Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Biomass Electricity Generation in Thailand

Wasin Khaenson, Somchai Maneewan, Chantana Punlek

Abstract


The paper presents the results of environmental impact assessment of the electricity generation by means of biomass by using bagasse as a fuel in Thailand, based on the application of life cycle assessment (LCA). The environmental aspects of concern include Human Health, Ecosystem Quality and Resource Depletion. The environmental impact results are calculated in terms of eco-points (Pt) per functional unit of 1 kWh. The characterised data for 1 kWh of bagasse electricity generation is compared with data for 1 kWh of combined cycle and thermal electricity generation in Thailand, using the same set of characterisation factors. Two scenarios for bagasse were evaluated: production of bagasse and usage of bagasse. In production of bagasse, environmental impacts depended significantly on the diesel consumption for tractors on farms, fertilizers and pesticides used for cane cultivation, diesel consumption for cane and bagasse transportation, whereas usage of bagasse to generate electricity showed better environmental impact than that of production of bagasse. Furthermore, the overall environmental impact caused by bagasse electricity generation is found to have the lowest environmental impact compared with combined cycle and thermal electricity generation in Thailand.


Keywords


Biomass power plant; Life cycle assessment; Environmental impact; Bagasse electricity generation.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Forest Research UK, What is Biomass. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/beeh-9uhlqv/, 2016 (Accessed 8th May 2017).

IRENA, Biomass for power generation, International Renewable Energy Agency, 2012.

EPPO, “Thailand integrated energy blueprintâ€, EPPO Journal Special Issue, pp. 4-9, 2016.

T. Sutabutr, “Overview of Thailand integrated energy blueprintâ€, APERC/IEEJ Joint Conference, Tokyo, 11 June 2015.

P. Sathienyanon, “Alternative Energy Development Plan 2015-2036 (AEDP 2015) under Power Development Plan 2015-2036 (PDP2015)â€, Thai-German Technology Conference: Biogas in Thailand, Bangkok, 8 June 2015.

DEDE, Thailand Alternative Energy Situation, vol. 14. Bangkok: Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, 2015, pp. 5-8.

M. L. G. Reno, E. E. S. Lora, J. C. E. Palacio, O. J. Venturini, J. Buchgeister, and O. Almazan, “A LCA (life cycle assessment) of the methanol production from sugarcane bagasseâ€, Energy, vol. 36, pp. 3716-3726, 2011.

A. Azapagic, “Life cycle assessment and its application to process selection design and optimizationâ€, Chemical Engineering Journal, vol. 73, pp. 1-21, 1999.

C. Theodosiou, C. Koroneos, and N. Moussiopoulos, “Alternative scenarios analysis concerning different types of fuels used for the coverage of the energy requirements of a typical apartment building in Thessaloniki, Greece. Part II: life cycle analysisâ€, Building and Environment, vol. 40, pp. 1602-1610, 2005.

ISO 14040 and 14044, Environmental management-life cycle assessment, Geneva: International Organization for Standardization, 2006.

B. Weidema, “Avoiding coproduct allocation in life cycle assessmentâ€, Journal of Industry Ecology, vol. 4, pp. 11-33, 2000.

L. Meyer, G. Tsatsaronis, J. Buchgeister, and L. Schebek, “Exergoenvironmental analysis for evaluation of the environmental impact of energy conversion systemâ€, Energy, vol. 34, pp. 75-89, 2009.

S. H. Gheewala, “Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to Evaluate Environmental Impacts of Bioenergy Projectsâ€, Journal of Sustainable Energy & Environment Special Issue, pp. 35-38, 2011.

C. Wang, L. Zhang, Y. Chang, and M. Pang, “Biomass direct-fired power generation system in China: An integrated energy, GHG emissions, and economic evaluation for Salixâ€, Energy Policy, vol. 84, pp. 155-165, 2015.

T. Ramjeawon, “Life cycle assessment of electricity generation from bagasse in Mauritiusâ€, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 16, pp. 1727-1734, 2008.

M. A. Renouf, and M. K. Wegener, “Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) of sugarcane production and processing in Australiaâ€, Proc. Aust. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., vol. 29, 2007.

TEI, Life cycle assessment of ethanol from cassava and sugar cane, Thailand Environment Institute, 2007.

A. Russell, Sugar production from Sugar Cane, Rugby: Practical Action, 2009, pp. 1-14.

EPRI, Power Generation Technology Data for Integrated Resource Plan of South Africa, Palo Alto: Electric Power Research Institute, 2010.

S. Thongsan, “Biomass power systemâ€, Workshop on Support Project to Improve Maintenance Skill for Photovoltaic and Other Renewable Energy Power Generation Systems, Phitsanulok, 4-16 September 2011.

W. Khaenson, S. Maneewan, and C. Punlek, “Life cycle assessment of power generation from renewable energy in Thailandâ€, GMSARN International Journal, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 145-156, 2016.

M. Goedkoop, and R. Spriensma, The eco-indicator 99-A damage oriented method for life cycle impact assessment, 2nd ed., Amersfoort: PRé Consultants b.v., 2000, pp. 113-119.

ISO 14042, Environmental management-Life cycle assessment-Life cycle impact assessment, Geneva: International Organization for Standardization, 2000.

A. Havelaar, Methodological choices for calculating the disease burden and cost-of-illness of foodborne zoonoses in European countries. Network for the Preventnion and Control of Zoonoses, Med-Vet-Net Administration Bureau, 2007.

M. Goedkoop, R. Spriensma, R. Müller-Wenk, P. Hofstetter, T. Köllner, T. Mettier, A. Braunschweig, R. Frischknecht, D. Van de Meent, M. Rikken, T. Breure, R. Heijungs, E. Lindeijer, H. Sas, and S. Effting, The eco-indicator 99-A damage oriented method for life cycle impact assessment, 3rd ed., Amersfoort: PRé Consultants b.v., 2001.

M. S. Henryk, “Environmental impact of rail and road transportâ€, Economic and Environmental Studies, vol. 11, pp. 405-421, 2011.

K. Phumpradab, A. Thongbhakdi, and H. G. Shabbir, “Environmental Assessment of Electricity Production from Natural Gas Fired Power Plantsâ€, Proceedings of the 2nd Joint International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environment, Bangkok, 21-23 November 2006.




DOI (PDF): https://doi.org/10.20508/ijrer.v8i1.6761.g7304

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Online ISSN: 1309-0127

Publisher: Gazi University

IJRER is cited in SCOPUS, EBSCO, WEB of SCIENCE (Clarivate Analytics);

IJRER has been cited in Emerging Sources Citation Index from 2016 in web of science.

WEB of SCIENCE in 2025; 

h=35,

Average citation per item=6.59

Last three Years Impact Factor=(1947+1753+1586)/(146+201+78)=5286/425=12.43

Category Quartile:Q4