Logistics cost analysis of rice straw for biomass power generation in Thailand
Journal article
Authors/Editors
Strategic Research Themes
No matching items found.
Publication Details
Author list: Delivand M.K., Barz M., Gheewala S.H.
Publisher: Elsevier
Publication year: 2011
Journal: Energy (0360-5442)
Volume number: 36
Issue number: 3
Start page: 1435
End page: 1441
Number of pages: 7
ISSN: 0360-5442
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
View in Web of Science | View on publisher site | View citing articles in Web of Science
Abstract
The logistics of the fuel supply have a large impact on the economy of a biomass power generation facility, especially for low density biomass fuels like straw. A detailed cost analysis of a typical rice straw logistics process for two baling options in three regions of Thailand shows that the costs for all logistics operations vary from a minimum of 18.75USD/t for small rectangular bales in the Northern region of Thailand to maximum 19.89USD/t for large rectangular bales in the North-eastern region. The difference in costs is not very significant due to the higher ownership and operating costs of the equipment for using large rectangular bales; however, the specific fuel consumption cost is substantially lower by around 17.5% and a total transport cost reduction is about 31.5%. Analysis of the logistics economies of scale for projected power plant capacities of 2-35MWe showed that each doubling the capacity of the energy facility increases the specific costs of the logistics operations only by around 4% in all regions. ฉ 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords
Baling systems, Logistics operations
Contact Information