**7. WTE promotion strategies and FiT incentive**

The mixed waste is ignited and burned in a gasification process (**Figure 6**). The schematic lay-

The technology employed is focused on solving the problem of the increasing amount of waste generated in Thailand [37]. However, the heterogeneous composition of the waste which has a high moisture content has resulted in varying heating values especially in the

out of the WTE gasification plant is illustrated in **Figure 7**.

**Figure 8.** Wood chip mixed with residual waste before gasification.

**Figure 7.** Structure of the WTE gasification power plant [36].

232 Advances in Biofuels and Bioenergy

The Ministry of Energy has targeted WTE production of 160 MW of electricity and 100 kilotons oil equivalent (ktoe) of thermal energy by 2021 a substantial increase from the amount of 44.324 MW reported by the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE) in 2015. The 10-year (2012–2021) Alternative Energy Development Plan focuses on increasing the ratio of alternative energy use to one-fourth of overall use. Currently, about 22 MW electricity is produced from landfill biogas, 20 MW is generated from waste gasification and incineration, and 2 MW from AD from waste. From the total thermal energy produced of 78.6, 77.3 ktoe was derived from RDF, and the remaining small amount of 1.3 ktoe was from using methane biogas instead of fossil-fuel-based cooking gas. In addition, some cement kilns also utilize waste as a substitute fuel instead of coal [36].

To support WTE productivity, the government has promoted campaigns to encourage public participation in waste separation and WTE conversion, as well as providing information and conducting meetings with local administrative organizations, communities, municipalities, academic institutes, and students to enhance awareness and understanding about municipal waste management for a sustainable environment and energy security. It has also initiated measures to promote WTE production beginning with a 3.50 Bht per kWh subsidy for power generated from waste incineration and gasification, and a 2.50 Bht per kWh subsidy for landfill gas converted to electricity and AD from waste fermentation. The Energy Service Companies (ESCO) revolving fund for the energy support project from Thai government was also established to support energy conservation and investment in renewable energy, with investments in facilities and equipment being eligible for financial support from the Board of Investment (BOI) and the machinery import tariff being waived. Moreover, an exemption from corporation tax for 8 years with a further 5-years at a 50% reduction will apply to alternative energy projects. To motivate energy-from-waste production in 2014, a 4.54 million Bht budget has been allocated to study and enhance the efficiency of potential WTE projects [36]. Latterly, the National Energy Policy Commission (NEPC) has replaced its policy of applying additional rate payment structures with a "feed-in tariff" (FiT) system based on actual cost. For renewable energy from MSW, the FiT rate will be varied based on the annual cost of fuel. In particular, very small power producers (VSPPs, i.e., power producers generating less than 10 MW per year) have now been converted from the additional rate to FiT in power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 20-year project lifetimes. The new VSPP PPAs will apply a competitive bidding model instead of a first-come first-served process. Besides, an FiT premium for all project lifetimes privilege will be provided at a rate of 0.50 Bht per unit extra above the regular FiT in order to provide an incentive in the Southern border provinces to support energy security in those areas. WTE projects located in southern border provinces are eligible for a higher FiT incentive with regards to logistic and location. Details of these schemes are shown in **Table 5** [36].


facilities in order to manage the increasing amounts of garbage and to produce renewable energy. WTE is primarily aimed at waste treatment, with the additional benefit of recovering energy and materials from the process. Nowadays, WTE technologies are gaining momentum as a favorable means of managing waste. AD is the most favorable technology for organic waste separated at source. To enhance the AD performance, the retrofitting AD unit to minimize biogas leakage and increasing microbial activities by improving tank mixing is recommended [38]. Thermal processes such as incineration can also be used to treat mixed waste with a low moisture content but this technology has limitations when dealing with high moisture content

Sustainable Waste Management and Waste to Energy Recovery in Thailand

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.74988

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However, the environmental impact on nearby communities is an important concern. Nevertheless, motivation for investment in WTE projects has been provided by the FiT rate paid for electricity generated with the aim of promoting energy recovery from MSW. Furthermore, a FiT premium rate for all project lifetimes of 0.50 Bht per unit above the regular FiT is now applicable as an incentive in the southern border provinces. In conclusion however, sustainable SWM can only succeed through the improvement of WTE technology and with public

This work was partially supported by the Thailand Research Fund TRF (Grant No. TRG 5880268). The grant support was also partly provided by Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Bangkok, Thailand. The author would thank to staff at the Rayong and Hatyai landfill sites for providing an information in solid waste management.

1 Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla,

2 Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Bangkok, Thailand

[1] Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). About Thailand: Geography. 2015. Available

[2] Royal Thai Government Gazette. Ratchakitjanubeksa (in Thai). 2017. Available from:

from: http://www.tourismthailand.org/Thailand/geography

http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2560/E/092/26.PDF

waste which may cause fluctuated heating values.

participation.

**Acknowledgements**

**Author details**

Thailand

**References**

Warangkana Jutidamrongphan1,2\*

\*Address all correspondence to: warangkana.j@psu.ac.th

(1)Remark: This FiT rate applies to projects that supply power into the grid system in the year 2017. After 2017, FiTV will be continually increased depending on the core inflation rate. This rate applies to waste fuel (integrated waste management), biomass, and biogas (energy crop) projects only [36].

(2)Projects located in Southern Border Provinces i.e. Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat provinces, and only 4 districts in Songkla province (Chana, Tepha, Sabayoi, and Natawee) [36].

**Table 5.** Feed-in tariff (FiT) rate of renewable energy for very small power producers (VSPP) [36].
