and cleaner groundwater: techno-economic and environmental assessment of municipal solid waste management in the city of Bamako, Mali

The city of Bamako in Mali is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa and today has more than two million inhabitants. ITT (University of Applied Sciences Köln), the Center for Development Research (ZEF / University of Bonn), the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (Mali) and the University of Tlemcen (Algeria) are working on the joint project ERA-SOLMAB.

The ITT team will first work with colleagues from the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako to empirically investigate the initial situation. It will also research the economic, social and environmental impacts. ZEF is responsible for studying groundwater in the project and developing solutions to improve cleanliness. Along with the :Metabolon Institute of the TH Köln, various possibilities for the energetic use of the existing residues are to be derived in a further step. It is planned to built a biogas plant at the university in Bamako. This is to be operated with biowaste from the canteen and tested in long-term experiments. An overarching goal of the project is to strengthen international relations and extensive knowledge transfer among the project partners involved.

The Project manager at ZEF is Navneet Kumar. The duration of the project is from 2021-2024. The funder is the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Read articles on the project here [in German]:

In Deutschland selbstverständlich, doch in der Millionenstadt Bamako (Mali) nicht mehr als eine Vision (Das Entsorgungsmagazin)

Verbundprojekt in Mali Abfall als erneuerbare Energiequelle nutzen (Energy 4.0)

Mali: Abfall als erneuerbare Energiequelle nutzen – Internationales Verbundprojekt der TH Köln (Africa live)

More information

Source: Center for Development Research (ZEF), 16 August 2021