This paper examines common barriers limiting the implementation of small-scale biogas systems in rural Southern Africa through a literature study and a case study of six small-scale biogas digesters installed in Maputo province in Mozambique. The study strives to understand why the implementation rate of small-scale biogas systems in rural Southern Africa is so limited despite favourable conditions. The literature study identified several common barriers to the successful implementation of small-scale biogas in rural Southern Africa related to financial, technical, socio-cultural, and institutional issues. The case study results show that only one digester was operational, and five failed and were abandoned. Low technical ability of constructors results in poor-quality installations. Lack of technological know-how and local capacity for operation and maintenance of digesters are primary reasons for the failure of the digesters. Possible solutions are to intensify research, demonstration, dissemination and application of small-scale biogas; adapt the design of biogas digesters to the local context, meeting the needs of users and using locally available materials; sharing knowledge and information about small-scale biogas technology and its potential would contribute to improving the rate of successful implementation in Southern Africa. © 2024, Scanditale AB. All rights reserved.

The digitalisation of tertiary education and interest in online learning have been growing for over a decade, making it a growth sector for universities. Patel et al. (2023) define online learning as education that involves the full capabilities of current technologies to provide an experience of immersed learning and meaningful communication among students and between students and instructors.  Students now request more flexible forms of blended or online distance education that suit their lifestyle and preferred learning method (Maguire et al., 2020).   To meet students' expectations, university lecturers must learn how to teach in an online, virtual environment and learn new methods for course design, teaching, communication, and assessment of students. This study aims to identify critical factors for online distance education by interviewing lecturers in a Swedish international online Master’s program in engineering. The results were analysed using the Community of Inquiry framework to identify critical factors in online distance education.

This study investigates the benefits and limitations of small-scale biogas technology at the household level in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. A literature study and a case study were done to explore if small-scale biogas production is a viable source of electricity in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. The results show that using cattle manure as feedstock requires a daily substrate flow of 750 L of the diluted substrate, i.e. 250 kg of manure and 500 L of water for a 24-hour electricity supply, using a 2-kW generator. This requires a minimum herd size of 25 cattle. Most households don’t have so many cattle. However, a herd of 10 cattle provides enough biogas to power several electrical appliances, significantly improving the household's energy situation. The study concludes that the uptake of biogas technology in Sub-Saharan Africa is slow. Common barriers include inadequate substrate supply, lack of water and variable temperatures, high initial costs, poor technical quality, intense labour operations and maintenance, and insufficient policy support. Improved uptake of biogas technology in Sub-Saharan Africa requires establishing national institutional frameworks and supporting policies, collaboration with the intended users of the technology and local support organisations, ensuring long-term local availability of spare parts and supplies, and, when household-level access to feedstock is limited, centralise biogas systems on the village level to combine feedstock into one production system. © 2024, Scanditale AB. All rights reserved.

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