The Study and Design for Demonstration of Biomass Power Plant

Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Ministry of Energy

The Study and Design for Demonstration The Study and Design for Demonstration of Biomass Power Plantof Biomass Power Plant

July 2005

STFE CO.,LTD PANYA CONSULTANTS CO.,LTD.

Prepared by

With Technical Co-operation from Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute,

King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonbuti

Executive SummaryExecutive Summary ReportReport

Acknowledgement

Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE) has contracted the consultant group: STFE Co., Ltd. (the leader) and Panya Consultants Co., Ltd. with co-operation from Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi to study and design for demonstration of biomass power plant. The study has successfully been done and achieved the purposes with good co-operation from all parties. DEDE would like to express its gratitude to Provincial Agricultural Extension Office, District Agricultural Extension Office, Office of the Rubber Replantation Aid Fund, community leaders, owners of pineapple factories and rubber-wood sawmills, farmer group leaders and farmers of pineapple, and cassava in Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, as well as other people and organizations which cannot be exhaustively mentioned here. All well co-operate in providing data, recommend what are beneficial for the study, and facilitate us during our field data collection of crop residues, and during field tests. Our gratitude is also extended to the head, the secretary and officials of Thambon Administration Organization in Nonglalork, Laharn, Maenam Ku, and Pluakdang who facilitate our work, publicize the project to the community, and constantly participate in the work of this project. DEDE also would like to thank the manager, and the manager of service department of Rojana Industrial Park who provide data and facilitate us during the site survey.

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Executive Summary Report Content

Page

Chapter 1 Introduction 1-1 1.1 Rationale 1-1 1.2 Objectives 1-1 1.3 Scope 1-2 Chapter 2 The Survey of the Crop Residue Data and the Evaluation of Potential 2-1

of Biomass Fuel in the Studied Area 2.1 Introduction 2-1

2.2 The result of survey, and data gathering 2-1 Chapter 3 The Selection of Alternative Locations for the Power Plant 3-1 3.1 The procedure for selection of alternative locations 3-1 3.2 Criteria for selection of alternative locations 3-1 3.3 The result of the study 3-2 Chapter 4 Data Collection of Crop Residues and the Estimation of the Fuel 4-1 Potential in 50 kilometer Area Around the Power Plant Sites 4.1 The scope of the study 4-1

4.2 Methods of data collection and estimation of fuel potential 4-1 4.3 The study result 4-3

Chapter 5 The Study on Physical and Chemical Characteristics of 5-1 Crop Residue 5.1 Physical characteristics 5-1

5.2 Chemical characteristics 5-1 Chapter 6 The Selection of the Appropriate Power Plant Locations 6-1

6.1 Criteria, factors and variables for the selection 6-1 of power plant locations

6.2 The result of the selection of power plant locations 6-5 Chapter 7 The Study of Technology for Biomass Power Plant 7-1 7.1 Biomass characteristics 7-1 7.2 Problems and limitations of biomass fuel 7-3 to the use of energy-generation technology

7.3 Technology for biomass energy generation 7-3 7.4 The selection of the alternative technologies 7-5

Chapter 8 Power Plant Design for the Targeted Locations 8-1

8.1 Process and procedure of power plant design for the targeted 8-1 locations

8.2 Conceptual design 8-2

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Content (continued)

Page

8.3 Basic design 8-2 8.4 Detail design 8-2

Chapter 9 Initial Environmental Examination 9-1 9.1 Existing environment 9-1 9.2 Initial environmental examination 9-1 9.3 Environmental mitigation measures and monitoring programs 9-3 9.4 Conclusion and suggestion 9-3 Chapter 10 Assessment of Investment Feasibility and Estimation of Fuel Costs 10-1 Chapter 11 Public Relations and Public Participation 11-1 11.1 Objectives 11-1 11.2 Project area and target group 11-1 11.3 Activities 11-1 11.4 Results of attitudes survey 11-1 11.5 Results of local forums 11-1 11.6 Results of seminar on the study and design for demonstration 11-2 biomass power plant 11.7 Summary of public relations and public participation 11-3 Chapter 12 Conclusion and Recommendations 12-1 12.1 Conclusion 12-1 12.2 Recommendations 12-3

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Table Page

Table 2.2-1 The harvesting area and the yield of crops whose residue are 2-2 to be use as fuel, of the cultivating year 2002/2003 Table 2.2-2 The gross technical potential of the studied residues, of the cultivating 2-4 year 2002/2003 Table 2.2-3 The net available potential of crop residues in the studies area, 2-6 of the cultivating year 2002/2003 Table 2.2-4 The seasonal availability of each crop residue in the studied area 2-7 Table 4.3-1 The comparison of macronutrients from various sources in a 4-6 crop cycle when the residues are ploughed on the soil and when all residues are removed out of the cultivating area Table 4.3-2 The fuel potential in the area of 50 kilometers around the alternative 4-10 locations Table 4.3-3 Fuel cost structure 4-15 Table 4.3-4 The comparison of the cost of fresh fuel and the ready-to-be-used 4-17 fuel for the power plant Table 4.3-5 The cost of fresh pineapple trash with 73.71% moisture content 4-18 Table 4.3-6 The cost of pineapple trash (73.71% moisture content) and the cost of 4-18

pineapple trash (19.16% moisture content) which is ready to be used as the fuel

Table 5.1-1 Bulk density of residuess (before and after pretreatment) 5-1 Table 5.2-1 Analysis results of pineapple trash, leave and stem samples after harvest 5-2 Table 5.2-2 The comparative analysis results of fresh pineapple trash samples after 5-3

keeping for 2 new shoots and pre treated samples Table 5.2-3 The Comparative analysis results of bole of cassava stems and 5-4 cassava stems Table 5.2-4 Analysis results of pretreated cassava stem and bole of cassava stem 5-5 samples Table 5.2-5 Analysis result of fresh off-cut and saw dust 5-6 Table 6.1-1 Factors, variables and scoring to evaluate technical appropriateness 6-2 of alternative locations Table 6.1-2 Factors, variables and scoring to evaluate environmental appropriateness 6-3 of alternative locations Table 6.1-3 Factors, variables and scoring to evaluate the community acceptability of 6-4 alternative locations Table 6.2-1 Summary of appropriateness evaluation of the alternative locations and 6-5 ranking of location appropriateness Table 7.1-1 The characteristics of pineapple trash ready to be used as the power plant fuel 7-2 Table 8.2-1 Summary of conceptual design and financial analysis of the 8-3 10 prospective patterns of the power plant Table 8.3-1 Summary of basic design and financial analysis of the 6 alternative patterns 8-5

of power plant Table 8.4-1 Calculation result of heat balance diagram of detail-designed power plant 8-6 Table 9.2-1 Summary of level of environmental impacts due to bio-mass plant 9-2

in project area

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Figure

Page

Figure 3.3-1 Shows the topography and specific characters of the 4-public land 3-3 locations which met the criteria of location and energy feasibility Figure 4.2-1 The method of determination of the fuel potential in the 50 kilometers 4-2 area around the 4 feasible power plant locations Figure 7.1-1 Procedure of the study of technology for biomass power plant 7-1 Figure 8.1-1 Process and procedure of power plant design for the targeted locations 8-1 Figure 8.4-1 Heat balance diagram of detailed designed power plant 8-7 Figure 8.4-2 Location of the power plant in rojana industrial park 8-8 Figure 8.4-3 Power-plant layout 8-9 Figure 8.4-4 Main flow diagram of the power plant 8-10

Executive Summary Chapter 1 The Study and Design for Demonstration Introduction of Biomass Power Plant

Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, Ministry of Energy 1 - 1

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Rationale Thailand is a predominant agricultural country where there is a lot of crop residue after harvesting and processing produce. One appropriate way of utilizing the crop residue is using them as fuel of electricity generation and in cogeneration system in factories. The surplus electricity may be sold to Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) as a small power producer (SPP). In year 2000, Thailand had pineapple cultivating area about 6 hunderd thousand Rai1 It yielded pineapples around 2.3 million tons. The approximated pineapple trash after cultivation was 9.5 million tons. A kilogram of dried pineapple trash with about 6 % moisture content has heating value of 3,900 kilocalories (Department of Alternative Energy Development and Effeciency, 2001). So that the bole of cassava stems and rubber-wood waste as well as other crop residues can also be used as co-fuels. However, there are some limitations on the technology of generating electricity by using biomass, and at present researches and demonstrations on the appropriateness of using residues from crops as fuel for electricity generation and in cogeneration system have not yet been studied. If there were a study on the technology, a demonstration and a promotion of using pineapple trash, boles of cassava stems, rubber-wood waste and other crop residues as fuel, the consumption of fossil fuel which results in environmental impacts would decrease. This also helps conserve energy to achieve the goal of the energy development, which corresponds to the 9th National Economic and Social Development Plan, National Science and Technology Development Plan, and item 2.4.3 of the government’s policy, which is related to the expidition of surveys and the development of internal and external energy resources to meet the demand, stability, quality and reasonable price, under item 2.4 Energy Policy. 1.2 Objectives

1) To find the appropriate technology of electricity generation with pineapple trash as the primary fuel and other crop residues as the secondary fuel 2) To evaluate the economic appropriateness for investment 3) To initially examine environmental impacts from using biomass as fuel for electricity generation 4) To have people and organizations in the community participate in the study 5) To conduct the detail design of biomass power plant using pineapple trash as fuel and its equipment 1

1 Rai equals 1,600 square meters.

Executive Summary Chapter 1 The Study and Design for Demonstration Introduction of Biomass Power Plant


1.3 Scope 1) To gather and study the data of crop residue to be used as fuel in the studied area: Rayong, Chon Buri, and Chanthaburi. 2) To analyze the physical and chemical characteristics of the crop residues: pineapple trash, boles of cassava stem, and rubber-wood waste. 3) To assess the potential for electricity generation from the crop residues in the studied area. 4) To survey, gather and interpret data to evaluate the potential and availability of the crop residues in the 50 kilometer area around the targeted location of the power plant. 5) To find the appropriate technology for the use of the crop residues as fuel. 6) To study and evaluate the economic and financial feasibility. 7) To initially examine the environmental impacts. 8) To make the public relation, accept comments, and promote the participation of the community. 9) To conduct detail design of the biomass power plant.

Executive Summary Chapter 2 The Study and Design for Demonstration The Survey of the Crop Residue Data and of Biomass Power Plant the Evaluation of Potential of Biomass Fuel in the Studied Area


Chapter 2 The Survey of the Crop Residue Data and

the Evaluation of Potential of Biomass Fuel in the Studied Area

2.1 Introduction The study and design for demonstration of biomass power plant has been scoped its studied crop residues to be used as the fuel to pineapple trash, boles of cassava stems, and rubber wood waste, in the studied area of Chon Buri, Rayong, and Chanthaburi. The study determines pineapple trash as the primary fuel, boles of cassava stems and rubber-wood waste as the supplementary fuel. In addition, residue of other economically predominant crops in the studied area: sugarcane, rice, oil palms, and field corn, are studied to be used as the backup fuel. The procedure of survey, study and gathering data of the crop residue and the evaluation of biomass potential is as follows: 2.2 The result of survey, and data gathering 2.2.1 The harvesting area and the yield of crops whose residue are to be us as fuel The harvesting area and the yield of crops whose residue are studied to be use as fuel in Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi of the cultivating year 2002/2003 are presented in Table 2.2-1. 2.2.2 Annual residue production in the studied area

The estimation of gross technical potential of the studies residues the cultivating year 2002/2003 is showed in Table 2.2-2.

1. Studying the overall conditions of the studied area

2. Scoping types of crop residues to study their potential to be used as biomass fuel

3. Studying, surveying, and gathering data of crops, producing technology, and other essential data.

4. Gathering the data of cultivating area, harvesting area, yield of the crops which residues are to be used for the power plant, and comparing the data from other

5. Estimating of annual residue production in the studied area (Gross Technical Potential: GTP) and analyzing the uncertainties of the estimation in order to be able to use the appropriate data

6. Estimating the quantity of the crop residues available for the power plant

(Net Available Potential: NAP)

7. Studying seasonal availability of the fuel

8. Summarizing the energy potential of the crop residue in the studied area (Net Available Energy Potential: NAEP)



Table 2.2-1 The harvesting area and the yield of crops whose residues are to be use as fuel, of the cultivating year 2002/2003.

Province

/District Harvesting area Yield Harvesting area Yield Cut-down area Yield Harvesting area Yield Harvesting area Yield Harvesting area Yield Harvesting area Yield

(Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton)

Chon BuriMuang - - 5,300 11,130 - - 6,624.0 35,107.2 7,530 3,012 - - - -Banbung 2,000 14,650 42,140 165,821 28.7 916.8 75,080 581,119 16,880 7,596 6,500 18,850 - -Banglamung 6,580 46,060 58,760 205,660 36.6 1,169.6 - - 8,963 3,585.2 - - - -Panadnikom 255 1,020 40,378 129,210 - - 11,200 95,200 86,550 36,351 11 31 - -Pantong - - 60 144 - - 3,050 24,400 12,037 5,055.5 - - - -Sriracha 29,586 232,339 33,050 99,150 102.7 3,286.4 3,040 24,016 880 413.6 80 232 - -Sataheap 615 4,305 2,355 6,217 - - - - 305 152.5 - - - -Nongyai 3,730 30,825 9,763 30,265 552.6 17,683.2 35,100 266,760 1,265 531.3 35,600 110,360 175 123 Bortong 5,332 39,297 27,139 94,987 96.3 3,080 77,038 570,081 6,906 2,762.4 6,950 21,545 1,350 1,148 Korchan sub-district 1,273 8,911 26,783 131,237 - - 27,400 205,500 4,674 1,869.6 - - 2,015 1,370

Total 49,371 377,407 245,728 873,820 816.8 26,136 238,532 1,802,184 145,990 61,329 49,141 151,018 3,540 2,640

Field cornPineapple Cassava Rubber tree Sugarcane Single-crop rice Oil palm



Harvesting area Yield Harvesting area Yield Cut-down area Yield Harvesting area Yield Harvesting area Yield Harvesting area Yield Harvesting area Yield(Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton) (Rai) (Ton)

RayongMuang 425 2,848 8,572 32,514 2,986 95,562 - - 2,480 1,257 - - - -Klang 2,183 14,622 9,332 35,397 3,997 127,907 - - 5,083 2,577 - - - -Bankai 2,959 19,814 5,782 21,932 2,048 65,539 3,322 23,810 12,188 6,179 - - - -Pluakdang 24,964 167,187 16,564 62,826 574 18,368 1,646 11,798 150 76 - - - -Banchang 1,723 11,538 11,826 44,856 - - - - - - - - - -Wangchan 3,665 24,544 8,738 33,141 2,018 64,560 11,788 84,485 - - - - - -Kaochamao sub-dist. 474 3,176 7,669 29,089 1,661 53,144 179 1,280 595 302 - - - -Nikompattana sub-dist. 24,731 165,625 7,954 30,171 162 5,173 - - 93 47 - - - -Total 61,125 409,354 76,437 289,926 13,445 430,253 16,935 121,373 20,589 10,439 - - - -ChanthaburiMuang - - - - 108 3,462 - - - - - - - -Klung 6 37 - - 813 26,010 - - - - - - - -Tamai 318 1,884 1,809 8,139 1,184 37,875 - - - - - - - -Lamsing - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Makam - - - - 1,086 34,752 - - - - - - - -Pongnamron - - 121,540 546,930 13 414 - - - - - - - -

Soidaw - - 179,737 808,815 346 11,064 - - - - - - - -

Kanghangmaw 704 4,165 74,082 333,370 1,961 62,760 - - - - - - - -Nayaiarm 47 279 102 457 840 26,894 - - - - - - - -Kichakud sub-dist . 4 24 13,599 61,195 318 10,186 - - - - - - - -

Total 1,080 6,389 390,868 1,758,906 6,561 213,418 18,280 158,981 33,058 14,083 - - 31,067 41,537Grand total 111,576 793,149 713,033 2,922,652 20,823 669,806 273,747 2,082,538 199,637 85,850 49,141 151,018 34,607 44,177

Single-crop rice O il palm Field cornPineapple Cassava Rubber tree SugarcaneProvince/district

Table 2.2-1 The harvesting area and the yield of crops whose residues are to be use as fuel, of the cultivating year 2002/2003. (continued).

Source: Provincial Agricultural Extension Offices of Chon Buri, Rayong, and Chanthaburi, 2003. Note : 1/ Field-based residue of oil palm is not studied as there are limitations of heating value and moisture content data. 2/ There is no data of the harvesting area and yield of field corn divided in districts of Chanthaburi province.



Table 2.2-2 The gross technical potential of the studied residues, of the cultivating year 2002/2003. Crop residues

Harvesting area (Rai)

Yield (Ton)

RAR (Ton/Rai) RPR GTPRAR

(Ton) GTPRPR (Ton)

GTPAVG (Ton)

Moisture content

(%) 6/ Residues to be used as fuel: Pineapple trash Boles of cassava stems Cassava stems Rubber tree branch Rubber-wood Off-cut Rubber-wood sawdust Rubber wood’s shaving &eye5/ Residues to be used as backup fuel: Sugarcane’s tip & leaf Bagasse Rice straw Oil palm fiber Oil palm shells Empty fruit branch of oil palm Corn cops

111,576 713,033 713,033 20,8231/

563/

563/

383/

273,747 43/

199,637 13/

13/

13/

34,607

793,149 2,922,652 2,922,652 669,8062/ 484,8204/ 484,8204/ 210,7694/

2,082,538 2,400,0004/

85,850 132,0004/13

2,0004/ 132,0004/

44,177

19.77 0.77 0.99

- - - -

1.27 -

0.42 - - -

0.53

1.85 0.11 0.13 0.54 0.45 0.22 0.50

0.17 0.28 1.20 0.14 0.06 0.20

1.23

2,205,852 549,035 705,903

- - - -

347,659 -

83,848 - - -

18,342

1,467,327 321,492 379,945 361,695 218,169 106,661 105,385

354,031 672,000 103,021 18,480 7,920 26,400

54,337

1,836,589 435,264 542,924 361,695 218,169 106,661 105,385

350,845 672,000 93,434 18,480 7,920 26,400

36,340

84.35 65.09 70.44 41.45 41.45 36.37 36.37

59.43 52.50 20.00 38.50 10.90 58.60

10.95

Notes: 1/ Area where rubber trees are cut down 2/ Rubber-wood yield 3/ Numbers of sawmills and furniture factories 4/ Plant capability

5/ The shavings and eyes of rubber wood from furniture factories are not included in the calculation of the biomass potential as it is applied chemical solutions which have may cause the damage of the power plant boiler.

6/ Moisture content of fresh crop residues Abbreviations

GTPRAR = Gross technical potential of residues (tons per year) calculated from the harvesting area X the Residue to Area Ratios (RAR). GTPRPR = Gross technical potential of residues (tons per year) calculated from the yields X the Residue to Product Ratios (RPR).

GTPAVG = Average GTP RAR = The Residue to Area Ratio (ton per rai) RPR = The Residue to Product Ratio 2.2.3 Net available potential of crop residues

All the crop residues cannot be used as the fuel for the power plant since there are limitations in collecting such as the lack of machines and equipment, physical constraints of the access to the residue source, harvesting methods which obstruct the fuel gathering, environmental impacts, unwillingness of farmers in selling crop residues, scarcity of workforce, and the cost of fuel pretreatment. They are also utilized in other activities. Thus, the quantity of the residues available for the power plant (net available potential, NAP) is estimated from the GTP together with the quantity used in other activities, and limitations the above mentioned factors.

The summary of the NAP of crop residues in the studies area is presented in Table 2.2-3.



2.2.4 Net energy potential of crop residue in studied area In the studied area, the availability of crop residues studied as the primary and supplementary fuel of the power plant are 580,949 ton a year (fresh crops). The figure can be transformed to the power potential of 18.905 MWe. The total power is made up of pineapple trash, which has the highest power potential (8.77 MWe), boles and stem of cassava (4.55 and 3.51 MWe), and rubber-wood waste (1.97 MWe) respectively. There are 77,905 ton a year (fresh crops) of crop residues studied as the back up fuel: sugar cane, rice, oil palm and filed corn residues having the power potential of 7.453 MWe. The top five areas which produce the highest crop residues are Sriracha district (2.81 MWe), Pluakdang district (2.12 MWe), Soidaw district (2.07 MWe), Nikompattana sub-district (2.01), and Klang District (1.65 MWe) respectively. 2.2.5 Seasonal availability of the fuel Table 2.2-4 shows the seasonal availability of each crop residue in the studied area.

Executive Summary Chapter 2 The Study and Design for Demonstration The Study of the Crop Residue Data and of Biomass Power Plant the Evaluation of Potential and Availability of Biomass in the Studied Area


Table 2.2-3 The net available potential of crop residues in the studies area, of the cultivating year 2002/2003

Types of crop residue

Annual residue production in

the studied area (ton/year)

(GTP)

Residue which can be collected

(NSP, Ton a year) GTPX(1-LC)

Residue used in other activities

(UP, % of GTP)

Available fuel for the power plant

(NAP, ton/ year) GTPX(1-LC)X(1-UP)

Residues to be used as fuel: Pineapple trash Boles of cassava stems Cassava stem Rubber tree branch Off-cut of rubber wood Sawdust of rubber wood Residues to be used as backup fuel: Sugarcane’s tops and leaves Bagasse Rice straw Oil palm fibers Oil palm shells Empty fruit branch of oil palm Corn Cops

1,836,625 436,128 543,946 360,761 218,169 106,660

350,845 672,000 93,434 18,480 7,920 26,400 36,340

379,493 109,032 135,986 204,074 218,169 106,660

24,559 672,000 23,359 18,480 7,920 26,400 9,085

0.03 0.03 0.38 1.00 0.90 1.00

0.07 0.98 0.16 0.70 0.00 1.00 0.06

368,108 106,855 84,312

0 21,817

0

22,840 13,440 19,621 5,544 7,920

0 8,540

GTP = Gross Technical Potential, NSP = Net Supply Potential, LC = Limitation of Collection, UP = Utilization Potential, NAP = Net Supply Potential

Executive Summary Chapter 2 The Study and Design for Demonstration The Study of the Crop Residue Data and of Biomass Power Plant the Evaluation of Potential and Availability of Biomass in the Studied Area


Table 2.2-4 The seasonal availability of each crop residue in the studied area

The distribution of the crop residue (percentage) Crop residue Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total Residues to be used as fuel:

Pineapple trash1/ 5.80 7.00 9.45 11.90 9.90 8.05 8.45 9.45 9.60 8.05 7.60 4.85 100 Boles of cassava stems1/ 14.40 14.50 13.30 16.50 8.55 2.55 2.75 2.00 2.05 3.30 6.20 14.10 100 Cassava stem1/ 14.40 14.50 13.30 16.50 8.55 2.55 2.75 2.00 2.05 3.30 6.20 14.10 100 Rubber tree branchs 2/ 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 100 Off-cut of rubber wood2/ 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 100 Sawdust from rubber wood2/ 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 8.33 100 Residues to be used as backup fuel: Sugarcane’s tops and leaves3/ 20.00 20.00 20.00 - - - - - - - 20.00 20.00 100 Bagasse3/ 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 - - - - - - 20.00 100 Rice straw3/ 25.00 25.00 - - - - - - - - 25.00 25.00 100 Oil palms4/ 6.64 8.88 8.88 8.88 8.88 8.88 8.88 8.88 8.88 8.88 6.64 6.64 100 Field corn3/ 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 - - 10.00 10.00 100

Source: 1/ Adapted from the monthly cultivation statistics of Chon Buri and Rayong province from January 2000 to October 2003. The majority of pineapple trash (86%) are available after harvesting pineapples 5 months while the bole and stem of cassava are available just after harvesting. 2/ It is an estimation since rubber trees are cut down all year round. There is no available data of rubber trees cutting down in a particular period of the year. 3/ It is the period of harvesting or processing the sugarcane which is considered as the period of producing residue equally each month. 4/ The activity of extracting oil from oil palms in Nov - Jan is lower than the other period of the year about 20 %.

Executive Summary Chapter 3 The Study and Design for Demonstration The Study of Alternative Locations for the Power Plant of Biomass Power Plant


Chapter 3 The Selection of Alternative Locations for the Power Plant

3.1 The procedure for selection of alternative locations

The procedure of the selection of alternative locations of the power plant can be summarized as follows: 3.2 Criterias for selection of alternative locations The following criterias are used for the selection of the alternative locations.

1) The feasibility of location comprises: (1) The location must be 40 Rai or bigger since the power plant consists of 3 main components: the power plant, the fuel storage, and the water storage. By initially estimation the 3 area sizes, the location for the power plant should not be smaller than 40 Rai. (2) The location must be public land to correspond to the project objectives which aim to build a power plant of the community, or it must be located in the industrial estate area as there will be high demand of electricity and heat, and the area has good administrations and high potential for buying energy from the power plant. (3) It must have fairly good utilities and infrastructure such as electricity system, water system, and transportation.

Survey of many locations in the studied area (public land and industrial estate area)

Alternative locations of the power plant

Initial study of the feasibility of the locations by using 3 major factors: the feasibility of locations, energy demand, and fuel availability.



2) Energy demand (1) In the case of industrial estate areas, the demand of both electricity and heat must be high enough to support the energy generated from the power plant when the plant generates both electricity and heat (cogeneration). (2) In the case of public land, the demand of electricity must be high enough to support the electricity generated from the power plant when the plant generates only electricity (condensing power plant).

3) Fuel availability The availability of the fuel in the area of 50 kilometers radius of each location is the last criteria for selecting locations which meet the criteria 1) and 2) to have the last 4 locations as the alternative locations for the power plant. 3.3 The result of the study

3.3.1 The result of public land study After many locations of public land in the studied area have been studied, we

have come up with the last 4 locations which have met the criteria of location and energy feasibility:

- The overlap public land between Moo 2 and Moo 3 of Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong

- Public land located in Moo 8 near Laharnrai Temple, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong

- Public land located in Moo 8, Thambon Chakdon, Klang District, Rayong - Public land located in Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai

District, Rayong The details of each location are summarized in the Figure 3.3-1

3 - 3

Water resource at site No use area

Location: Overlaping between Moo 2 and Moo 3 of Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong

Area Size: Approx. 59 rai

Land use The public land which now is partially used for pineapple plantation where the rest is no use area.

Water resources: Fish culture pond having size of 10 rai and 3-m-depth. Its water quality needs to be treated prior to use as water supply for the project.

Main access road: 5-km. away from highway number 3143.

Distance from high voltage transmission line

Approx. 2 km.

Plantation area of pineapple The adjacent water resource and rubber trees

Location: Moo 8 near Laharnrai Temple, Thambon Nongralork, Bankai District, Rayong


Land use The public land which now is used for plantation of pineapple and rubber trees.

Water resources: The nearest pond is 400-m away from site having size of 15 rai and 2-m-depth. In the past, this area is used to excavate sand for sale. Its water quality needs to be treated prior to use as water supply for the project.

Main access road: 6.4-km. away from highway number 3138.


Approx. 2 km.

No use area The adjacent water resource

Location: Moo 8, Thambon CHakdon, Klang District, Rayong


Land use The public land which now is partially used for the office of Chankdon Tambon Administration Organization (TAO).

Water resources: The nearest pond is 200-m away from site having size of 5-rai and 3-m-depth. Its water quality needs to be treated prior to use as water supply for the project.

Main access road: 3-km. away from highway number 3163.


Approx. 1.5 km.

Plantation area of papaya and cassava

Location: Moo 3 Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong


Land use The public land which now is used for plantation of papaya and pineapple. Water resources: The nearest pond is 500-m away from site having size of 6 rai and 6-m-depth. Its water quality needs to

be treated prior to use as water supply for the project.

Main access road: 2.3-km. away from highway number 3138.


-

Figure 3.3-1 Shows the topography and specific characters of the 4-public land locations which met the criteria of location and energy feasibility



3.3.2 The result of industrial area study According to the energy demand study of 7 industrial estates/parks in Rayong which have a lot of fuel: (1) Rojana Industrial Park, Bankai District (2) Rayong Industrial Land, Bankai District (3) Rayong Industrial Park, Nikompattana Sub-District (4) Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate, Pluakdang (5) Amata City Industrial Estate, Pluakdang (6) Siam Eastern Industrial Park, Pluakdang and (7) G.K. Land Industrial Area, Pluakdang, we have found that the industrial area which has feasibility to be the alternative location of the power plant is Rojana Industrial Park’s Area, Bankai District for its relatively high demand of the stream for factories, whereas other industrial areas have relatively low demand of the stream or have already been occupied with power plants supplying the stream to factories. The details of Rojana Industrial Park’s area are as follows: Size : 40 Rai The stream demand : 56 ton/hour Water source : The reservoir of the industrial park which can store 1 million cubic-meter of water with the quality of the industrial water Distance from the high-voltage : 50 meters grid line The road to the area : 5 kilometer concrete road connected to the main road 3.3.3 Result of the fuel availability study Public land locations which have met the feasibility of location and energy in 3.3.1 and the location in Rojana Industrial Park, 5 locations altogether, have been initially studied the availability of fuel to have the last 4 alternative locations. The study can be summarized as below:

No. Location The availability of fuel the 50-km.

radius area (Gigajoule)

1 Rojana Industrial Area, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District 1,330,200

2 Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District 1,355,900

3 Moo 2 and Moo 3, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District 1,259,100

4 Moo 8, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District 1,318,000 5 Moo 8, Thambon Chakdon, Klang District 519,200

The study found that the public-land location in Thambon Chakdon has the lowest availability of fuel. Hence, it is not considered as an alternative location of the power plant.



3.3.4 Summary of the selection of alternative locations for the power plant The selected locations of the power plant are as follows: 1) Rojana Industrial Park’s Area, Moo 2, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong, 2) Public land located in Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong, 3) Public land overlapping between Moo 2 and Moo 3, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong and 4) Public land in Moo 8, near Laharnrai Temple, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong.

Executive Summary Chapter 4 The Study and Design for Demonstration Data Collection of Crop Residues the Estimation of the Fuel Potential of Biomass Power Plant in 50 kilometer Area Around the Power Plant Sites


Chapter 4 Data Collection of Crop Residues and the Estimation of the Fuel Potential

in 50 kilometer Area Around the Power Plant Sites 4.1 The scope of the study At this stage the survey, data collection of crop residues and the estimation of the fuel potential are conducted in 50-kilometer area around the 4 alternative power plant locations which are The 1st location in Rojana Industrial Park, Moo 2, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong. The 50-kilometer areas around the site cover 83 Thambon of Chon Buri, Rayong, and Chanthaburi. The 2nd location is public land located in Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong. The 50-kilometer radius area occupies 93 Thambon in Chon Buri, Rayong and Chanthaburi. The 3rd location is public land overlapping between Moo 2 and Moo 3, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong. The 50-kilometer area proximity covers 83 Thambon in Chon Buri and Rayong. The 4th location is public land located in Moo 8, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong. Its studied neighborhood covers 91 Thambon in Chon Buri and Rayong. 4.2 Methods of data collection and estimation of fuel potential 4.2.1 Data collection is composed of: 1) Statistical data collection includes the farmer population, cultivating area, harvesting area, yield of pineapple and cassava in the year 2002/2003 in each thambon; and the number and location of rubber-wood sawmills in the 50-kilometer area around the 4 alternative locations. 2) Field data collection covers: - Interview with farmers and their groups’ leaders who grow pineapple and cassava - Interview with owners of rubber-wood sawmills - Analyse the physical characteristics of crop residues (density); Residues to Product Ratios (RPR); Residue to Area Ratios; and the cost of collecting, transporting, and pre-treatment of the residues. - Study of limitations in residue collection, transportation, and pre-treatment; and a competing application of the residues.

4.2.2 The estimation of fuel potential The method of fuel potential estimation in the 50-kilometer area around the 4

alternative locations are shown in Figure 4.2-1


Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, Ministry of Energy

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Figure 4.2-1 The method of estimation of the fuel potential in the 50-kilometer area around the 4 alternative locations

4.3 The study result 4.3.1 The result of the farmers and sawmill owners’ interview The interview of farmers who grow pineapple and cassava aims to gain the information of the cultivation, the use and disposal of the crop residues, and opinion and obstacles in using the residues as the fuel for power plant. The total informants are 327

Gross technical potential of each thambon (GTP)

Harvesting areas in each thambon x Residue to Area Ratio (RAR)

Yields of each thambon x Residue to Product Ratio (RPR)

Study of limitations in the fuel collection - Equipment constraint - Harvesting method constraint - Environmental impacts - Labor availability - Willingness of selling residues to be used as the fuel

Quantity of fuel collected

Cost of collection and pre-treatment the fuel

Net supply potential (NSP) And supply cost ranges

Determinating of competing application

Possible application

Determinating current utilized and demand price ranges

Possible consumers

Available of biomass fuel

Net available energy potential (NAEPe)

Seasonal availability of fuel



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people comprise of 155 pineapple farmers and their group leaders, and 172 cassava farmers and their group leaders. The interview of the sawmill owners aims to survey the quantity of the residues as well as their utilization and price, and the owners’ opinion on using the residues as the power plant fuel. We have 21 informants from rubber wood sawmills in the area of 50 kilometers around the 4 alternative locations which occupies 26 sawmills. 1) The result of the pineapple-farmer interview The majority of the informants are the members of the pineapple farmer groups (81.3%) whose having average of pineapple cultivating area of 74 Rai each, with the average of 6,879 pineapple plants a Rai and the yield average of 7.1 ton a Rai. All pineapple cultivated is Battavia Variety (pineapple supplied to factories). The period of cultivation and the harvest distributes all year round to correspond to the production plan of canned-pineapple factories. About half of the farmers want to remain the same cultivating area in the future (51.7%). 30.6% will increase their cultivating while 17.7% will decrease. As for transportation of the yield, almost all informants have their own vehicles (92.3%). The majority of them have to hire workers for cultivation and the harvest (96.1%) with both lump and daily paid hire, 120-150 Baht per worker. At present, they face insufficiency of the labor (56.2%) as there is a lack of regular workers for the farm. As for the harvested pineapple plant, most informants keep it for 2-3 new shoots for the next plantation (85% of the cultivating area). Some keep the plant crops for the next harvest (7.2%), and some dispose them after the harvest (7.2%). As for the use of pineapple trash before disposal, it has been found that 49.6% of the informants give for free or sell the stems to the middleman to be sold to the bromelain production factory. 0.8% uses its leaves to make paper, and 49.6% do not use it for any activity. About half of the farmers dispose pineapple trash by shredding it and ploughing it (51.9%). The second method is shredding and burning it (40.5%). The rest (7.6%) uses other methods: ploughing it without shredding, spraying herbicide to make it wilt before burning it, and pulling it out and dispose it. As for the opinion on using pineapple trash as the power plant fuel, most informants are willing to sell pineapple trash to the plant in the reasonable price (98.7%). 64.4% out of the figure would like to have the middleman to collect pineapple trash for the power plant. 26.9% wants to sell pineapple trash directly to the plant. 8.7% can sell it through either way. The middleman who most farmers need him to collect pineapple trash and manage to sell it to the plant is the pineapple farmer group (94.7%). The majority of the informants do not worry for selling their pineapple trash to the power plant as its fuel (95.3%), whereas the minority (4.7%) worries about the loss of soil fertility. 2) The result of the cassava growing farmers’ interview 54.7% of the informants are members of the cassava farmer group; 45.3% are not. The average of cassava cultivating area is 63.2 Rai a person, with the average of 2,320 cassava plants per Rai, and the yield average of 5.05 ton per Rai. The variety which is most widely grown is Rayong 90 (48.5% of the cultivating area), the second to Rayong 90 is Rayong 5 (36.4%). Kasetsart 50 is the third (15.1%). All informants do not utilize boles of cassava stems. Most farmers dispose boles of cassava stems and their stems by ploughing (97.1%). The rest leaves them in the cultivating area until they wilt, then burn them.



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As for the opinion on using boles and stems of cassava as the power plant fuel, almost all informants (99.4%) are willing to sell them to the plant at the reasonable price. Very few informants (0.6%) does not want to sell them as they are going to grow other plants. 63.4% want to have a middleman to collect and sell them to the power plant. 92.2% of this figure would like to have the cassava farmer group be the middleman. The majority of the informants do not worry for selling their boles and stems of cassavas to the power plant as its fuel (95.0%), whereas the minority (5.0%) worries about the loss of soil fertility. 3) The result of the rubber-wood sawmill survey The survey of the 21 rubber-wood sawmills in the area of 50 kilometers around the 4 alternative locations can be summarized as follows The surveyed sawmills have total capacity calculated from the quantity of the log material 1,059 ton a day (254,068 tons a year). The rubber wood is processed to have the output of 539 ton of processed wood a day (126,364 tons a year), 50.92% of the raw material. The process results in the residues, 121 tons of sawdust a day (29,088 tons a year) and the 405 tons of the off-cuts a day (97,200 tons a year). The by-products make up of 11.45% and 38.39% of the raw material respectively. The off-cuts of 170 tons a day (40,776 tons a year) or 41.81% of the overall off-cuts are used as the fuel of the boilers (all are fire-tube boiler) to produce stream for streaming the processed wood. The rest of the off-cuts are kept on pallets to be sold to particle board production factories or to be sold as firewood for 200-900 Baht (the average of 460 Baht) a ton. As for the sawdust, it is kept in its silo to be sold for mushroom cultivation and joss sticks making. The sawdust is sold at the premise 380–600 Baht (the average of 522 Baht) a ton. Presently, all of the occurring rubber-wood off-cuts and sawdust can be sold. When the informants are asked whether they are willing to sell the rubber-wood waste to the power plant and how much they want to sell them, all owners are willing to sell them to the plant in the same price as they sell them at the premise. However, if there is a contract of supplying the residues to the plant for a long period, they think that the price adjustment must be clearly specified. 4.3.2 The study result of the limitations in collecting the fuel and competing use in other activities Factors which are considered in the investigation of the limitations/obstacles in collecting fuel for the power plants are (1) the lack of equipment for collecting the fuel, (2) the physical characteristics of the area which affect the access to the fuel source, (3) The current methods of harvesting, (4) environmental impacts resulting from taking crop residues out of the cultivating area, (5) the unwillingness of the farmers in selling the fuel to the power plant, (6) the labor scarcity in collecting the fuel, and (7) the cost of the fuel pre-treatment before transportation. The chance of the utilization of the residues as the power plant fuel is considered from the quantity of the residues and the demand price whether it is the competitive price the plant can afford. The study can be summarized as follows:



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1) Pineapple trash (1) The limitations in collecting the fuel After the factors of the limitations mentioned above are analyzed, it has been found that the factors of limitations/obstacles in collecting pineapple trash from the cultivating area to be used as the fuel are: - The current methods of harvesting pineapple According to the farmer interview, 85.5% of pineapple trash is kept for 5-6 months for new shoots before disposal. 7.2% are kept for harvesting the fruit in the next crop cycle, and another 7.2% are disposed just after harvesting. A crop cycle of pineapple lasts 15-18 months. In the case of keeping the shoots growing on the plant crop for the next harvest, the crop cycle will become longer, lasting 4-5 years. If the farmers keep the plant crop for growing the shoot for 2-3 cycles, the time of pineapple trash disposal will be postponed for another 5-6 months after harvesting. Therefore, keeping plant crop for new shoot results in the deviation of the annual estimation of pineapple trash production since the harvest and the disposal of pineapple trash do not occur in the same cultivating year when harvesting in the last 5-6 months of the year. The estimation of pineapple trash production would significantly deviate when there is substantial difference between each harvesting area and between the yield of the last 5-6 months of each year. The study reveals that keeping pineapple trash for new shoots makes the quantity of pineapple trash disposed in the year 2002/2003 less than the calculated annual production of pineapple trash in the radius of 50 kilometers around the alternative locations for 112,605 tons or 6.26%. Keeping pineapple plant crop for the next harvest also deviate the actual quantity of pineapple trash disposal from the quantity calculated. Even though the quantity is compensated by that of the last 4-5 year pineapple trash retained for the following crops, there is no clear quantity as there are limitations of the data of harvesting area, yield, as well as the plant crop keeping and retaining habits of farmers in the past. Consequently, the quantity of plant crop retained for the next harvest is the limitation resulting from harvesting methods, triggering the quantity of collected pineapple trash produced in the year 2002/2003 to decrease 7.2%. Thus, pineapple harvesting method make the pineapple trash produced in the year 2002/2003 less than the quantity calculated for 13.46%. - Environmental impacts from removing pineapple trash out of the cultivating area While pineapple is growing, it absorbs nutrients from the soil; some absorbed nutrients are stored in its fruit. The soil loses its nutrients when pineapple is harvested or its shoots are moved out. Cultivating pineapple 6,106 plants per Rai with the yield of 8.8 tons per Rai, the soil loses the macronutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium of 205, 58 and 393 kilograms a Rai respectively (source: calculated by adapted from lecturers of Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agronomy, Kasetsart University, 1999). By ploughing pineapple trash to have it decay as fertilizer, cultivating pineapple with shoots, and putting fertilizer on the soil in each crop cycle, the soil has more Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium 130.51, 76.96, and 179.86 kilograms a Rai respectively (source: calculated by adapting from Chaweewan Luangwirot et al., 1991). We can see that these cannot compensate for the loss of Nitrogen and Potassium through the



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yield and the shoots. Therefore, the soil on which pineapple has been cultivated has tendency to loose its fertility despite the fertilizer and the ploughing of pineapple trash. Especially, sandy and sandy loam soil, easily loose plant nutrients from the water run-off. Moving pineapple trash out of the cultivating area will worsen the problem (table 4.3-1). This may affect pineapple yield and increase the cost of cultivation as farmers have to put more fertilizers. To prevent the problem from occurring, we suggest to collect and move only 50% of the total pineapple trash out of the cultivating area. Table 4.3-1 The comparison of macronutrients from various sources in a crop cycle when the residues are ploughed on the soil and when all residues are removed out of the cultivating area

The quantity of macronutrients when residues are ploughed

(kg/Rai)

The quantity of macronutrients when all residues are removed out

of the cultivating area (kg/Rai) Nutrient sources

N P2O5 K2O N P2O5 K2O Residues 1/ 35.42 15.18 83.50 - - - Planting with 1 h t

5.33 1.28 6.88 5.33 1.28 6.88 Fertilization 89.76 60.49 89.48 89.76 60.49 89.48 Total 130.51 76.96 179.86 95.09 61.77 96.36 Nutrients absorbed by plants 205.00 58.00 393.00 205.00 58.00 393.00

Remains -74.49 +18.96 -213.14 -110 3.77 -296.64 Source: Chaweewan Luangwirot et al. (1991) Notes: Lost nutrients (from chemical fertilizers) from the water runoff in sandy soil or sandy loam soil which have low organic substance are not calculated as it is difficult to estimate - Unwillingness to selling pineapple trash to the power plant According to the survey, almost all farmers (98.7%) are willing to sell pine apple trash to the power plant in the reasonable price. However, there are 2 predominant pineapple farmer who own the canned-pineapple factory are not willing to sell pineapple trash to the plant as one of them has already utilized the pineapple stem (by selling to enzyme production factory), and he also wants to keep some pineapple trash and leaves for ploughing as an organic fertilizer while another one wants to sell only 50% of his pineapple trash to power plant at the reasonable price as he wants to keep another half for ploughing as an organic fertilizer as well. From the limitations mentioned, the quantity of the pineapple trash collected is less than pineapple trash production calculated, in the area of 50 kilometers around the alternativelocations, for 83,560 tons a year. This figure is 5% of the overall pineapple trash production calculated. - Labor scarcity According to the field data, the most crucial problem of the present pineapple cultivation is labor scarcity since nowadays there is almost zero local labors in agricultural sector, whereas alien labors have moved from agricultural sector to industrial sector. Therefore, it is predicted that the scarcity of labor will be the main obstacle



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in collecting pineapple trash to be used as the fuel of the power plant. It is also predicted that because of this obstacle, not more than 50% of all pineapple trash will be collected as the fuel. (2) Using pineapple trash for other activities The field data reveals that in the 50-kilometer radius of the alternative locations, pineapple trash is utilized in 3 activities: using pineapple trash for extracting the bromelian, approximately 39,600 tons a year; making paper from pineapple leaves for about 600 tons a year; and using pineapple trash as elephant feed for 18,250 tons a year. The total number is 58,510 tons a year, 3.25% of all occurring pineapple trash. 2) Boles and stems of cassavas (1) Limitations in collecting fuel The field data reports that there are the following limitations in collecting boles and stems of cassavas: - Environmental impacts which may occur when removing boles and stems of cassavas out of the cultivation area According to the study of the Organic Matter and Residue Group, Soil and Water Conservation Division, Land Development Department (1991), boles of cassava stems release macronutrients: N-P2O-K2O of 1.48-0.48-1.01% of the dried weight when decaying. There is no nutrient data available for cassava stems when decaying. Still, since cassava bole is one part of the stems, it is assumed that when cassava stems decay, they give the soil nutrients in the same amount as decayed cassava boles. Harvesting cassavas 1 Rai produces about 0.77 ton of boles of cassava stems (at 65.95% moisture content). If those boles are ploughed on the soil, they will give the soil nutrients of N-P2O-K2O for 3.99-1.29-2.72 kilograms a Rai respectively. There is about 0.61 ton of cassava stems left a Rai (at 70.44% moisture content) after some are used for reproduction. If those stems are ploughed, and they decay in the soil, they give the soil nutrients of N-P2O-K2O for 2.71-0.87-1.85 kilograms a Rai respectively. If we consider only the aspect of the lost nutrients when boles and stems of cassavas are removed from the planting area, soil does not loose as much nutrients as in the case pineapple trash. However, it has been known that soil for planting cassavas has low nutrients while the absorbed nutrients lose most when cassava roots are harvested and farmers have low morale in putting fertilizers as cassava have low price together with no crop rotations, the cassava cultivating area become infertile in a shot period. Ploughing their residues like tips, stems, and boles helps fertilize the soil at a certain level. Nevertheless, removing boles and stems of cassava from the cultivating area deteriorates the problem. This may result in decreasing yield or higher cost of fertilizers. To prevent the problem, we suggest to collect only 50% of all boles and stems of cassavas.



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- Scarcity of labor for collecting boles and stems of cassavas There is scarcity of labor in all crop productions: sugarcane, pineapple, and even cassavas. It is expected that because of the scarcity, boles and stems of cassavas will be collected not more than 50%. (2) Using boles and stems of cassavas for other activities According to the field data, cassava boles are not used in any activity. Estimated amount of cassava stems are to be used for cultivating the crop in next year (2003/2004) is 70,766 tons or about 37.5% of the all occurring cassava stems. 3) Rubber wood waste (1) Limitations in collecting the fuel Nowadays, there is high demand of rubber wood, while farmers prolong the time of growing rubber tree by slowing cutting them down because natural rubber has high price. The way sawmills or particle board factories buy rubber wood presently is to buy the trees in the whole plantation. Most of them have capability in machines and equipment, labor, and vehicles, very few limitations of collecting rubber wood from a farm for them. According to the study of biomass from rubber trees, cutting down 60-70 rubber trees of 1 Rai produces rubber wood of 45 cubic meters. 54% of the figure is rubber tree branches (With less than 15 cm diameter). After interviewing sawmills owners, we have found that nowadays almost all rubber tree branches are collected and remove of the farm. There is only about 10-15% left which workers cannot collect them anymore or which is not worth for their wage. Therefore, one sole limitation of gathering rubber tree branches is the ability to gather them and whether it is feasible for the labor cost. As the rubber wood waste, off-cuts and sawdust, occur in sawmills, they does not pose the limitation mentioned. (2) Using rubber wood waste for other activities All occurring rubber wood waste: rubber wood branches, off-cut, or sawdust are utilized. Thus, what is to be considered here is the demand price. If the power plant can afford the rubber wood waste at the price that the sawmills are willing to sell, it will be considered that the rubber wood waste is available for the plant. At the present price of rubber wood branches sold at the premise of the sawmills is about 800-900 Baht a ton, while the off-cut of rubber trees is 200-900 Baht a ton; and the sawdust is 380-600 Baht a ton. After financial analysis regarding the competitive price of rubber wood waste for the power plant has been done, the power plant with condensing system which has gross capability of 3 Mwe and the profit demand at 10%, the highest price of rubber tree branches, off-cuts and sawdust at the sawmills’ premise that the plants can accept is about 350 Baht a ton. According to the analysis, we can conclude that the price of rubber tree branches, and sawdust is higher than the price the power plant can compete. As for rubber wood off-cuts, the survey reveals that presently there are as high as 46,560 tons of off-cuts which are sold at the price higher than 350 Baht a ton. If we combine this figure with the



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40,776 tons of off-cuts used as the fuel in the sawmills, we will come up with 87,336 tons a year of off-cut (90%) are used for other activities and only 10% are available for the power plant. 4.3.3 The fuel potential in the 50-kilometer area around of the alternative locations. The summary of the fuel potential in the 50-kilometer area around the 4 alternative locations is presented in figure 4.3-2. The residue productions (Gross Technical Potential) in the areas are ranging from 2.05-2.21 million tons a year, which are being the net available fuel (Net Available Potential) to be supplied to the power plant for 395,571-425,561 tons a year (weight of fresh residues). This amount can be calculated for Net Available Energy Potential (NAEP) as high as 1,283,357-1,391,507 GJ a year. When seasonal availability is considered, the amount has electricity potential at 6.08-6.45 Megawatts. For the 4 alternative locations, the type of residues which has the NAEP is pineapple trash. Next to pineapple trash are boles of cassava stems, cassava stems, and rubber-wood off-cuts respectively. The study has found that in the 50-kilometer areas around the 4 alternative locations have close NAP and NAEP since the 4 locations are very close among each other.



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Table 4.3-2 The fuel potential in the area of 50-kilometer area around the alternative locations.

Crop GTPAVG NSP Competing NAP1/ M.C. NAP2/ M.C. LHV NAEP NAEPe Monthly

residues (ton/year) HM ENV WS LA Utilization NAEPe3/

(%) (%) (%) (%) (ton/year) (UP,% of GTP) (ton/year) (%) (ton/year) (%) (MJ/kg) (GJ) (MW) (MW)First location: Rojana Industrial Park's AreaPineapple trash 1,692,273 0.13 0.5 0.05 0.5 349,666 0.03 339,176 84.35 65,662 19.16 14.35 942,247 8.179 5.006Boles of cassava stems 145,419 - 0.5 - 0.5 36,355 - 36,355 65.09 14,358 11.61 12.26 176,035 1.528 0.367Cassava stems 181,790 - 0.5 - 0.5 45,448 0.38 28,178 70.44 9,552 12.8 14.14 135,064 1.172 0.281Reubber-wood off-cuts 97,056 - - - - 97,056 0.90 9,706 41.41 6,552 13.21 15343 101,098 0.878 0.878Sawdust 29,088 - - - - 29,088 1.00 - 36.37 - 12.48 13.56 - - -Total 2,145,626 - - - - 557,613 - 413,415 - 96,124 - - 1,354,444 11.757 6.532Second location: Public land near Nongkrap Temple, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai DistrictPineapple trash 1,744,776 0.13 0.5 0.05 0.5 360,514 0.03 349,699 84.35 67,699 19.16 14.35 971,481 8.433 5.161Boles of cassava stems 149,075 - 0.5 - 0.5 37,269 - 37,269 65.09 14,719 11.61 12.26 180,461 1.566 0.376Cassava stems 186,371 - 0.5 - 0.5 46,593 0.38 28,887 70.44 9,793 12.8 14.14 138,467 1.202 0.288Reubber-wood off-cuts 97,056 - - - - 97,056 0.90 9,706 41.41 6,552 13.21 15.43 101,098 0.878 0.878Sawdust 29,088 - - - - 29,088 1.00 - 36.37 - 12.48 13.56 - - -Total 2,206,366 - - - - 570,520 - 425,561 - 98,763 - 70 1,391,507 12.079 6.703

Limitation of Collection (LC)

Executive Summary Chapter 4 The Study and Design for Demonstration Data Collection of Crop Residues the Determination of the Fuel Potential of Biomass Power Plant in 50 kilometer Area Around the Power Plant Sites


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Table 4.3-2 The fuel potential in the area of 50-kilometer area around the alternative locations (continued)

Crop GTPAVG NSP Competing NAP1/ M.C. NAP2/ M.C. LHV NAEP NAEPe Monthly

residues (ton/year) HM ENV WS LA Utilization NAEPe3/

(%) (%) (%) (%) (ton/year) (UP,% of GTP) (ton/year) (%) (ton/year) (%) (MJ/kg) (GJ) (MW) (MW)Third location: Public land at Moo 2, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai DistrictPineapple trash 1,655,806 0.13 0.5 0.05 0.5 342,131 0.03 331,867 84.35 64,247 19.16 14.35 921,943 8.003 4.898Boles of cassava stems 121,662 - 0.5 - 0.5 30,415 - 30,415 65.09 12,013 11.61 12.26 147,276 1.278 0.307Cassava stems 152,147 - 0.5 - 0.5 38,037 0.38 23,583 70.44 7,994 12.8 14.14 113,040 0.981 0.236Reubber-wood off-cuts 97,056 - - - - 97,056 0.90 9,706 41.41 6,552 13.21 15.43 101,098 0.878 0.878Sawdust 29,088 - - - - 29,088 1.00 - 36.37 12.48 13.56 - - -Total 2,055,759 - - - - 536,727 - 395,571 - 90,806 - - 1,283,357 11.140 6.319Fourth location: Public land at Moo 8, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District Pineapple trash 1,732,752 0.13 0.5 0.05 0.5 358,030 0.03 347,289 84.35 67,232 19.16 14.35 964,786 8.375 5.125Boles of cassava stems 129,168 - 0.5 - 0.5 32,292 - 32,292 65.09 12,754 11.61 12.26 156,362 1.357 0.326Cassava stems 161,543 - 0.5 - 0.5 40,386 0.38 25,039 70.44 8,488 12.8 14.14 120,021 1.042 0.25Reubber-wood off-cuts 97,056 - - - - 97,056 0.90 9,706 41.41 6,552 13.21 15.43 101,098 0.878 0.878Sawdust 29,088 - - - - 29,088 1.00 - 36.37 - 12.48 13.56 - - -Total 2,149,607 - - - - 556,852 - 414,326 - 95,026 - - 1,342,267 11.652 6.579

Limitation of Collection (LC)

Notes: 1/ Fresh weight of the fuel available for the plant 2/ Weight of the fuel after pre-treated by drying to decrease moisture content 3/ Energy potential in the form of electricity (when the efficiency of the power plant is at 25% and the availability of the plant is at 8,100 hours a year) when seasonal availability is considered. The lowest quantity of the fuel available of a month is taken as the quantity of the fuel available each month in the year. Abbreviations: GTPAVG =Average Gross Technical Potential, HM=Harvesting Method Constraint, ENV=Environmental Impact Constraint, WS=Unwilling to Sell, LA=Limitation of Labor Availability, NSP=Net Supply Potential, UP=Utilization Potential, NAP=Net Available Potential, M.C.=Moisture Content, LHV=Lower Heating Value, NAEP=Net Available Energy Potential



4.3.4 Fuel management The field data shows that collecting biomass: pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas has the crucial limitation: the labor scarcity and the characteristic of the fuel which needs pre-treatment to reduce the transportation cost and improve the quality. Consequently, it is hard to have farmers collect fuel and sell it directly to the power plant. As for the power plant, it is also hard collect the fuel themselves as pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas are field-based residue which needs to be collected from all over the cultivating area. It has different nature with rubber-wood waste which is process-based residue, being able to be collected from sawmills most of which are clustered in Klang District, Rayong. Rayong and Chon Buri is the economic area for cultivating pineapple. The government promotes grouping together of pineapple farmers in the community to do activities which are beneficial to them. In the area of 50-kilometer area around the 4 locations, there are 54 pineapple-farmer groups. There are also cassava-farmer groups at the level of both district and sub-district. The field survey has found that most pineapple and cassava farmers would like to have farmer groups be the middleman collecting the residues to sell to the power plant as they have labor limitation. To correspond to the need of the farmers and the objectives of DAEDE that the community and farmers who are the stakeholder should get benefits from the project, and to ensure the fuel stability of the power plant, the farmer groups should be the middlemen in collecting the residues to supply to the power plant and pay the group- member farmers back the money earned in the form of dividends the same way they have done presently. As for the prevention of over-removing the residues out of the cultivating area, affecting the environment, the power plant should set an appropriate quota of buying fuel from farmers groups. To decrease the labor limitation, the farmer groups which manage in collecting the residues should have workers specifically for collecting the fuel and pre-treat it before selling to the plant. As for the transportation of the fuel to the power plant, it is recommended that the power plant should make a long-term contract with a transportation company. 4.3.5 Fuel production cost After having studied, production cost structure of fuel is composed of residue disposal cost, labor cost in collecting the residues, fertilizer replacement cost for fertilizer which is put on the soil to compensate for lost nutrients resulting from removing the residues out of the area, short-distance transportation cost for the transportation of the residues from the harvesting area to its assembling area, pretreatment cost for the pre-treatment of the fuel before supplying to the plant, and long- distance transportation cost for the transportation of the residues from the assembling area to the power plant.



1) Residue disposal cost Nowadays, most pineapple farmers dispose pineapple trash to prepare the area for the next crop by using a tractor with shredding razors to shred pineapple trash into small pieces before ploughing or burning the shredded trash. This process costs about 450 Baht a Rai or about 23 Baht a ton of pineapple trash (a Rai of fresh pineapple trash with 84.35% moisture content weighs 19.77 tons). Utilizing pineapple trash as the fuel for the plant helps farmers cut cost of this process. Cassava farmers normally plough boles and stems of cassava in the process of soil preparation; thus, there is no residue disposal cost for them. Sawmills sell all rubber-wood off-cuts, so there is no residue disposal cost for them as well. 2) Labor cost According to the field survey, labor cost for collecting pineapple trash, boles of cassava stems, and cassava stems is 47 Baht, 196 Baht, and 333 Baht a ton respectively (calculated by using 150 Baht as a worker’s wage with 8 hours of working time). Collecting rubber-wood off-cuts at a sawmill is not considered as fuel cost. 3) Fertilizer replacement cost Using pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas as fuel instead of ploughing them on the soil as fertilizer make the cultivating area infertile. Fertilizer cost and labor cost for putting fertilizer are calculated at 131 Baht a ton of fresh pineapple trash (84.35% moisture content), 303 Baht a ton of fresh boles of cassava stems (65.95% moisture content) and 260 Baht a ton of cassava stems (70.44% moisture content). There is no fertilizer replacement cost for rubber-wood off-cuts which occur at a sawmill. 4) Short distance transportation cost The term ‘short distance transportation’ (less than 10 km.) means transportation of fuel from cultivating area to the assembling area of the farmer group before pre-treatment and transportation to the power plant. However, as the whole piece of pineapple trash as well as boles and stems of cassavas has low density after being compressed, 0.09, 0.210, and 0.180 ton a cubic meter respectively, transportation cost for them are substantially high. Hence, the residues should be both shredded and compressed before transportation. Mobile equipment which is a chipper and shredder type attached to the pick-up truck should be used, as they can be moved from one farm to another. Shredding at the cultivating area with mobile equipment would reduce short distance transportation cost. This method can also prevent the doubling handling as the residues do not have to be treated again at the assembling area. The density of pineapple trash after shredded and compressed by manual labor is 0.271 ton a cubic meter. Then, we can calculate short distance transportation cost as follows:



Vehicle types Weight transported (ton)

Transportation cost (Baht a ton)

Pick-up truck 2.03 222 Six-wheel truck 4.47 268 Ten-wheel truck 10.16 177

The density of boles and stems of cassavas after shredded and compressed is 0.410 ton a cubic meter and 0.425 ton a cubic meter respectively. Their short distance transportation cost is as follows:

Weight transported (ton) Transportation cost (Baht a ton) Vehicle types

Boles Stems Boles Stems Pick-up 3* 3* 150 150 Six-wheel truck 6.77 7.01 177 171

Ten-wheel truck 15* 15* 120 120

Notes: * the weight transported does not to exceed the maximum specified in the law and the loaded weight is calculated from the volume capacity of each vehicle used for transporting produce presently.

5) Fuel pretreatment cost Pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas are the fuel which needs pretreatment process by shredded to increase their density for the purpose of transportation, to help reduce the moisture content more quickly, and to make them in the proper size of the fuel for the boilers. The equipment used in the pretreatment process should be movable which can be moved to different cultivating areas. After equipment cost, operation cost, and the life time of the equipment are estimated, we have come up with the pretreatment cost for pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas at 217 Baht a ton. Rubber-wood off-cuts do not pose pretreatment cost at this process as they have high density; there is no need for pretreatment before transportation. Still, at the power plant before using them as the fuel for the boilers, they have to be shredded in the proper size. 6) Transportation cost from the assembling area to the power plant According to the survey of transportation cost from transportation companies, we have found that the transportation cost for 50 km. is 120 Baht a ton. Therefore, transporting with a ten-wheel truck which has the loading capacity of 37.5 cubic meters costs 177 Baht a ton for shredded and compressed pineapple trash and 120 Baht a ton for shredded and compressed boles and stems of cassavas when loading within the legal limit of 15 tons. Below is the summary of fuel production cost.



4 - 15

Table 4.3-3 Fuel cost structure

Fuel cost (Baht a ton) Pineapple trash

(84.35% moisture content)

Cassava boles (65.09% moisture

content)

Cassava stems (70.44 moisture

content)

Rubber-wood off-cuts (41.45% moisture

content) Residue cost - - - 350 Residue disposal cost 1/ -23 - - - Labor cost 47 196 333 - Fertilizer replacement cost1/ 131 303 260 - Pretreatment cost 217 217 217 - Short distance transportation cost 120 150 150 - Accumulated cost at assembling area 492 866 960 350 Transportation cost from assembling area to plant 177 120 120 120 Accumulated cost at the power plant 669 986 1,080 470 Electricity from the fuel 2/ 0.38 MWh/ton 0.85 MWh/ton 0.81 MWh/ton 1.54 MWh/ton Fuel cost per unit of electricity produced 1,760 Baht/ MWh 1,160 Baht/ MWh 1,333 Baht/ MWh 305 Baht/ MWh

Note: 1/ Costs which farmers who sell the residues to the power plant have 2/ Conversion Factor is 0.55 - LHV of pineapple trash with 84.35% moisture content is 2.47 MJ/kg, LHV of cassava boles with 65.09% moisture content is 5.59 MJ/kg

- LHV of cassava stems with 70.44% moisture content is 5.31 MJ/kg, LHV of rubber-wood off-cuts with 41.45% moisture content is 10.06 MJ/kg



4 - 16

The production cost of the fuel of each type in the table 4.3-3 is the cost of the fresh residues. Fresh pineapple trash, boles of cassava stems, and cassava stems have low heating value and very high moisture content. Therefore, after collecting, pre-treating it by shredding, and transporting it to the power plant, it is not ready to be used as the fuel for the plant yet. Its moisture content must be reduced and heating value heightened to make it proper to be burned as the power plant fuel. When the residues loose moisture content, they have lower weight making the cost of fuel ready to be used is higher as shown in the table 4.3-4. We can see from the table 4.3-4 that the cost of the ready-to-be-used fuel per ton is very high especially pineapple trash which is aimed as the primary fuel. Fresh pineapple trash has the highest moisture content among all other types of residues. In contrast, the cost of rubber-wood waste is only a bit higher when compared with other types of residues as fresh rubber-wood waste itself has low moisture content and high heating value. As moisture content of pineapple trash is the main factor of many times higher cost of ready-to-be-used fuel, the power plant should buy only pineapple trash which is disposed after having been kept for new shoots (with 73.71% moisture content). The plant should not buy pineapple trash which the farmers immediately dispose after harvesting which has higher moisture content (84.35% moisture content). To do this the cost of ready-to-be-used pineapple trash will decrease. In addition, the adaptation of the vehicles for pineapple trash transportation to have them load more residues at the maximum weight that the law allows will also reduce the cost of pineapple trash transportation (from 177 Baht a ton to 120 Baht a ton). The cost of pineapple trash fuel (with 73.71% moisture content) is as shown in the Table 4.3-5



Table 4.3-4 The comparison of the cost of fresh fuel and the ready-to-be-used fuel for the power plant

Fresh Residue Ready-to-be-used residues

(Dried for 15 days)

Types of residues Moisture content (%)

Heating value (MJ/kg)

Weight of fresh

residue (ton)

Cost1/ (Baht/ton)

Moisture content (%)

Heating value

(MJ/kg)

Weight remaining

(ton)

Cost2/ (Baht/ton)

Pineapple trash Cassava boles Cassava stems Rubber-wood off-cuts

84.35 65.09 70.44 41.45

2.47 5.59 5.31 10.06

1 1 1 1

669 986

1,080 470

19.16 11.61 12.80 13.21

14.35 12.26 14.40 15.43

0.194 0.395 0.339 0.675

3,448 2,496 3,185 696

Notes: 1/ The cost of fresh residue 2/ The cost of the residues which have been dried for 15 days at the power plant (unit: Baht/ton). The increased cost comes from the reduced weight as they lose their moisture content. The residue drying cost is not included.



4 - 18

Table 4.3-5 The cost of fresh pineapple trash with 73.71% moisture content Costs Unit: Baht/ton

Residue cost Pineapple trash disposal cost1/ Labor cost for collecting pineapple trash 2/ Fertilizer replacement cost 1/ Pretreatment cost (shredding) Short distance transportation cost Transportation cost from assembling area to the plant

- -38 47 221 217 120 120

The accumulated cost of pineapple trash (73.71% moisture content) at the plant

687

Notes: 1/ The pineapple disposal cost and the fertilizer replacement cost is change as 84.35% moisture-content pineapple trash weighs 19.77 ton/rai, while 73.71% moisture-content pineapple trash weighs 11.77 ton/rai

2/ The labor cost of collecting pineapple trash does not change as the study of the labor cost has been done with 73.71% moisture-content pineapple trash. The cost of pineapple trash (73.71% moisture content) in table 4.3-5 above is converted to the cost of ready-to-be-used fuel for the power plant presented in Table 4.3-6 below Table 4.3-6: The cost of pineapple trash (73.71% moisture content) and the cost of pineapple trash (19.16% moisture content) which is ready to be used as the fuel

Pineapple trash characteristics

Fresh pineapple trash Ready-to-be-used Pineapple trash

Moisture content (%) Heating value (MJ/kg) Weight* (ton) Cost (Baht/ton)

73.71 4.14

1 687

19.16 14.35 0.325 2,114

Note: * A ton of fresh pineapple trash (73.71% moisture content) remains 0.325 ton when it is dried to 19.16% moisture content. According to the above data presented in tables 4.3-4, 4.3-5, and 4.3-6 we can see that even though the cost of fresh pineapple trash with 73.71% moisture content is 18 Baht higher than that of fresh pineapple trash with 84.35% moisture content, when it is dried to reach 19.16% moisture content, we will have 1,335 Baht a ton lower cost of ready-to-be-used pineapple trash. Still, not using the pineapple trash (84.35% moisture content) which farmers dispose immediately after harvesting results in the decrease of the energy potential of the pineapple trash in the area of 50-kilometer area around the alternative locations by 0.4 MWe. The study unveils the very high cost of pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas used as fuel when considering the energy the fuel gives compared with rubber-wood off-cuts since the 3 types of residues are field-based residues which pose the difficulty in



4 - 19

collecting, and transporting them. This study is conducted technically by considering all possible costs which included all direct and indirect cost. As a result, the fuel cost of this study is higher than that of other studies in many cases. If we use the cost structure of this study to determine the price of the fuel purchased at the power plant, it is hard to make the project feasible. To determined fuel price that the plant can afford depends on the cost of the power plant, the income earned from selling energy, and the expected rate of return. However, the price of the fuel that the plant can buy is the reflection of the characteristics and quality (heating value, moisture content) of the residues whether or not they are appropriate to be used as the power plant fuel. As characteristics and quality of fuel affects the investment, system set-up cost, maintenance cost, and the quantity of energy produced. Although the financial analysis shows that the purchased price of fuel that the power plant can afford is lower than the fuel cost of this study, if there are farmers, groups of farmers or interested people who can provide fuel for the plant in the quantity, quality, and price that the plant specifies, the project is still feasible and appropriate for investment.

Executive Summary Chapter 5 The Study and Design for Demonstration The Study on Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Biomass Power Plant of Agricultural Wastes

1 Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, Ministry of Energy

Chapter 5 The Study on Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Crop Residue

Physical and chemical characteristics of crop residues are studied by review related secondary data and collection of residue samples i.e. pineapple trash, bole of cassava stem and cassava stem and rubber wood wastes in order to analyse chemical characteristics at the laboratory. The boundary samplings is covered the study area. Study results are summarized as follows: 5.1 Physical Characteristics The study on physical characteristics of residues is emphasized on bulk density which summarized in Table 5.1-1. Table 5.1-1 Bulk density of residues (before and after pretreatment)

Bulk Density (tons/m3) Type of Residues Chopped + Pressed Non-chopped + Pressed3/

Pineapple trash 0.271 0.09 Bole of cassava stems 0.4101/ 0.1801/ Cassava stems 0.425 0.210 Rubber wood off-cut - 0.6402/ Rubber wood saw dust - 0.2402/

Source: 1/ Report on “Feasibility Study of Power Generation in Combined Heat and Power Mode (CHP)

from Cassava Rhizome and Other Agriculture Biomass Residues in Rural Thailand” by FINPRO r.y., Finland Trade Center, Embassy of Finland, Thailand (February, 2000).

2/ Report on “Feasibility Study of Hatyai Combined Heat and Power Plant” by S.T. Fortum Engineering Co., Ltd. (November, 2000).

3/ It was noted that off-cut and saw dust rubber wood have not been pressed. 5.2 Chemical Characteristics The chemical characteristics of residues are summarized in Table 5.2-1 to 5.2-6.



Table 5.2-1 Analysis results of pineapple trash, leave and stem samples after harvest

Source: Samples were collected during 10-13 and 27 October, 2003. and they were analyzed by Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute (PDTI), King

Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonbuti (KMUTT), Bangkhuntien Campus, during 13rd October – 11st December, 2003. Remark: * These numbers did not be taken to calculate for the average value. ** Factors for conversion of kcal to kJ is 1 kcal = 4.186 kJ.

Fresh pineapple trash - Rayong

Fresh pineapple trash – Chon Buri

Fresh pineapple trash - Chanthaburi

Fresh pineapple

leaves*

Pineapple Stem*

Parameter Unit Sample No. 1 Sample No. 2 Sample No. 3 Sample No. 4 Sample No. 5 Sample No. 6 Sample No. 7 Sample No. 8

Avg.

Proximate Analysis Moisture content % as received basis 81.75 85.76 83.61 82.93 86.05 85.99 84.52 82.54 84.35 Ash % as received basis 1.65 1.03 1.07 1.44 0.99 0.97 546.00 472.70 1.19 Volatile matter % as received basis 15.49 12.43 14.48 14.95 12.57 12.94 - - 13.81 Fixed Carbon % as received basis 1.11 0.78 0.84 0.68 0.39 0.10 - - 0.65 Ultimate Analysis Carbon % dry basis 42.32 38.5 43.09 42.59 43.50 42.53 - - 42.09 Hydrogen % dry basis 6.59 5.85 6.43 6.32 6.46 6.52 - - 6.36 Oxygen % dry basis 41.04 48.71 43.13 41.80 42.22 43.20 - - 43.35 Nitrogen % dry basis 1.01 1.71 0.82 0.85 0.72 0.83 - - 0.99 Sulfur % dry basis - - - - - - - - - Chlorine % dry basis - - - - - - - - - Potassium % dry basis - - - - - - - - - Sodium % dry basis - - - - - - - - - Heating Value Lower Heating Value cal/g, dry basis 3,793 3,994 3,927 3,719 3,714 3,578 - - 3,787.50 kJ/g, dry basis** 15.88 16.72 16.44 15.57 15.55 14.98 - - 15.85 Higher Heating Value cal/g, as received 692 558 643 635 499.00 520.00 - - 591.17 kJ/g, as received** 2.90 2.34 2.69 2.66 2.09 2.18 - - 2.47



Table 5.2-2 The comparative analysis results of fresh pineapple trash samples after keeping for 2 new shoots and pre-treated samples

Parameter Unit

Fresh pineapple

trash after keeping

for 2 new shoots

(Sample No. 9)

2-month-dried

pineapple trash1/

(Sample No. 10)

Chopped and 15-

day-dried

pineapple trash2/

(Sample No. 11) Proximate Analysis Moisture content % as received basis 73.71 60.14 19.16 Ash % as received basis 1.74 - 7.30 Volatile matter % as received basis 22.08 - 60.68 Fixed carbon % as received basis 2.47 - 12.86 Ultimate Analysis Carbon % dry basis 44.32 - 43.96 Hydrogen % dry basis 6.40 - 6.57 Oxygen % dry basis 41.87 - 39.04 Nitrogen % dry basis 0.79 - 1.18 Sulfur % dry basis - - 0.22 Chlorine % dry basis - - 0.60 Potassium % dry basis - - 1.50 Sodium % dry basis - - 0.21 Heating Value Lower Heating Value cal/g, dry basis (kJ/g) 3,753 (15.71) - 4,242 (17.76) cal/g, as received (kJ/g) 990 (4.14) - 3,429 (14.35) Ash Analysis Initial Deformation Temp. oC - - 1,053 Melting Temperature oC - - 1,224 pH - - - 9.75 Cadmium (Cd) mg/kg of ash - - 0.37 Chromium (Cr) mg/kg of ash - - 27.20 Copper (Cu) mg/kg of ash - - 16.60 Mercury (Hg) mg/kg of ash - - < 0.05 Manganese (Mn) mg/kg of ash - - 331.20 Lead (Pb) mg/kg of ash - - 6.30 Al2O3 % w/w of ash - - 0.61 Fe2O3 % w/w of ash - - 5.23 CaO % w/w of ash - - 1.60 K2O % w/w of ash - - 49.40 MgO % w/w of ash - - 0.95 Na2O % w/w of ash - - 7.82 SiO2 % w/w of ash - - 0.29 P2O5 % w/w of ash - - 6.20 Source: Samples were collected during 10-13 and 27 October, 2003. And they were analyzed by Pilot Plant

Development and Training Institute (PDTI), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonbuti (KMUTT), Bangkhuntien Campus, during 13rd October – 11st December, 2003.

Remark 1/ Samples were prepared by using pineapple trash after keeping for 2 new shoots. 2/ Samples were prepared by using pineapple trash after harvesting.



Table 5.2-3 The Comparative analysis results of bole of cassava stems and cassava stems Fresh bole of cassava stem Fresh cassava stem

Parameter Unit Rayong (Sample No. 12)

Chon Buri (Sample No. 13)

Chanthaburi (Sample No. 14)

Avg. Rayong (Sample No. 15)

Proximate Analysis

Moisture content % as received basis 66.24 63.05 65.98 65.09 70.44

Ash % as received basis 4.00 1.62 1.44 2.35 1.52

Volatile matter % as received basis 26.44 30.84 28.98 28.75 25.08

Fixed carbon % as received basis 3.32 4.49 3.60 3.80 2.96

Ultimate Analysis

Carbon % dry basis 40.32 43.12 43.87 42.44 33.11

Hydrogen % dry basis 6.40 6.62 6.83 6.62 5.52

Oxygen % dry basis 40.65 45.26 44.52 43.48 -

Nitrogen % dry basis 0.78 0.62 0.55 0.65 0.86

Sulfur % dry basis - - - - -

Chlorine % dry basis - - - - -

Potassium % dry basis - - - - -

Sodium % dry basis - - - - -

Heating Value

Lower Heating Value cal/g, dry basis 3,610 3,943 3,827 3,793 3,994

kJ/g, dry basis 15.11 16.51 16.02 15.88 16.71

Higher Heating Value cal/g, as received 1,219 1,484 1,302 1,335 1,269

kJ/g, as received 5.10 6.21 5.45 5.59 5.31 Source: Samples were collected during 10-13 and 27 October, 2003. And they were analyzed by Pilot Plant Development

and Training Institute (PDTI), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonbuti (KMUTT), Bangkhuntien Campus, during 13rd October – 11st December, 2003.



Table 5.2-4 Analysis results of pretreated cassava stem and bole of cassava stem samples. Bole of cassava stem Cassava stem

Parameter Unit Non-chopped + 15-

day-dried

(Sample No. 16)

Chopped + 15-day-

dried

(Sample No. 17)

Non-chopped + 15-

day-dried

(Sample No. 18)

Chopped + 15-day-

dried

(Sample No. 19) Proximate Analysis Moisture content (% as received basis) 56.33 11.61 64.02 12.80 Ash (% as received basis) - 8.74 - 6.57 Volatile matter (% as received basis) - 61.71 - 67.45 Fixed carbon (% as received basis) - 17.94 - 13.18 Ultimate Analysis Carbon (% dry basis) 46.55 39.23 48.04 40.02 Hydrogen (% dry basis) 6.88 5.78 6.84 5.98 Oxygen (% dry basis) - 44.15 - 44.73 Nitrogen (% dry basis) 0.63 0.86 1.07 0.99 Sulfur (% dry basis) - 0.09 - 0.15 Chlorine (% dry basis) - 0.21 - 0.25 Potassium (% dry basis) - 0.95 - 1.34 Sodium (% dry basis) - 0.18 - 0.45 Heating Value Lower Heating Value cal/g, dry basis (kJ/g*) 4,078 (17.07) 3,315 (13.87) 4,233 (17.71) 3,911 (16.36) cal/g, as received (kJ/g*) 1,781 (7.46) 2,930 (12.26) 1,638 (6.86) 3,441 (14.40) Ash Analysis Initial Deformation Temperature

oC - 1,148 - 1,084

Melting Temperature oC - 1,329 - 1,133 pH - - 10.20 - 10.80 Cadmium (Cd) (mg/kg of Ash) - 0.29 - 0.55 Chromium (Cr) (mg/kg of Ash) - 30.80 - 21.00 Copper (Cu) (mg/kg of Ash) - 36.20 - 42.50 Mercury (Hg) (mg/kg of Ash) - < 0.05 - < 0.05 Manganese (Mn) (mg/kg of Ash) - 25.90 - 61.60 Lead (Pb) (mg/kg of Ash) - 7.10 - 4.20 Al2O3 (% w/w of Ash) - 0.85 - 0.57 Fe2O3 (% w/w of Ash) - 4.50 - 6.34 CaO (% w/w of Ash) - 0.83 - 0.86 K2O (% w/w of Ash) - 26.30 - 49.30 MgO (% w/w of Ash) - 1.08 - 2.66 Na2O (% w/w of Ash) - 5.48 - 18.30 SiO2 (% w/w of Ash) - 1.02 - 0.63 P2O5 (% w/w of Ash) - 2.58 - 10.00 Source: Samples were collected during 10-13 and 27 October, 2003. And they were analyzed by Pilot Plant Development




Table 5.2-5 Analysis result of fresh off-cut and saw dust Rubber Wood Off-cut Saw Dust

Parameter Unit Rayong (Sample No. 20)

Chon Buri (Sample No. 21)

Chanthaburi (Sample No. 22) Average (Sample No. 23)

Proximate Analysis Moisture Content % as received basis 46.42 38.84 39.10 41.45 36.37 Ash % as received basis 2.06 3.75 3.71 3.17 0.71 Volatile Matter % as received basis 43.79 48.82 47.89 46.83 55.09 Fixed carbon % as received basis 7.73 8.59 9.30 8.54 7.83 Ultimate Analysis Carbon % dry basis 46.27 47.30 46.56 46.71 41.73 Hydrogen % dry basis 6.44 6.31 6.36 6.37 5.94 Oxygen % dry basis 43.16 39.95 40.70 41.27 50.95 Nitrogen % dry basis 0.29 0.31 0.29 0.30 0.21 Sulfur % dry basis - - - - - Chlorine % dry basis - - - - - Potassium % dry basis - - - - - Sodium % dry basis - - - - - Heating Value Lower Heating Value cal/g, dry basis 4,188 4,112 4,025 4,108 4,284 kJ/g, dry basis* 17.53 17.21 16.85 17.20 17.92 Higher Heating Value cal/g, as received 2,244 2,515 2,451 2,403 2,820 kJ/g, as received* 9.39 10.53 10.26 10.06 11.80 Source: Samples were collected during 10-13 and 27 October, 2003. And they were analyzed by Pilot Plant Development




Table 5.2-6 Analysis results of pretreated (dried) off-cut and saw dust Rubber Wood Off-cut

Parameter Unit Chopped +

15-day-dried

(Sample No. 24)

Chopped +

15-day-dried

(Sample No. 25)

15-day-dried

Saw Dust

(Sample No. 26)

Proximate Analysis Moisture Content % as received basis 13.21 11.41 12.48 Ash % as received basis - 3.16 1.05 Volatile Matter % as received basis - 70.80 74.89 Fixed Carbon % as received basis - 14.63 11.58 Ultimate Analysis Carbon % dry basis 48.33 47.96 48.64 Hydrogen % dry basis 6.43 6.61 6.87 Oxygen % dry basis - 41.50 43.03 Nitrogen % dry basis 0.45 0.37 0.22 Sulfur % dry basis - 0.08 0.05 Chlorine % dry basis - 0.12 0.37 Potassium % dry basis - 0.47 0.35 Sodium % dry basis - 0.12 0.37 Heating Value Lower Heating Value cal/g, dry basis (kJ/g*) 4,209 (17.62) 3,980 (16.66) 3,848(16.11) cal/g, as received (kJ/g*) 3,686 (15.43) 3,533 (14.79) 3,239 (13.56) Ash Analysis Initial Deformation Temperature

oC - 1,253 -

Melting Temperature oC - 1,257 - pH - - 10.60 10.40 Cadmium (Cd) mg/kg of ash - 1.35 1.90 Chromium (Cr) mg/kg of ash - 14.30 28.10 Copper (Cu) mg/kg of ash - 43.20 75.10 Mercury (Hg) mg/kg of ash - < 0.05 < 0.05 Manganese (Mn) mg/kg of ash - 149.30 142.80 Lead (Pb) mg/kg of ash - 7.40 30.00 Al2O3 % w/w of ash - 0.88 1.24 Fe2O3 % w/w of ash - 7.35 13.50 CaO % w/w of ash - 7.99 3.32 K2O % w/w of ash - 35.80 41.10 MgO % w/w of ash - 7.68 12.12 Na2O % w/w of ash - 31.40 23.10 SiO2

% w/w of ash - 0.28 3.19 P2O5 % w/w of ash - 2.49 4.36 Source: Samples were collected during 10-13 and 27 October, 2003. And they were analyzed by Pilot Plant Development


Executive Summary Chapter 6 The Study and Design for Demonstration The Selection of the Appropriate Power Plant Locations of Biomass Power Plant


Chapter 6 The Selection of the Appropriate Power Plant Locations

The selection of 2 appropriate power plant locations from 4 alternative locations uses 3 main criteria: (1) the technical appropriateness (2) the environmental appropriateness and (3) the community acceptability. Each criteria is composed of factors and variables which have different score and weight. The evaluation of appropriateness in each issue will be done through the data study of each location for scoring. Next, all scores are summed to rank the appropriate locations. The 2 highest-score locations will be selected as the locations of the power plant. Alternative locations The 1st location: Rojana Industrial Park’s land, Moo 2, Ban Klongplakang, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong The 2nd location: public land located in Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong The 3rd location: public land overlapping between Moo 2 and Moo 3, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong The 4th location: public land located in Moo 8, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, Rayong 6.1 Criteria, factors and variables for the selection of power plant locations 6.1.1 The evaluation of the technical appropriateness Factors, variables, criteria for scoring, and the result of evaluation of technical appropriateness can be summarized in Table 6.1-1 6.1.2 The evaluation of the environmental appropriateness Factors, variables, criteria for scoring, and the result of evaluation of environmental appropriateness can be summarized in Table 6.1-2

6.1.3 The evaluation of the community acceptability

As the 4 alternative locations are near each other: 1st and 2nd locations in Nongbua Sub-district, and 3rd and 4th locations in Nonglalork Sub-district, the evaluation of the community acceptability of the project is done in the overall picture of these two sub-districts. Factors, variables, criteria for scoring, and the result of evaluation of community acceptability can be summarized in Table 6.1-3



Table 6.1-1 Factors, variables and scoring to evaluate technical appropriateness of alternative locations

Alt.1 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.41) The appropriateness (1) Water supply 5 Enough for 12 months 4 4 of locations (15 points) Enough for 9 months 3 3

Enough for 6 months 2 2Enough for < 3 months 1 1

(2) Water quality 5 Treatment cost, in normal range 1 1 1 1 1Treatment cost, > normal range 0

(3) The distance from water 1 Less than 750 m. 4 4 4 supply 751-1,500 m. 3 3

1,501-2,250 m. 22,251-3000 m. 1 1

(4) The distance from high-voltage 1 Less than 300 m. 8 8grid line 300-600 m. 7

601-900 m. 6901-1,200 m. 5 51,201-1,500 m. 4 41,501-1,800 m. 31,801-2,100 m. 22,101-2,400 m. 1 1

(5) Road conditions 1 Improved less than 500 m. 4 4Improved 501-1,000 m. 3 3Improved 1,001-1,500 m. 2 2Improved 1.501-2,000 m. 1 1

(6) Level of the land 2 Lower than road < 50 cm. 3 3 3 3Lower 51-100 cm. 2Lower 101-150 cm. 1 1

15 13.67 12.88 8.88 11.502) Energy demand (1) Need of electricity in 7.5 > Plant capability 1 1 1 1(15 points) the neighborhood < Plant capability 0 0

(2) Need of thermal energy in 7.5 Yes 1 1 the neighborhood No 0 0 0 0

15 15 7.5 7.5 03) Fuel availability (1) in 25 km. radius area No significant difference

(20 points) (2) in 50 km. Radius area20 20 20 20 20

4) Pre-feasibility (1) Net Present Value (NPV) 10 -Higher-400 m. Baht 3 analysis result (10 points) -800 -401 m. Baht 2 2

-1200 -801 m. Baht 1 1 1 110 6.67 3.33 3.33 3.33

55.34 43.71 39.71 34.83

Factors Variables Weighting Facter Scoring criteria

Total score of technical appropriateness

Full score Adjusted with weighting factor




Scores of alt. locations

20 1 1 1 1 1

scores



Table 6.1-2 Factors, variables and scoring to evaluate environmental appropriateness of alternative locations

Weighting Factor Alt.1 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.4

1) Surface water (1) Type of water -Main watercourse 4sources sources -Branch watercourse 3 3 3 3

-Pond/large swamp 2-Natural gutter 1 1

(2) Usage -For industry 4-For argriculture 3 3 3 3 3-For fishery and aquatic culture 2-For consumption 1

8 6 6 4 6

1.50 1.50 1.00 1.50

2) Environmental (1) land use/ -Not in a forest area/ seperating 3 3 3 3 3limitation in land use forest area from national forest reserved area

-In area of econ. forst (Zone E) 2-In proper area for argriculture 1(Zone A)-In forest conserved area 0(Zone A)

(2) Class of -Catchment class 3,4 and 5 3 3 3 3 3catchment area -Catchment class 2 2

-Catchment class 1B 1-Catchment class 1A 0

(3) Enviromantal -Not in the conservation area 3 conservation area -In the conservation area, zone 3 2 2 2 2

(developing zone)-In the conservation area, zone 2 1 1(weaved zone)-In the conservation area, zone 1 0(enviromental control and conservation area)

9 8 7 8 8

4.44 3.89 4.44 4.443) The use of land - Industrial area 5

Vacant area 4Forest area 3Argricultural area 2Residential area 1

5 2.1 1.9 1.9 1.91.26 1.14 1.14 1.14

4) Crucial places in - <5 places 4 the area 5-9 places 3 3(Villages, temples, 10-14 places 2 2 2schools) 15-19 places 1 1

4 3 2 2 1

3.75 2.50 2.50 1.25

10.95 9.03 9.08 8.33

Remark: As for the scoring of land use, since there are many types of land use in the radius of 3 kilometers of the alternative locations, the scoring is done by weighing according to the size of land used

Full score/ sum score

Score after adjusting with weighting factor

Full score/ sum scoreScore after adjusting with weighting factor

3

Scoring of alt. locations

2

5



Factors Variables Scoring criteria Scores

1.9



Total score of environmental appropriateness

2.11.9 1.9

5



Table 6.1-3 Factors, variables and scoring to evaluate the community acceptability of alternative locations

1) Additude toward present (1)There are factories; there are hirings 1.25

power plants/factories (2) There are factories; community earns more 1.25

(3) Factory has good relationship with comm. 1.25

(4) Factory makes comm./society more benefits 1.25

(5) Should have industrial development in comm. 1.25

6.25

2) Attitude toward the (1) Suficient residues for electricity generation

electricity generation

from crop residue project (2) Using residues for electricity generation

results in more farmers' income

(3)Using residues for electricity generation

has benefits for the environment

(4) Collecting residues for electricity

generation results in hiring in the community

(5) Using residues for electricity generation

helps the nation from imbalance trade and saves money from fuel import

(6) There are enough crop residues in your

area for electricity generation

(7) Electricity generation from crop residues

is a good project; it should be supported

8.75

3) Willingness of taking part (1) Willing to listen to and comment on project 1.25

in the project (2) After knowing project information, I am

glad to publicize it in the community.

(3) Community will take part in collecting

crop residues for selling as fuel

(4) Family members want to work for the plant 1.25

(5) People in community will work for the plant 1.25

(6) Community should take part in

monitoring the power plant.

(7) comm. can take part in plant administration 1.25

(8) Tumbon Administration Organization can

take part in power plant management

10

25

Main issues Minor issues Scores

0.98

0.94

4.8

1.01

Score of attitude/project acceptability evaluation

Nongbua Sub-district Nonglalork Sub-district

Alt.1 and Alt.2 Alt.3 and Alt.4

1.02

1.04

0.82

1.02

0.78

0.88

1.03

4.72

Sum score

1.25

1.25

1.25

1.25

1.25

1.25

1.25

Sum score

1.04

0.99

1.03

1.04

1.02

1.01

1.02

0.94

0.97

6.55

0.79

1.03

0.78

1.01

1.25

1.25

1.06

7.18

1.25

1.09

1.06

1.00

0.93

1.00

1.08

1.03

1.00

1.25

0.89

1.04

1.00

0.91

1.06

1.02

1.02

0.89

7.83

Total score of community acceptability 20.16 19.09

Sum score 8.19



6.2 The result of the selection of power plant locations The result of the appropriateness evaluation in the aspects of techniques, environments, and community acceptability can be summarized in Table 6.2-1. Table 6.2-1 Summary of appropriateness evaluation of the alternative locations and ranking of location appropriateness

Alt.1 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.4Technical appropriateness 60 55.34 43.71 39.71 34.83Environmantal appropriateness 15 10.95 9.03 9.08 8.33Community acceptability 25 20.16 20.16 19.09 19.09

Total 100 86.45 72.90 67.88 62.25Rank of location appropriateness 1 2 3 4

Score of the alternative locationsIssues evaluated Full score

According to table 6.2-1, the alternative location which has the highest total score is the 1st location: Rojana Industrial Park’s land. The second to it is the 2nd location (Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Nongbua Sub-district). The third is the 3rd location (Moo 2 and 3, Nonglalork Sub-district). The fourth is the 4th location (Moo 8, Nonglalork Sub-district). Hence, the 2 locations selected for the power plants are: - Rojana Industrial Park’s land, Moo 2, Ban Klongplakang, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong - Public land located in Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong

Executive Summary Chapter 7 The Study and Design for Demonstration The Study of Technology for Biomass Power Plant of Biomass Power Plant


Chapter 7 The Study of Technology for Biomass Power Plant

The study of technology for biomass power plant aims to select alternative technology for the project. The study comprises 3 main issues: (1) the analysis of biomass characteristics (2) the study of problems and limitations of biomass to the use of technology for energy generation and (3) The study and analysis of many patterns of technology as well as their appropriateness and constraints in using them for energy generation from biomass studied in this project. The study procedure is summarized in Figure 7.1-1 below.

Figure 7.1-1 Procedure of the study of technology for biomass power plant 7.1 Biomass characteristics The characteristics of biomass which are related to the process of biomass energy conversion are moisture content, ash content, volatile matter content, elemental composition, and heating value. Apart from the characteristics mentioned, ash property is also the one which has impact on the selection of the alternative technology to be used for converting biomass energy. The analysis result of the mentioned characteristics of crop residues: pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas, and rubber-wood off-cuts has been presented in chapter 5. The characteristics of pineapple trash as the primary fuel of the power plant can be summarized in the Table 7.1-1.

Alternative technology for the

project

Characteristics of biomass fuel

Technology for Biomass Power Plant

Limitations of fuel use



Table 7.1-1 The characteristics of pineapple trash ready to be used as the power plant fuel.

Parameters Units Pineapple trash Heating Value Higher Heating Value cal/g, dry basis 4,579 KJ/g, dry basis 19.17 Lower Heating Value cal/g, dry basis 4,242 KJ/g, dry basis 17.76 Lower Heating Value cal/g, as received basis 3,429 KJ/g, as received basis 14.35 Proximate Analysis Moisture % as received basis 19.16 Ash % as received basis 7.30 Volatile Matter % as received basis 60.68 Fixed Carbon % as received basis 12.86 Ultimate Analysis Carbon % dry basis 43.96 Hydrogen % dry basis 6.57 Oxygen % dry basis 39.04 Nitrogen % dry basis 1.18 Sulphur % dry basis 0.22 Chlorine % dry basis 0.60 Potassium % dry basis 1.50 Sodium % dry basis 0.21 Ash Analysis Initial Deformation Temperature oC 1,053 Melting Temperature oC 1,224 pH - 9.75 Cadmium (Cd) mg/kg of ash 0.37 Chromium (Cr) mg/kg of ash 27.20 Copper (Cu) mg/kg of ash 16.60 Mercury (Hg) mg/kg of ash < 0.05 Manganese (Mn) mg/kg of ash 331.20 Lead (Pb) mg/kg of ash 6.30 Al2O3 mg/kg of ash 0.61 Fe2O3 mg/kg of ash 5.23 CaO mg/kg of ash 1.60 K2O mg/kg of ash 49.40 MgO mg/kg of ash 0.95 Na2O mg/kg of ash 7.82 SiO2 mg/kg of ash 0.29 P2O5 mg/kg of ash 6.20



7.2 Problems and limitations of biomass fuel to the use of biomass power plant technology According to the result of lab analysis of pineapple trash, if pineapple trash were used as the fuel of the power plant, the system of the boiler must be specifically designed: fuel combustion system, and the material of the water wall, economizer and superheater. Pineapple trash as the fuel contains relatively high alkali content (Na, K, Si). Moreover, the ash of pineapple trash contains high Potassium Oxide (K2O), Sodium Oxide (Na2O) and Silica Oxide (SiO2). These alkali elements trigger heavy slag formation of ash on the wall of the water pipe and the internal parts of the boiler which has heat exchange function. As a result, the capability of heat exchange is less resulting in less efficiency of the boiler and higher temperature of combustion chamber. This may damage the fuel and ash conveying system. In addition, pineapple trash as the fuel contains relatively high chloride content which, at high temperature, corrodes the wall of the heat-exchange water pipe (high temperature corrosion or Chlorine Corrosion), especially the corrosion of the superheater. 7.3 Technology for biomass energy conversion Technology for biomass energy conversion which is feasible and actually used nowadays can be classified into 3 main types: 1) Biochemical Conversion 2) Physical-chemical Conversion 3) Thermo-chemical Conversion Biochemical Conversion comprises: (1) Anaerobic Digestion or Biogasification changes readily biodegradable biomass to biogas which can be used as fuel for generation many forms of energy; (2) Fermentation is the alcohol-production process; the alcohol produced can be used as fuel by mixing with gasoline to produce gasohol for automobiles, for example. Physical-chemical Conversion is a chemical process in which biomass is transformed to liquid fuel such as the production process of vegetable oil like palm oil, and coconut oil which can be used as the fuel of automobile in the form of Bio-diesel. After the characteristics of the biomass fuel have been studied, it has been found that the biomass does not have proper characteristics for energy conversion with biochemical and physical-chemical conversion processes. Thus, the selection of alternative technology will be done through the consideration of only thermo-chemical conversion. Thermo-chemical Conversion It can be divided into 2 method: (1) the combustion of solid fuel to convert it to electricity or heat, (2) Conversion of solid fuel to fuel gas (thermal gasification) with the produced gas being used either with gas turbine or gas engine to produce electricity or heat.



1) The combustion technology The combustion technology has been used for a long time and most widely used presently. It is the direct combustion of fuel in the combustion chamber to generate energy in the form of heat, then, is turned into many other forms of energy such as stream to be used in several production processes or to generate electricity with steam turbine. Biomass combustion system can be divided into 3 main types: (1) Fixed-bed system which are stationary grate, traveling grate, vibrating grate, and underfeed stoker furnaces. (2) Suspension bed system which are pulverization, and cyclone furnaces. (3) Fluidized bed system divided into 2 main types: bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) and circulating fluidized bed (CFB) Combustion technology is appropriate for wood waste fuel since this type of fuel has high combustion efficiency and minimizes air pollution. At present, power plants in America and many countries in Europe widely use the combustion system to generate electricity and steam. The main factors affecting this system are the moisture content of the biomass used, and the quantity of air released into the combustion chamber. The selection of the types of combustion system also depends on the appropriateness and the limitations of each type of fuel. 2) Gasification Technology Gasification is the heating of the biomass in the reactor to turn it into fuel gas through the reaction of partial combustion. The fuel gas varies in its characteristics and heating values depending on types of reactors and the production methods. Generally, the gas produced must be put into gas-cleaning process before being used in many purposes. For instance, it may be used as the fuel for gas engine, or gas turbine to generate electricity or heat. There are 2 main types of gasifiers:

(1) Fixed-bed gasifiers which are updraft gasifier and downdraft gasifier (2) Fluidized bed gasifiers which are bubbling fluidized bed gasifier and

circulating fluidized bed gasifier

The type selection depends on what the fuel gas to be used for, and the capacity of power plant, for example. The advantages of gasification technology are that the load of fuel can be easily controlled and changed, and the flue gas is cleaner than that from combustion. In contrast, the disadvantages are the higher cost of investment and maintenance than combustion technology.



7.4 The selection of the alternative technologies Characteristics and limitations of fuel, size of the power plant, appropriateness and problems in the use of each type of technology are taken to considered for selecting the alternative technologies for the project. The result can be summarized as below. 1) Combustion technology Fixed-bed or grate firing Stationary grate is not appropriate as it is difficult to control the combustion of fuel; it poses the problem of ash removal; and it has been gradually less used. Traveling grate is not appropriate as there are many moving parts, especially grates, in the combustion chamber. If fuel which makes high possibility of internal part sintering and ash slagging is used, the parts will be damaged. Vibrating grate is feasible as there are few moving parts in the combustion chamber, and it is appropriate for fuel which easily sinters on and slags the internal parts. Underfeed stoker is not appropriate as it is not proper for the fuel which ash easily melts and sinters on the parts. Suspension Pulverization and Cyclone type are not appropriate as they are appropriate for a power plant with capacity more than 100 MWe. Fluidized Bed is not appropriate as the bed material used in this type of furnace are sand with silica content. When they are combusted with the fuel used in this project, the bed material will stick together, becoming bigger, resulting in lower efficiency of combustion. This type of furnace is not appropriate for the fuel which ash easily melts, resulting in nozzle clogging. Clogged nozzles allow less air entering, damaging the furnace. 2) Gasification technology Gasification technology which is used in power plant with capacity less than 5 MWe close to the size of the power plant of this project has 2 types: (1) Fixed-bed gasifier with gas engine and diesel engine, and (2) fixed-bed gasifier with steam turbines. Since using gas engine has limitations of the quality of fuel gas and gas cleaning system, the consideration of gasification technology as one possibility of the project includes only fixed-bed gasifier used with steam turbines. The summary of the alternative technology selection for the project is as the following: 1) Combustion technology: vibrating grate or other equivalent grate firing technology. 2) Gasification technology: fixed-bed gasifier used with steam turbines.

Executive summery Chapter 8 The study and Design for Demonstration the Biomass Power Plant Power Plant Design for the Targeted Lcations of Biomass Power Plant


Chapter 8 Power Plant Design for the Targeted Locations

8.1 Process and procedure of power plant design for the targeted locations Design of the power plant for the targeted locations has the process and procedure summarized in Figure 8.1-1. The determination of the power plant size has been done solely through the consideration of the availability and potential of pineapple trash as the fuel without the consideration of the availability and potential of boles and stems of cassavas, and rubber-wood off-cuts because boles and stems of cassavas have very little potential for electricity generation, while rubber-wood off-cuts are very expensive.

Conceptual Design - Determining alternative pattern of power plant by considering locations, technology, available fuel, and the energy demand pattern, then, conceptually designing 10 feasible patterns of the power plant

- Estimating cost and price, produced energy, and doing financially analysis to select the best 6 financial-index patterns of power plant.

Basic Design

- Reviewing design data, and initially designing the power plant in all 6 patterns which is selected in the conceptual design stage - Calculating heat balance by using SOLVO program - Estimating cost and price, produced energy, and doing financially analysis to compare appropriateness, and selecting 1 pattern which is most appropriate for detail design

Detail Design

- Detail design of the most appropriate biomass power plant - Estimating construction cost, preparing construction plan and documents for bidding process

Figure 8.1-1 Process and procedure of power plant design for the targeted locations 8.2 Conceptual design The result of conceptual design and financial analysis of the 10 patterns of the power plant is summarized in Table 8.2-1. The 6 power-plant patterns which have the best 6 financial indexes are: 1st location Rojana Industial Park’s land : pattern 1, 2 and 3 2nd location Public land at Moo 3, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District : pattern 6, 7 and 8

Executive summery Chapter 8 The study and Design for Demonstration the Biomass Power Plant Power Plant Design for the Targeted Lcations of Biomass Power Plant


8.3 Basic design The result of basic design and financial analysis of the initially proper 6 patterns of the power plant is summarized in Table 8.3-1. The power-plant pattern which has the best financial index and which is considered as the most appropriate pattern is the alternative 1. It is the power plant which uses only pineapple trash as its fuel, located in Rojana Industrial Park’s area. It employs combustion technology together with back pressure turbine to produce electricity and moderate pressure steam, 1.18 MWe and 20 tons/hr. respectively. 8.4 Detail design The detail design of power plant located in Rojana Industrial Park’s Area, Rayong, is summarized in Table 8.4-1 and Figures 8.4-1 to 8.4-4.

Executive summery Chapter 8 The study and Design for Demonstration the Biomass Power Plant Power Plant Design for the Targeted Locations of Biomass Power Plant


Table 8.2-1 Summary of conceptual design and financial analysis of the 10 alternative patterns of the power plant

1st location 2nd location

Alt.1 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.4 Alt.5 Alt.6 Alt.7 Alt.8 Alt.9 Alt.10

Power-plant design data

Technology Combustion Combustion Combustion Gasification Gasification Combustion Combustion Combustion Gasification Gasification

Turbine type Back pressure Back pressure Condensing Back pressure Back pressure Condensing Condensing Condensing Condensing Condensing

Fuel type Pineapple trash Pineapple trash 75 % Pineapple trash Pineapple trash Pineapple trash 75 % Pineapple trash Pineapple trash Pineapple trash Pineapple trash Pineapple trash

Natural gas 25% Natural gas 25%

Pressure Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate High Low Moderate High Moderate High

Obtained energy Electricity&steam Electricity&steam Electricity Electr.&steam Electricity&steam Electricity Electricity Electricity Electricity Electricity

Energy data

Electricity produced (MW)) 1.2 1.2 4.0 1.1 1.1 3.4 4.1 4.5 3.7 4.1

Electricity for sale (MW) 0.8 0.8 3.4 0.7 0.7 2.8 3.5 3.9 3.0 3.4

Fuel consumption (tons/year)

- Pineapple trash 32,600 24,700 32,600 32,600 24,700 33,600 33,600 33,600 33,600 33,600

- Natural gas (MBtu/year) 118,436 118,436

Operating hours (hr./year)) 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000

Steam for sale (ton/hr.) 19.6 19.6 18 18

Steam for sale (ton/year) 156,800 156,800 144,000 144,000

Financial Assumtion

Power-plant life time (year) 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21

Discount rate (%) 9% 9% 9% 9% 9% 9% 9% 9% 9% 9%

Inflation rate (%) 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2%

Descriptions

Remark: As in Rojana Industrial park, there is gas a pipeline, the power plant can use natural gas as its co-fuel



Table 8.2-1 Summary of conceptual design and financial analysis of the 10 alternative patterns of the power plant (continued) 1st location 2nd ocation

Alt.1 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.4 Alt.5 Alt.6 Alt.7 Alt.8 Alt.9 Alt.10

Energy and fuel price

Electricity selling price for factories (baht/kWh) 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

Electricity selling price for EGAT (Baht/kWh) 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7

Fuel Price (Baht/ton)

- Pineapple trash 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114

- Natural gas (Baht/MBtu) - 165 - 165 - -

Steam price (Baht/ton) 500 500

Operation and maintence costs (thousand baht/year)

Personnel cost 7,747 7,747 7,747 8,247 8,247 7,747 7,747 7,747 8,247 8,247

Operation cost 3,857 3,841 4,129 3,824 3,717 3,148 3,857 3,999 3,824 3,966

Maintenance cost 9,088 9,047 10,112 32,192 31,292 8,761 10,456 13,116 35,133 39,825

Sum 20,692 20,635 21,988 44,263 43,256 19,656 22,060 24,862 47,204 52,038

Invesment cost (thousand baht)

Land 28,000 28,000 28,000 32,000 32,000 2,800 2,800 2,800 3,200 3,200

Power plant and equipmant (boilers, steam turbines, pipeline system, electrical system, controlling system, fuel treatment system, thermal balancing system)

197,560 205,615 210,672 670,657 680,257 190,446 217,834 262,322 702,657 765,857

Sum 225,560 233,615 238,672 702,657 712,257 193,246 220,634 265,122 705,857 769,057

Result of financial analysis

NPV (million baht)-135.94 -164.42 -457.39 -795.82 -818.36 -481.62 -451.04 -469.9 -1,111.70 -1,158.80

B/C0.85 0.82 0.49 0.46 0.46 0.44 0.5 0.52 0.27 0.29

Subsidy (million baht/year)14.4 17.41 48.44 84.28 86.67 51.01 47.77 49.76 117.73 122.72

Data

Remark: As in Rojana Industrial park, there is gas a pipeline, the power plant can use natural gas as its co-fuel



8 - 5

Figure 8.3-1 Summary of basic design and financial analysis of the 6 alternative patterns of power plant

1st location 2nd location

Alt.1 Alt.2 Alt.3 Alt.6 Alt.7 Alt.8

Data of power plant design

Energy data

Electricity produced (MW) 1.18 1.18 3.95 3.4 4.1 4.525

Electricity for sale (MW) 0.8 0.8 3.35 2.8 3.5 3.9

Fuel consumption (tons/year)

- Pineapple trash 32,600 24,700 32,600 33,600 33,600 33,600

- Natural gas (MBtu/year) 118,436

Operating hours (hr./year) 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000

Steam for sale (ton/hr.) 19.6 19.6

Steam for sale (ton/year) 156,800 156,800

Financial Assumption

Power plant life time (year) 21 21 21 21 21 21

Discount rate (%) 9 9 9 9 9 9

Inflation rate (%) 2 2 2 2 2 2

Energy and fuel price

Electricity price for factories (Baht/kWh) 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5

Electricity price for EGAT (Baht/kWh) 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7

Fuel price (Baht/ton)

- Pineapple trash 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114 2,114

- Natural gas (Baht/MBtu) - 165 - - -

Steam price (Baht/ton) 500

Operation&maintenance cost (thousand Baht/year)Personnel cost 7,747.2 7,747.2 7,747.2 7,747.2 7,747.2 7,747.2

Process cost 3,856.8 3,840.7 4,129.0 3,148.3 3,856.8 3,998.5

Maintenance cost 10,154 10,135 11,299 9,734 11,618 14,573

Sum 21,757.9 21,722.8 23,174.8 20,629.4 23,221.8 26,319.2

Investment cost (thousand Baht)

Land 28,000 28,000 28,000 2,800 2,800 2,800

Power plant and equipment 220,737.86 230,337.86 235,388 211,606 242,038 291,469

Sum 248,738 258,338 263,388 214,406 244,838 294,269

Result of financial analysis

NPV (million baht) -167.59 -197.6 -481.26 -493.47 -502.89 -507.71

B/C 0.82 0.79 0.49 0.47 0.49 0.5

Subsidy (Baht/year) 17.75 20.93 50.97 52.26 53.26 53.77

Data

See Table 8.2-1



8 - 6

Table 8.4-1 Calculation result of heat balance diagram of detail-designed power plant Items Unit

Boiler Steam flow 20.0 ton/hour Steam pressure 40 barg Steam temperature 380 degree celcius Efficiency 85.7 % Fuel Pineapple trash consumption Natural gas consumption

4.07 -

ton/hour MBTU/hour

Higher heating value of pineapple trash Higher heating value of natural gas

19.17 35.6

MJ/Kg. MJ/cubic meter

Steam turbines and electricity generator Inlet steam flow 20 ton/hour Inlet steam pressure 37.5 barg Inlet steam temperature 378 degree celcius Generator output 1.18 MWe Outlet steam pressure 9 barg Energy Net electricity for sale 0.8 MWe Steam for sale 19.6 ton/hour Balance of plant equipment Feed water pump Quantity 21 ton/hour Pressure 50 barg Condensate water pump Quantity 11.8 ton/hour Pressure 5 barg Make-up water pump Quantity 7.8 ton/hour Pressure 5 barg Others Make up water 10 Ton/hour Cooling water 50 Ton/hour Temperature different of Cooling water 7 Degree Celcius Overall efficiency of the power plant 88.5 %

8 - 7

Figure 8.4-1 Heat balance diagram of detailed designed power plant

Designed

Checked

Approved

STFE CO., LTD Modified 3

t/h bara°C kJ/kg

1 4

5

6

7

8

9

10

112

Alternative 1 : Rojana Area1 Pineapple 100%DAEDE Power Plant

PRELIMINARY HEAT BALANCE

SOLVO ® HEAT BALANCE DIAGRAM

© Fortum Engineering Ltd 2002

Process Steam Electricity Output, (net)*

Performance Data

15.07 MW

21.05 1.208

105.0 440.2

1180 kW

Σ

Boiler Efficiency

Steam Turbine

Make Up Water

Feed Water Tank

Condensate Return 60%

Process Steam

Overall Efficiency

Electricity Output (gross)

1.083 50.00

106.2 448.7

14197.2 kW

This diagram is for information purposes only. It is property ofS.T. Fortum Engineering and is not to be used or copied withoutwrittern permission. S.T. Fortum Engineering reserves the rightto change such information as necessary to reflect final customerconditions.

Pineapple

Turbine By-pass Valve

Sawit Leela-aphiradee (SWL)23.01.2004Sawit Leela-aphiradee (SWL)23.01.2004

INFORMATION ONLY52.40 kW

88.495 %

0.8 MW

19.97 10.00

251.6 2947

P, aux (total) 0.4 MW

1.083 50.00

106.2 448.7

Vachira Klubchum (VAK)26.01.2004

Fuel Thermal Load

*The net electricity is calculated based on our database and experiences. Figures of parasitic consumption is subjected to the final performance guarantee of equipment.

Condensate Pump

Feed Water Pump

17.0 MW

14.20 MW

Boiler Thermal Load

21.05 50.00

106.2 448.7

513.1 W

1.450 1.208

236.3 2947

19.97 38.50

378.0 3166

19.97 41.00

380.0 3166

85.70 %

7.840 1.013

32.00 134.1

58.00 %

68.00 %

Back-pressure

4.068 1.013

32.00 77.42

SWL5.02.04

1.450 9.000

249.9 2947

11.76 1.013

80.00 335.0

19.60 9.000

190.0 2809

SWL7.04.04

mc 73.71%

SWL8.07.04 Designed

Checked

Approved

STFE CO., LTD Modified 3

t/h bara°C kJ/kg

1 4

5

6

7

8

9

10

112

Alternative 1 : Rojana Area1 Pineapple 100%DAEDE Power Plant

PRELIMINARY HEAT BALANCE

SOLVO ® HEAT BALANCE DIAGRAM

© Fortum Engineering Ltd 2002

Process Steam Electricity Output, (net)*

Performance Data

15.07 MW

21.05 1.208

105.0 440.2

1180 kW

Σ

Boiler Efficiency

Steam Turbine

Make Up Water

Feed Water Tank

Condensate Return 60%

Process Steam

Overall Efficiency

Electricity Output (gross)

1.083 50.00

106.2 448.7

14197.2 kW

This diagram is for information purposes only. It is property ofS.T. Fortum Engineering and is not to be used or copied withoutwrittern permission. S.T. Fortum Engineering reserves the rightto change such information as necessary to reflect final customerconditions.

Pineapple

Turbine By-pass Valve

Sawit Leela-aphiradee (SWL)23.01.2004Sawit Leela-aphiradee (SWL)23.01.2004

INFORMATION ONLY52.40 kW

88.495 %

0.8 MW

19.97 10.00

251.6 2947

P, aux (total) 0.4 MW

1.083 50.00

106.2 448.7

Vachira Klubchum (VAK)26.01.2004

Fuel Thermal Load

*The net electricity is calculated based on our database and experiences. Figures of parasitic consumption is subjected to the final performance guarantee of equipment.

Condensate Pump

Feed Water Pump

17.0 MW

14.20 MW

Boiler Thermal Load

21.05 50.00

106.2 448.7

513.1 W

1.450 1.208

236.3 2947

19.97 38.50

378.0 3166

19.97 41.00

380.0 3166

85.70 %

7.840 1.013

32.00 134.1

58.00 %

68.00 %

Back-pressure

4.068 1.013

32.00 77.42

SWL5.02.04

1.450 9.000

249.9 2947

11.76 1.013

80.00 335.0

19.60 9.000

190.0 2809

SWL7.04.04

mc 73.71%

SWL8.07.04

8 - 8

Figure 8.4-2 Location of the power plant in Rojana Industrial Park

STFE

Location of the power plant

8 - 9

Figure 8.4-3 Power-plant layout

15. OIL TANK13. FUEL LOADING PIT14. BUCKET ELEVATOR

11. BOTTOM ASH SILO12. FLY ASH SILO

10. WATER TREATMENT. PLANT9. GATEHOUSE8. WEIGHT BRIDGE7. CHIMNEY6. FUEL STORAGE 5. TRANSFORMER4. COOLING TOWER3. WORKSHOP & WAREHOUSE, LABORATORY2. BOILER1. STEAM TURBINE HOUSE & CONTROL ROOM

NOTE:

7

1512

14

13

FUEL 7 DAYS STORAGE (28.5x60x3 m.)

6

9

8

10

2

43

1

ROAD

ROAD

5 11

STFE

A

1615

B

C

D

131211109 14

E

F

G

H

15 1612 1310 11 14

6 8754

A

321

B

C

D

6 74 5

E

F

G

H

1 2 3

8 - 10

Figure 8.4-4 Main flow diagram of the power plant

STFE

A

1615

B

C

D

131211109 14

E

F

G

H

15 1612 1310 11 14

6 8754

A

321

B

C

D

6 74 5

E

F

G

H

1 2 3

Executive Summary Chapter 9 The Study and Design for Demonstration Initial Environmental Examination of Biomass Power Plant


Chapter 9 Initial Environmental Examination

Since the project has the maximum capacity of 1.2 MW, it is not subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Under the provision of the 1992 Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act B.E.2535 (1992), the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, the thermal power plant with the capacity of 10 MW or more is required to prepare an EIA report. However, the project has prepared an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) report which can be summarized as follows: 9.1 Existing environment The project area is located in Rojana Industrial Park with an area of 40 rai. It is a deserted area. Within a 5-km radius of the project area, 40% are communities and houses followed by an area with trees. The environmental quality monitoring shows that: - The air quality e.g. total suspended particulate, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide are up to standard. - The equivalent sound level (Leq) 24 hour and the maximum sound level (Lmax) are up to standard. - The water quality of Khlong Pla Kang at the effluent discharge point from Rojana Industrial Park is classified into the surface water for class 5 which is used for navigation. Main transport routes are Highway No. 3138 (Ban Khai-Ban Bueng) passing in front of Rojana Industrial Park and the road between Hua Chuat – Tha Sao sugar factory. Tap water is a source of water supply for domestic use. Most people in Tambon Nong Bua are farmers for rubber plantation, orchard and rice fields. Based on the opinion survey of community leaders and head of the household, majority of them agree with the project since it generates income, creates jobs and increases local taxes. The major cause of morbidity is diseases of the respiratory system. Nearby medical centers are Ban Khai Hospital, Ban Hua Chuat, Nong Klap and Khlong Khanun health centers. 9.2 Initial environmental examination According to the initial environmental examination during both construction and operation phases, the level of impacts on environmental resources and values are low or rather low as shown in Table 9.2-1



Table 9.2-1 Summary of level of environmental impacts due to biomass power plant in project area

Environment resources and values Construction phase Operation phase1. Topography -1 0 2 Soil resources 0 0 3. Geology 0 0 4. Meteorology and air Quality -2 -1 5. Noise -1 -1 6. Surface water quality 0 0 7. Groundwater quality 0 0 8. Aquatic ecology 0 0 9. Terrestrial ecology 0 0 10. Land use 0 0 11. Transportation -1 -1 12. Water use 0 0 13. Agriculture 0 -1 14. Industry 0 +1 15. Power consumption 0 +1 16. Socio-economic conditions 0 +1 17. Public health -1 -1 18. Tourism and aesthetics 0 0

Remarks : + means positive impacts 1 means impacts are low - means negative impacts 2 means impacts are rather low 0 means no impacts 3 means impacts are moderate 4 means impacts are rather high 5 means impacts are high

1) Construction phase Positive impacts - Economic Impacts: Jobs are created, and as a result, people are employed and earn income leading to better quality of life Negative impacts - Air Quality: Particulate is caused by land improvement and transport of construction materials and machines. - Transportation: The transport of construction materials and machines on Highway No. 3138 and the road between Ban Hua Chuat-Tha Sao sugar factory may cause accidents and damage the roads. - Public Health: Workers may be injured during the project construction. Moreover, carriers may transfer pathogens to workers. If many workers are sick, public health services will not be sufficient. However, the above impacts are low since they occur only during construction. They do not change the way of life of people in the community since they occur only in limited areas with no communities.



2) Operation phase Positive impacts - Industry: The project operation brings about an energy source whose maximum power capacity is 1.2 MW and stream rate is 156,800 tons/year. - Power consumption: The project development will help reinforce the power supplied by the Provincial Electricity Authority. - Economic conditions: People earn more income from pineapple trash sale and labor is employed. Negative impacts - Air Quality: Combusting of pineapple trash may cause air pollution. - Noise: Noise caused by machines and conveyors may affect the power plant staff. - Transportation: The transport of pineapple trash increases the traffic volume on Highway No. 3138 and the road between Ban Hua Chuat-Tha Sao sugar factory may resulting in accidents and road damages. - Agriculture: Due to the purchase price of pineapple trash, cropping patterns may be affected. - Public health: Adequate services of public health may be affected by sickness of workers and project staff. Owing to mitigation measures and good environmental management e.g. installation of pollutant control system, provision of hearing protection and first aid, the negative impacts are low. 9.3 Environmental mitigation measures and monitoring programs The project will provide environmental mitigation measures during construction and operation phases according to impact activities. In addition, it will suggest environmental monitoring programs on air quality, noise, surface water quality and public health. 9.4 Conclusion and suggestion The project located in Rojana Industrial Park is suitable since this area defined as industrial zone and there is no communities. Moreover, the environmental impacts during construction and operation phases are low. In addition, communities and their leaders accept the project because it benefits their communities. However, environmental monitoring programs must be strictly taken.

Executive Summary Chapter 10 The Study and Design for Demonstration Assessment of Investment Feasibility and of Biomass Power Plant Estimation of Fuel Costs


Chapter 10 Assessment of Investment Feasibility and Estimation of Fuel Costs

The investment feasibility has been assessed and fuel purchase price for biomass power plant have been estimated to assess as indicator of financial viability. Also, the purchase price of stubble trash is determined to make the investment feasible. The analysis period is 20 years, the construction period is 2 years and the discount rate is 11%. The costs, benefits, assessment of investment indicator and the state support can be summarized as follows: Project costs comprises • Investment costs include land, factory, machinery and environmental costs. The total cost is 248.82 million Baht. • Annual operating, maintenance and environmental costs excluding fuel costs are estimated at 21.93 million Baht. Fuel costs depend on the buying price of stubble trash as shown in the following table:

Price of stubble trash with moisture content of 73.71% delivered at power plant (Baht/ton)

Fuel costs 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

million Baht/year 40.12 45.14 50.15 55.17 60.18 65.2 70.21 Project benefits from the sale of power at 2.256 Baht/kWh and the sale of steam at 500 Baht/ton. The total benefit is 92.84 million Baht/year. Summary of feasibility analysis 1) Assessment based on the result of fuel–production-cost study at 2,114 Baht/ton

NPV Return (million Baht) FIRR and ROE B/C

Return on Investment (ROI) -202.09 Incalculable 0.75

Return on Equity (ROE) -188.79 Incalculable 0.77 In this case, if the Financial Rate of Return (FIRR) is 11%, the fuel costs must not exceed 1,154.87 Baht/ton or the buying price of pineapple trash does not exceed 375.33 Baht/ton. 2) Assessment according to the variation of the buying price of pineapple trash

Executive Summary Chapter 10 The Study and Design for Demonstration Assessment of Investment Feasibility and of Biomass Power Plant Estimation of Fuel Costs


Price of shredded pineapple trash with moisture content of 73.71% (Baht/ton) Return

as per indicators 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 ROI - NPV (million Baht) -15.99 -48.41 -80.82 -113.24 -145.65 -178.07 -210.48 - FIRR (%) 10.01 7.90 5.62 3.10 0.24 -3.16 * - B/C 0.97 0.93 0.88 0.84 0.80 0.77 0.74 ROE - NPV (million Baht) -2.65 -35.07 -67.48 -99.90 -132.31 -164.73 -197.15 - ROE (%) 10.81 8.39 5.81 3.00 -0.14 * * - B/C 0.99 0.95 0.91 0.87 0.83 0.80 0.77

Remark: * incalculable 3) State support Based on the above analysis, the FIRR at each buying price of pineapple trash is below 11% in all cases, and as a result, the investment is not viable. To make the investment viable or FIRR equal to 11% or NPV be 0 and B/C be 1, the government has to subsidize it. It can be summarized that the most appropriate method is to subsidize the investment cost. The subsidy and ROE according to the buying price of pineapple trash can be summarized as follows: Thus, the FIRR will be 11%.

Items Price of shredded pineapple trash with moisture content of 73.71%

(Baht/ton) 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

Subsidy (m. Baht) 18.15 54.94 91.73 128.52 165.31 202.10 238.89 ROE - NPV (m. Baht) 13.34 13.34 13.34 13.34 13.34 13.34 13.34 - ROE (%) 12.04 12.27 12.65 13.34 15.13 * * - B/C 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02

Remark: * Incalculable

Executive Summary Chapter 11 The Study and Design for Demonstration Public Relations and Public Participation of Biomass Power Plant


Chapter 11 Public Relations and Public Participation

11.1 Objectives 1) To present the study results of engineering and initial environmental examination. 2) To listen to public opinions in communities, agencies and organizations related to demonstration of biomass power plant. 3) To assess the public attitudes, opinions and participation. 11.2 Project area and target group It covers two alternative areas in 7 thambons in a radius of 0 – 3 km and 3 – 10 km: 1) Rojana Industrial Park’s area, Moo 2, Thambon Nong Bua, Amphoe Ban Khai, Rayong Province and 2) public area at Moo 3, Thambon Nong Bua, Amphoe Ban Khai, Rayong Province. The target group consists of residents in the area of 0 – 3 km and 3 – 10 km radius such as community leaders, Thambon Administrative Organizations, farmer’s representatives, general public, provincial and district state agencies as well as mass media. 11.3 Activities There are 4 main activities of public participation namely 1) media production 2) attitudes survey 3) two public forums and 4) seminars. However, these activities will be carried out from project start to completion of all activities. 11.4 Results of attitudes survey The surveys of attitudes and project acceptance were conducted on November 18, 2003 and December 2, 2003 with 98 samples in 2 Thambons: Nong Bua and Nong Lalok (they are the appropriate locations of the power plant). Three issues were considered: 1) opinions towards the existing power plants and industries 2) opinions towards the power generation from agricultural residues and 3) opinions towards project participation. In conclusion, the community leaders in 2 thambons favorably accepted the project, 80.64% in Thambon Nong Bua and 76.36% in Thambon Nong Lalok. The above three issues were accepted (more than 70%). It indicated that community leaders or public representatives had positive attitudes and they were pleased to cooperate in project development. 11.5 Results of local forums Two local forums were held after two locations had been selected. It can be summarized as follows:



1) The first local forum The 1st local forum was held on December 29, 2004 at 9.00 – 12.00 h. at Thambon Bang but Administrative Organization, Amphoe Ban Khai, Rayong Province with 89 participants (there were only 78 respondents of evaluation forms). 69.23% of the respondents were general public. 74.36% of these were males. The average age was 41.56 years. 97.87% were lower than bachelor’s degree. Most of them had a fair to good understanding of the project. In particular, 53.85% understood that biomass power plant could bring about more income to pineapple farmers and more local income tax. On average, 36-42% had fair to good acceptance of the project. 65.39% thought that the first locations: Rojana Industrial Park’s area was the most suitable area for project operation. Overall, the participants in the first local forum agreed with/accepted the project as well as had positive attitudes towards the project because the pineapple farmers would earn more income. Besides, the price of pineapple trash will be 390 baht per ton. However, the participants thought that the price was rather low and suggested that it should be 500-700 baht. Or the price should be determined by the people or farmers. 2) The Second local forum The 2nd local forum was held on December 29, 2004 at 13.00 – 16.00 h, at Nong Klap Pavilion, Thambon Nong Bua, Amphoe Ban Khai, Rayong Province with 78 participants (50 of which were respondents to evaluation forms). 70% of the respondents were general public. 70% of these were male. The average age was 41.56 years. 86% were respondents with below bachelor’s degree. Most of them (36.25%) had a good understanding of the project. In particular, the biomass and organic fuels like pineapple, sugarcane and corn residues etc. were well accepted by 52%. Overall, 37.71% favorably accepted the project. Most of them (60%) thought that the first alternative location: Rojana Industrial Park’s area was the most suitable for project operation. Overall, the participants in the 2nd local forum had positive attitudes towards the project since it could generate more income to farmers. In addition, it would generate power with clean fuel. The participants commented that the price of dried pineapple trash was rather low (390 baht per ton) and suggested that its price should be determined by the people or farmers. However, it should not be less than 1.7 baht per kilogram. 11.6 Results of seminar on the study and design for demonstration biomass power plant The seminar on the study and design for demonstration biomass power plant was held on June 7, 2005 at Chansuda Room, Star Plaza Hotel, Amphoe Muang, Rayong Province with 63 participants from the public sector and general public. 47 copies of evaluation forms were returned or 74.60% of respondents. It can be summarized as follows:



Most respondents (34.04%) were community leaders (subdistrict / village headmen). 87.23% of respondents were males. The average age was 39 years. 70.21% were respondents with below bachelor’s degree. The overall respondents were fairly (36.17%) to very (63.83%) satisfied with this seminar. The level of project understanding was fair to good. In particular, 61.70% had a good understanding of the application of crop residues such as pineapple trash for power generation. Overall, 29.79% fairly accepted the project and 55.32% favorably accepted the project Overall, the participants agreed with/accepted the project and had positive attitudes towards project development since it would generate more income to pineapple farmers. The participants commented that the price of pineapple stubble was rather low (390 baht per ton) and that its reasonable price should be determined by the people or farmers. More importantly, preventive measures and solutions to pollution problems affecting the environment and community should be considered. 11.7 Summary of public relations and public participation The project study has been conducted since June 27, 2003. During the project study, 4 key activities concerning public relations and public participation were carried out as follows: 1) Media production for meetings and seminars e.g. power point, exhibition boards, brochures and documents etc. 2) Attitude surveys were conducted on November 18, 2003 and December 2, 2003. They showed that the community’s attitudes were positive. 3) Two local forums were held on December 29, 2004 in Thambon Bang But and Nong Bua, Amphoe Ban Khai, Rayong Province. 4) The seminar on the study and design for demonstration biomass power plant was held on June 7, 2005. Following the seminar, the participants agreed with/accepted the project and had positive attitudes towards the project. In the process of public relations, community leaders, local organizations and people took part in activities such as local forums. In addition, they shared their views, raised questions and suggested beneficial ideas. Besides, the communities were pleased to join in the project development. As a result of various activities, it reflects the following results: 1) Community leaders/local people were informed about the project operation and pleased to take part in the project development. 2) The communities cooperated well with the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency in providing recommendations on project development. In conclusion, the target group comprising community leaders, local government organizations and local people agreed with/accepted the project and had positive attitudes towards project development since the project would generate more income to pineapple farmers. Regarding the location of biomass power plant, the majority of people thought that Rojana Industrial Park’s area was the most appropriate locations for project implementation. However, the purchase price of pineapple trash should be determined by farmers. In addition, environmental preventives and measures should be taken into consideration.

Executive Summary Chapter 12 The Study and Design for Demonstration Conclusion and Recommendations of Biomass Power Plant

Department of Alternative Energy Development, and Efficiency, Ministry of Energy 12 - 1

Chapter 12 Conclusion and Recommendations

12.1 Conclusion 1) In the studied area which covers Chon Buri, Rayong and Chanthaburi, the availability of crop residues studied as primary, supplementary fuel of the power plant are 580,749 ton a year. The figure can be transformed to the power potential of 18.9 MWe. The total power is made up of pineapple trash, which has the highest power potential (8.7 MWe), boles and stems of cassavas (4.55 and 3.51 MWe), and rubber wood waste (1.97 MWe) respectively. There are 77,905 tons of crop residues studied as the backup fuel: sugarcane, rice, oil palm and field corn residues having power potential of 7,453 MWe. 2) There are 4 alternative locations of the power plant, all of them located in Rayong: (1) Rojana Industrial Park’s Area, Moo 2, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District (2) Public land located in Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District (3) Public land overlapping between Moo 2 and Moo 3, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District, and (4) Public land in Moo 8, Thambon Nonglalork, Bankai District. 3) The result of data collection of crop residues and the determination of availability and potential of the fuel in 50-kilometer radius area of the 4 alternative locations reveal that: - The main possible obstacles in using pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas as the fuel are labor scarcity; the effect on fertility of cultivating areas; and the characteristics of the residues which have high moisture content but low heating value, required pretreatment to decrease transportation cost, moisture content, and to make them in the proper size and property for the combustion system of the power plant. - The summary of the fuel potential shows that in the radius of 50 kilometers around the 4 alternative locations, there are pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas, and rubber-wood waste which available for the plant for 0.40-0.42 million tons a year (weight of fresh residues). This amount can be calculated for Net Available Energy Potential (NAEP) as high as 1.28-1.39 million gigajoule a year. When seasonal availability is considered, the amount has electricity generation potential at 6.08-6.45 megawatts. The residue which has the highest net available potential (NAP) is pineapple trash. Next to pineapple trash are boles of cassava stems, cassava stems, and rubber-wood off-cuts respectively. - The study result of fuel production cost can be summarized that the cost of fresh fuels: pineapple trash, boles and stems of cassavas which have been pre-treated by shredding and rubber-wood off-cuts at the power plant is 669, 986, 1,080, and 470 respectively. - As for pineapple trash which is the primary fuel of the power plant, some pineapple trash which is disposed immediately after harvesting has 84.34% moisture content and heating value of 2.47 MJ/ kilogram. When the pineapple trash is shredded and dried for 15 days to make it ready to be used as the fuel, its moisture content is reduced to 19.16% with higher heating value at 14.35 MJ/ kilogram. As the moisture content has to be much reduced, the cost of pineapple trash as the ready-to-be-used fuel is as high as 3,448 baht a ton.



- To cut the fuel cost, the power plant should not buy the pineapple trash which is immediately disposed after harvesting. Instead, plant should buy pineapple trash which is kept for new shoots for 5-6 months as it has lower moisture content, 73.71%. In addition, the vehicles for the fuel transportation should be adapted for higher loading volume in order to transport fuel at the law maximum limit. If all of these have been done, the fuel cost of pineapple trash as the ready-to-be-used fuel will be decreased to 2,114 baht a ton.

4) The 2 appropriate locations for the power plant selected through the evaluation of techniques, environment, and community acceptability are: (1) Rojana Industrial Park’s Area, Moo 2, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong (2) Public land located in Moo 3, Ban Nongkrap, Thambon Nongbua, Bankai District, Rayong.

5) The result of lab analysis of pineapple trash shows that if pineapple trash is used as the power plant fuel, the boiler’s system must be specifically designed since pineapple trash and its ash contain high-alkali elements. The elements result in the problem of the heavy slag formation on the wall of the boiler’s water pipe and its internal parts. This makes the temperature of the combustion chamber higher and damages the transferring system of fuel and ash.

6) The result of the selection of alternative technology for the power plant by considering fuel limitations, and the size of the power plant is that the feasible technology to be used is combustion technology which is vibrating grate or other equivalent grate firing technology, and gasification technology which is fixed-bed gasifier used together with steam turbine.

7) The design of the power plant for the targeted locations is composed of conceptual design and the estimation of the cost of 5 alternative pattern of power plants in each location, 10 alternative patterns altogether. Financial indexes are used to select initial 6 proper patterns for basic design and cost estimation. Then, once again the indexes are used for selecting the most appropriate pattern for detail design. The process has come up with the most appropriate power plant pattern: only pineapple-trash fuel power plant located in Rojana Industrial Park’s area, using combustion technology together with back pressure turbine. It has electricity and moderate-pressure steam capacity, 1.18 MW and 20 tons/hr. respectively.

8) The result of initial environmental examination shows that the project in Rojana Industrial Park is appropriate because it is an industrial area, no residential houses in the area. Therefore, there are low environment impacts. The community near the area also accepts the project. Still, the project must have good measures for environmental management and strictly conform to environmental preventive and mitigation measures.

9) The assessment of investment feasibility and fuel cost estimation can be summarized that the project costs 248.82 million baht with annual operation and maintenance cost (excluding fuel cost) of 21.93 million baht. The power plant earns money from selling electricity and steam 92.84 million Baht/year. If the plant needs 11% FIRR, the cost of ready-to-be-used pineapple trash must not exceed 1,154.87 baht/ton, or less than 375 baht/ton for fresh pineapple trash with 73.71% moisture content which has been shredded and transported to the power plant.



To enable the power plant to buy fresh pineapple trash from farmers at higher prices of 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, and 700 Baht, the project must be subsidized for 18.15, 54.94, 91.73, 128.52, 165.31, 202.10, and 238.89 million Baht respectively in order to obtain 11% FIRR.

10) The result of public relation, getting comments, and the participation of the community in the project area reveals that the targeted group agrees/ accepts the project, and shows optimism about the development of the project. Most of them believe that Rojana Industrial Park’s area is appropriate for the project. As for the determination of expected price of pineapple trash, the plant should consider the cost of the residue collection, and the plant should have the farmers take part in the price determination. What is more, the project should have the preventive and corrective measures on pollution which may affect the community. 12.2 Recommendations on a promotion of biomass energy generation 1) As there is high competition in using biomass: rice husk, bagasse, rubber-wood waste, oil palm shells and fiber occurring from many agro-industries resulting in high price and sometimes scarcity of the biomass, when talking about the promotion of biomass use, we should use biomass in the form of field-based residue as it has been limitedly utilized in activities even as biomass, and there are plenty of it. It has not been widely used since it poses high cost in collection, and it also needs pre-treatment before used as power plant fuel. There is also labor scarcity in agricultural sector which even worsen the use of it. To help the entrepreneurs of biomass power plants who are facing the sharp increase of fuel price and sometimes fuel scarcity, and to promote the use of biomass as the fuel of power plants, equipment for collecting and pre-treating biomass from its cultivating area should be developed. The development also helps decrease the need for workforce and the transportation and pretreatment costs. Besides, a research on utilization of the by-products or waste of biomass power plant such as ash should be conducted to make profits for the entrepreneur, compensating for the higher price of fuel. 2) Compile biomass database in which biomass power plant entrepreneurs and other interested people can browse, especially database of field-based biomass. The database may show sites, quantity and density of biomass; its price and limitations for using it; seasonal availability; and suggestions on biomass collection, transportation, and pretreatment. This aims to give the entrepreneurs who are facing the fuel cost problem options in using other types of fuel and to provide correct data for interested people in making decision on doing the project. 3) The electricity purchase tariff should be reviewed to make it correspond to the high production cost. Moreover, a study on choices and mechanism of finding fund, long-term loan with low interest for biomass power plant should be conducted. 4) Support biomass power plants to run their business in a way that is beneficial to the community near the power plants so that the plants will be accepted from the community and can do their business in the community for a long time

Bureau of Energy Research Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency 17 Rama 1 Rd. Kasatsuk Bridge Pathumwan Bangkok 10330 Tel 0-2223-0021-9 ext 1418 Fax 0-2223-8705 www.dede.go.th

PANYA CONSULTANTS CO.,LTD. 22 Soi Ladprao 35, Ladprao Road, Ladyao, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900 Tel 0-2938-2480-90 Fax 0-2938-2499 www.panyaconconsult.co.th

STFE CO.,LTD 17th Floor., S.P. Bldg, 388 Phaholyothin, Bangkok 10400 Tel 0-2273-0037 Fax 0-2273-0735

Documents

The Study and Design for Demonstration of Biomass Power Plant