Biomass plant in Roi Et creating 'clean power'
Jutarat Tipnampa
The Nation


The Salakphet factory uses agricultural biomass to produce power.

BANGKOK: -- Operators of a biomass plant in Roi Et that generates electricity have eased local villagers' initial concerns by producing hazard-free emissions after its launch.

Successful operation of the pilot plant, developed and promoted by the National Innovation Agency, has attracted the interest of businessmen, who are considering launching biomass electricity-generating plants in Chaiyaphum and Chiang Mai.

An NIA-licensed Bt100 million biomass electricity-generating plant is also under construction in Sendai in Japan.

The Roi Et plant, which has a minimum output volume of 300 kilowatts, is owned and operated by Salakphet Renewable Energy.

The company's managing director, Sathitchai Chimsa, said villagers had accepted the plant and received income from selling garbage to help provide the fuel for its operation.

The plant's gasification process produces emissions that are more environmentally friendly than plants that rely on charcoal or bunker oil, which discharge hazardous emissions. However, the construction cost is higher compared to the latter plants.

Sathitchai said the Roi Et plant would begin selling power to the Provincial Electricity Authority next month and generate about Bt30 million a year in revenue.

Muang district village leader Somnuek Harntrai said Salakphet Renewable Energy needed to prove the plant would not discharge hazardous emissions in the long run, as it had promised.

"The mist, smoke or water discharge from the plant will decide whether the operation can continue," he said.

NIA senior official Amphon Arphathanakorn said about 100 megawatts of power was needed each month to meet demand in the northeastern province.

He said that while the plant currently only produced up to 500 kilowatts, output could be doubled.

The NIA is setting up a Clean Energy Innovation Centre to study and develop solar energy and wind-driven power generating plants.

The centre is developing a new Bt120 million power-generating plant with a maximum output of one megawatt that will rely on hybrid technology, using all three sources of energy.

The centre will also give advice and technical support to companies interested in producing clean, renewable electricity through biomass or other technologies.

Companies will receive help with blueprints for clean-energy plants, consultancy during construction, plus technical advice and maintenance in the first two years of operation.

The centre will also provide training and operation demonstrations and hold exhibitions of clean-energy technology from around the world.


-- The Nation 2014-02-10

Brilliant news for once. Lets hope it can burn rice stubble and keep the air a bit cleaner in CM.

Thais are providing bio tech energy in this centre for the entire world. Everyone will be rushing to Thailand for some of that top shelf Thai training and operations know how.

Just make sure you don't give government control over this idea..., if you know what I mean

Good to see a positive news item for a change.

I'm pretty sure I use this stuff in my BBQ.

The heat is so even that with a little practice you can actually bake in this heat.

Seeing that Valentine's Day (the gringo calendar's holiest day of the year) falls on a major Buddha day, we're making brownies on the BBQ.

"Sometimes, 'fuggedabowdit' just means fuggedabowdit."

Brilliant news for once. Lets hope it can burn rice stubble and keep the air a bit cleaner in CM.

Roi Et being 800 km from Chiang Mai kind of hard on helping that area.

Brilliant news for once. Lets hope it can burn rice stubble and keep the air a bit cleaner in CM.

Roi Et being 800 km from Chiang Mai kind of hard on helping that area.

Read the article again, crazy buffalo. They plan to build another plant in CM.

Brilliant news for once. Lets hope it can burn rice stubble and keep the air a bit cleaner in CM.

Roi Et being 800 km from Chiang Mai kind of hard on helping that area.

Read the article again, crazy buffalo. They plan to build another plant in CM.

OOP's . Your partially correct the word they use is interest not build.

This plant can help clean the air if the particulate and NOx are reduced. Hopefully these are mitigated in the burner design.

As for "clean" energy, it's still burning carbon and it takes carbon fuels to bring the biomass to the plant.

100 MW needed in the north, this plant can produce 0.5 MW, expandable to 1 MW. Only need 100 more plants like it.

One also wonders what the subsidy is used to "enhance" the revenue, and when it runs out.

If I read that right, it is a waste/junk burning facility which is re-branded to "Biomass-plant".

If I read it right, it is not producing bio gas and burning it. No word of fermentation and it shows wood which is difficult to ferment but easy to burn.

Lets hope I am wrong.

I really hope this works and good on them if it does but I cannot help wondering if this is efficient , clean and cost effective why isn't it in place all over the world . Like the technology is not new . I hope it is not just another scam to syphon money out of the governments pockets , I guess we will know the answer in two or three years .

If I read that right, it is a waste/junk burning facility which is re-branded to "Biomass-plant".

If I read it right, it is not producing bio gas and burning it. No word of fermentation and it shows wood which is difficult to ferment but easy to burn.

Lets hope I am wrong.

There is no hope, if the picture is the right one. It look like the bunker from a chipboard plant...

Brilliant news for once. Lets hope it can burn rice stubble and keep the air a bit cleaner in CM.

Roi Et being 800 km from Chiang Mai kind of hard on helping that area.

I thought they might build another one in CM, or would that be too smart?

I really hope this works and good on them if it does but I cannot help wondering if this is efficient , clean and cost effective why isn't it in place all over the world . Like the technology is not new . I hope it is not just another scam to syphon money out of the governments pockets , I guess we will know the answer in two or three years .

It IS in place all over the World. you just need a local supply of suitable "fuel", such as rice husks?

This site may be of interest:

http://www.bioenergyconsult.com/biomass-thailand/

Edited February 10, 201412 yr by davehowden

I really hope this works and good on them if it does but I cannot help wondering if this is efficient , clean and cost effective why isn't it in place all over the world . Like the technology is not new . I hope it is not just another scam to syphon money out of the governments pockets , I guess we will know the answer in two or three years .

It IS in place all over the World. you just need a local supply of suitable "fuel", such as rice husks?

This site may be of interest:

http://www.bioenergyconsult.com/biomass-thailand/

Thank you for the post , interesting article which just leaves one question unanswered , is it cost effective and can produce electricity for the same price as other more traditional methods ?

Will it run on mouldy rice?

If I read that right, it is a waste/junk burning facility which is re-branded to "Biomass-plant".

If I read it right, it is not producing bio gas and burning it. No word of fermentation and it shows wood which is difficult to ferment but easy to burn.

Lets hope I am wrong.

There is no hope, if the picture is the right one. It look like the bunker from a chipboard plant...

Maybe cheaper to rename the next coal power plant to Biomass plant.... Coal is actually just some old biomass...

h90, on 10 Feb 2014 - 10:08, said:

If I read that right, it is a waste/junk burning facility which is re-branded to "Biomass-plant".

If I read it right, it is not producing bio gas and burning it. No word of fermentation and it shows wood which is difficult to ferment but easy to burn.

Lets hope I am wrong.

I agree, all I see is a pile of woodchips. Bearing mind, the term biomass can mean burning the wood or converting it to biofuel, it's a pity the article did not provide details...

h90, on 10 Feb 2014 - 15:59, said:

spirit47, on 10 Feb 2014 - 12:11, said:

h90, on 10 Feb 2014 - 10:08, said:

If I read that right, it is a waste/junk burning facility which is re-branded to "Biomass-plant".

If I read it right, it is not producing bio gas and burning it. No word of fermentation and it shows wood which is difficult to ferment but easy to burn.

Lets hope I am wrong.

There is no hope, if the picture is the right one. It look like the bunker from a chipboard plant...

Maybe cheaper to rename the next coal power plant to Biomass plant.... Coal is actually just some old biomass...

I think they use biomass deliberately to confuse the less intelligent.. wow biomass.. must be good, however it could simple mean burning wood to produce whatever.

h90, on 10 Feb 2014 - 10:08, said:

If I read that right, it is a waste/junk burning facility which is re-branded to "Biomass-plant".

If I read it right, it is not producing bio gas and burning it. No word of fermentation and it shows wood which is difficult to ferment but easy to burn.

Lets hope I am wrong.

I agree, all I see is a pile of woodchips. Bearing mind, the term biomass can mean burning the wood or converting it to biofuel, it's a pity the article did not provide details...

My knowledge is a bit outdated but wood-->sugar-->alcohol never worked well, a lot problems with that.

And if it would work, you wouldn't use the alcohol for producing electric you would use it as gasohol.