Energy, Economic and Environmental (3E) Analysis for Sustainable Development: A Case Study of a 9.9 MW Biomass Power Plant in Thailand

Abstract

In Thailand, the use of biomass for electricity generation has been implemented with incineration technology for many years. However, recent reports indicate that electricity demand is still high and biomass power plant is one of the key factors for electricity management. The major purpose of this research paper is to analyze the energy, economic and environmental features of biomass power plant for the national sustainable development strategy. An existing 9.9 MW biomass power plant located in Suphanburi is selected as the case study to assess thermal combustion for electricity generation. The in-house operations of biomass-based power plant and the process flow of energy in terms of electricity generation using agricultural wastes and forestry residues are provided. Different expenses like capital cost, processing cost, and transportation cost and the major revenue from the sale of electricity are taken into consideration. Five environmental factors (air, sound, water, ash, and transportation) of biomass power plant for sustainability are investigated. Findings from this research project indicate that incineration is a suitable technology for biomass-based electricity generation with considerable profit for all stakeholders