**1.1 Energy situation in Thailand**

Thailand is a developing country located at the middle of Southeast Asia with a population of 63.5 million in 2009 (Department of Provincial Administration [DOPA], 2010), increased 2.3 % from 2005. During the same period, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased from 7,092,893 million Baht in 2005 to 9,041,551 million Baht in 2009 (Office of National Economic and Social Development Board [ONESDB], 2009) (1 US\$ ~ 31 Baht) or equal to the increasing rate of 2.7 %. There exists a two way casual relationship between economic/population growth and energy consumption in case of Southeast Asia (Wianwiwat & Adjaye, 2011). That is the higher level of economic growth and population growth will result in the higher energy consumption. Identical to other countries in Southeast Asia, the economic and industrial developments as well as the growth in population lead to the higher energy consumption. In 2009, domestic final energy consumption was accounted for 69,177 ktoe (Energy Policy and Planning Office [EPPO], 2010) which increased 2.9 % from previous year. Table 1 shows the final energy consumption in Thailand from 2005 to 2009.


Table 1. Domestic final energy consumption from 2005 to 2009 in Thailand (EPPO, 2010)

The primary energy sources consumed in Thailand are mostly derived from fossil fuels, e.g. petroleum, natural gas and coal which contributed to 56,693 ktoe in 2009 (EPPO, 2010) or equivalent to 82 % of the final energy consumption, whereas renewable energy covered only 18 %. Figure 1 illustrates the final energy consumption by types in 2009.

Most of commercial energy source used in Thailand is petroleum product which was equal to 31,959 ktoe in 2009. Diesel, gasoline and liquid petroleum gas are the major petroleum products used in transportation sector. Diesel and gasoline consumption accounted for the share of 46 % and 19 %, respectively, whereas liquid petroleum gas consumption was amounted to 17 % (EPPO, 2010). Natural gas was mainly used as fuel for power generation, holding a share of 68 % of the total consumption in 2009. The remainder was used in gas separation plant, with the share of 17 %; in industries with 11 % and in transportation sector for 4 % (EPPO, 2010). The share of coal and lignite consumption as fuel in power generation sector was almost at the same level as its consumption in industrial sector.

Analogy to global energy situation, Thailand has faced to the problem of energy crisis, especially oil price crisis. Thailand has been relying on fossil fuel as the primary source of energy which has to be imported from foreign countries, and simultaneously Thailand energy consumption has been increased rapidly and continuously. This chapter will focus on the energy situation in Thailand, the energy policy plan and finally the possibility of

Thailand is a developing country located at the middle of Southeast Asia with a population of 63.5 million in 2009 (Department of Provincial Administration [DOPA], 2010), increased 2.3 % from 2005. During the same period, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased from 7,092,893 million Baht in 2005 to 9,041,551 million Baht in 2009 (Office of National Economic and Social Development Board [ONESDB], 2009) (1 US\$ ~ 31 Baht) or equal to the increasing rate of 2.7 %. There exists a two way casual relationship between economic/population growth and energy consumption in case of Southeast Asia (Wianwiwat & Adjaye, 2011). That is the higher level of economic growth and population growth will result in the higher energy consumption. Identical to other countries in Southeast Asia, the economic and industrial developments as well as the growth in population lead to the higher energy consumption. In 2009, domestic final energy consumption was accounted for 69,177 ktoe (Energy Policy and Planning Office [EPPO], 2010) which increased 2.9 % from previous

using renewable energy sources as alternative energy to energy from fossil fuel.

year. Table 1 shows the final energy consumption in Thailand from 2005 to 2009.

2005 63,061 - 2006 62,904 -0.25 2007 65,950 4.62 2008 67,256 1.98 2009 69,177 2.86

Year Consumption (ktoe) Increasing Rate (%)

Table 1. Domestic final energy consumption from 2005 to 2009 in Thailand (EPPO, 2010)

18 %. Figure 1 illustrates the final energy consumption by types in 2009.

sector was almost at the same level as its consumption in industrial sector.

The primary energy sources consumed in Thailand are mostly derived from fossil fuels, e.g. petroleum, natural gas and coal which contributed to 56,693 ktoe in 2009 (EPPO, 2010) or equivalent to 82 % of the final energy consumption, whereas renewable energy covered only

Most of commercial energy source used in Thailand is petroleum product which was equal to 31,959 ktoe in 2009. Diesel, gasoline and liquid petroleum gas are the major petroleum products used in transportation sector. Diesel and gasoline consumption accounted for the share of 46 % and 19 %, respectively, whereas liquid petroleum gas consumption was amounted to 17 % (EPPO, 2010). Natural gas was mainly used as fuel for power generation, holding a share of 68 % of the total consumption in 2009. The remainder was used in gas separation plant, with the share of 17 %; in industries with 11 % and in transportation sector for 4 % (EPPO, 2010). The share of coal and lignite consumption as fuel in power generation

**1.1 Energy situation in Thailand** 

Fig. 1. Final energy consumption in 2009 by types in ktoe; percent (EPPO, 2010)

Unfortunately, Thailand has insufficient crude oil or good quality fossil fuels, these energy sources have to be imported from foreign countries, especially Middle East countries for oil import. In 2009, Thailand imported a substantial amount of commercial energy sources, approximately 59,333 ktoe which costed more than 760 billion Baht (EPPO, 2010). Figure 2 shows the expense for final energy import in 2009.

Fig. 2. Final energy consumption in 2009 by types in billion Baht; percent (EPPO, 2010)

Considering greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, carbon dioxide emission in Thailand during the last five years increased from 192,486 kton in 2005 to 208,476 kton in 2009 which is listed in more detail in Table 2.


Table 2. Carbon dioxide emission from 2005 to 2009 in Thailand (EPPO, 2010)

The main sources of carbon dioxide emission are oil, natural gas and coal which are significantly used as fuel for energy production via combustion process. It is expressed that the direct combustion of these fossil fuel is the largest source of GHG emission from human activities (Sawangphol & Pharino, 2011). These fossil fuels are used in industrial, power generation and transportation sector. Figure 3 and Figure 4 show the amount of carbon dioxide emission in 2009 by sources and by sectors, respectively.

Fig. 3. Carbon dioxide emission in 2009 in Thailand by sources in kton (EPPO, 2010)

Fig. 4. Carbon dioxide emission in 2009 in Thailand by sectors, in kton (EPPO, 2010)

#### **1.2 Energy policy and plan**

Since Thailand has spent a large amount of money for importing commercial energy sources, Thai government as well as private and public organizations have realized about that, Ministry of Energy of Thailand has promoted the use of renewable energy, including biomass, municipal solid waste, biogas, wind and solar power for power generation or transportation fuel production by announcing the 15-Years of Alternatives Energy Development Plan (AEDP, 2009) on January 28, 2009. The objective of this AEDP is to strengthen and promote the utilization of renewable energy in order to replace the oil import. The main target of AEDP is to increase the portion of using alternative energy to 20 % of national final energy consumption by 2020. The plan will be implemented into three phases: short-term from 2008 to 2011, mid-term from 2012 to 2016 and long-term from 2017 to 2020.

From Table 3, it can be noticed that the main target of AEDP until 2020 is the utilization of biomass for electricity and heat production. In addition to electricity and heat, biomass can also be used as feedstock for biofuel production. Considering cost of electricity and heat generated from renewable energy, electricity and heat produced from solar and wind energy has a higher cost with more complicated technology for Thailand than electricity and heat from produced from biomass (Bull, 2001; Owen, 2006).

Besides the reduction of primary energy sources importing, using biomass as alternative fuel can contribute to the reduction of GHG emission, since biomass is carbon neutral which emits no net carbon dioxide. Therefore, this study will emphasize only on the energy production from biomass.

Coal / Lignite; 62,404; 30%

Fig. 3. Carbon dioxide emission in 2009 in Thailand by sources in kton (EPPO, 2010)

Transport; 55,871; 27%

Fig. 4. Carbon dioxide emission in 2009 in Thailand by sectors, in kton (EPPO, 2010)

2011, mid-term from 2012 to 2016 and long-term from 2017 to 2020.

heat from produced from biomass (Bull, 2001; Owen, 2006).

Since Thailand has spent a large amount of money for importing commercial energy sources, Thai government as well as private and public organizations have realized about that, Ministry of Energy of Thailand has promoted the use of renewable energy, including biomass, municipal solid waste, biogas, wind and solar power for power generation or transportation fuel production by announcing the 15-Years of Alternatives Energy Development Plan (AEDP, 2009) on January 28, 2009. The objective of this AEDP is to strengthen and promote the utilization of renewable energy in order to replace the oil import. The main target of AEDP is to increase the portion of using alternative energy to 20 % of national final energy consumption by 2020. The plan will be implemented into three phases: short-term from 2008 to

From Table 3, it can be noticed that the main target of AEDP until 2020 is the utilization of biomass for electricity and heat production. In addition to electricity and heat, biomass can also be used as feedstock for biofuel production. Considering cost of electricity and heat generated from renewable energy, electricity and heat produced from solar and wind energy has a higher cost with more complicated technology for Thailand than electricity and

Besides the reduction of primary energy sources importing, using biomass as alternative fuel can contribute to the reduction of GHG emission, since biomass is carbon neutral which emits no net carbon dioxide. Therefore, this study will emphasize only on the energy

Other; 18,157; 9%

Natural gas; 66,045; 32%

Industry; 50,441; 24%

**1.2 Energy policy and plan** 

production from biomass.

Oil ; 80,027; 38%

Power generation; 84,008; 40%


Table 3. 15-Years of Alternatives Energy Development Plan (AEDP, 2009)

### **1.3 Biomass potential in Thailand**

Since Thailand is the agricultural base country, there are a lot of agricultural crops, e.g. paddy rice, sugarcane, cassava and palm oil. During the harvesting and processing of these agricultural crops, some residues are left over, e.g. rice straw and rice husk from paddy rice, bagasse and sugarcane leave from sugarcane, cassava rhizome from cassava as well as palm oil shell, palm oil fiber and palm oil empty fruit bunch from palm oil fruit. These residues can further be used as the substitute to fossil fuel for energy production and, consequently, can solve the problem of high energy price as well as global warming. The amount of residues from these agricultural products can be estimated by their productivities, Crop-to-Residual-Ratio (CRR) and Surplus-Availability-Factor (SAF). The CRR is expressed as the amount of residues generated per 1 unit mass of an agricultural product and the SAF is the amount of unused residues or residues left-over which are not used for any purposes. The potential of bio-energy from these agricultural products is then calculated from the quantity of biomass residues and the lower heating value of biomass. The office of Agricultural Economic reported the production of four main agricultural products in 2009 as followed: paddy rice 32,116 kton, sugarcane 68,808 kton, cassava 22,006 kton and palm oil fruit 8,223 kton (OAE, 2010). Table 4 shows the amount of residues and energy potential from domestic main agricultural products based on productivity in 2009.


Table 4. Energy potential of main agricultural residues in Thailand

can further be used as the substitute to fossil fuel for energy production and, consequently, can solve the problem of high energy price as well as global warming. The amount of residues from these agricultural products can be estimated by their productivities, Crop-to-Residual-Ratio (CRR) and Surplus-Availability-Factor (SAF). The CRR is expressed as the amount of residues generated per 1 unit mass of an agricultural product and the SAF is the amount of unused residues or residues left-over which are not used for any purposes. The potential of bio-energy from these agricultural products is then calculated from the quantity of biomass residues and the lower heating value of biomass. The office of Agricultural Economic reported the production of four main agricultural products in 2009 as followed: paddy rice 32,116 kton, sugarcane 68,808 kton, cassava 22,006 kton and palm oil fruit 8,223 kton (OAE, 2010). Table 4 shows the amount of residues and energy potential from domestic

> CRR (Papong et al., 2004)

Rice straw 0.447 0.684 9,819.40 10.24 100.55

Bagasse 0.291 0.227 4,545.25 8.31 37.77

 Shell 0.049 0.037 14.91 18.46 0.28 Fiber 0.147 0.134 161.98 17.62 2.85

 Frond 2.604 1.00 21,412.69 9.83 210.49 Total 661.73

Table 4. Energy potential of main agricultural residues in Thailand

SAF (Papong et al., 2004)

Rice husk 0.23 0.493 3,641.63 14.27 51.97

leaves 0.302 0.986 20,489.10 8.70 178.26

rhizome 0.49 0.98 10,567.28 5.50 58.12

fruit bunch 0.250 0.584 1,200.56 17.86 21.44

Quantity of residues (kton)

LHV (MJ/kg) (Prasertsan & Sajjakulnu kit, 2006)

Total Energy (PJ)

main agricultural products based on productivity in 2009.

(kton)

product Residues Productivity

Paddy rice 32,116

Sugarcane 68,808

Sugarcane

Cassava 22,006 Cassava

fruit 8,223

Empty

Agricultural

Palm oil

From Table 4, the energy potential of agricultural residues generated from four main agricultural products in 2009 was accounted for 661.73 PJ. The energetic potential of rice straw, sugarcane leaves and palm oil frond is very high compared to other types of biomass, 100.55 PJ, 178.26 PJ and 210.49 PJ, respectively; however the utilization of these residues as a renewable source for energy production has hardly been found. Rice straw is normally used for animal fodder, soil cover material and paper industry, while palm oil frond is also served as soil cover material. Sugarcane leave is normally left in field and burnt. Currently only rice husk, bagasse and palm oil shell are widely used as feedstock in stand-alone or cofiring power plant for heat and power production (Papong et al., 2004; Prasertsan & Sajjakulnukit, 2006). Not only for heat and power production, rice husk, bagasse and palm oil shell can be used in several industries, e.g. animal fodder and paper industry. Despite there are a large quantity of sugarcane leave and cassava rhizome, their heating value is very low compared to other biomass. This study will not focus on such biomass. Although the quantity of Palm Oil Empty Fruit Bunch (PEFB) available is in the sixth rank of all biomass, the energetic quality is high due to its high heating value and it is not yet mainly used as alternative fuel due to its high moisture and volatile matter with low ash melting temperature, therefore the scope of this study focuses on renewable energy utilization from PEFB.
