Investigation of Blending Biomass Waste Residue for Electricity Generation in Malaysia: Northern Region

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 8s, (2019), pp. 105-113

S.M.Shafie1, , Z.Othaman2 and N.Hami3 1,2,3 School of Technology Management and Logistics, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06000, Sintok, Kedah, Malaysia.

Abstract Recently, there have a shifting in energy consumption pattern. Renewable energy consumption were dominant issues in worldwide discussion. Biomass resources become an interesting to explore in all aspect, resources, technical, cost, policy and others. Malaysia is abundant of biomass resources that potentially to explore. This paper, is exploring the potential biomass consumption in electricity generation focusing in Northern region of Malaysia. The statistical data are extensively review in order to determine the highly potential in consumption for electricity generation. The result show that Kedah potentially to generate 13.04 MW. This can support up to 14% of total electricity consumption. This exploratory study, hopefully can encourage all the stakeholders to look at others dimension in electricity generation, and less dependent on fossil fuel in power generation. Policy and guideline specifically focus in local condition can encourage the penetration of biomass resources.

Index Terms—About; Blending; Biomass; Residue; Electricity generation; Malaysia.

I. INTRODUCTION

World are start to explore new combination blending of biomass resources available for their county for generated bioenergy. Biomass blending is one tactic propose promise resolution to overwhelmed recent challenges on biomass resource such as substantial compositional deviations [1]. Agriculture residues are possible to show a significant part in the future energy systems and potentially to contribute between 15 and 70 EJ to long term global energy supply [2]. Even, the rich oil country like Midlle East Country start the research and development in biomass potential. Iran has a potential to produce 5.29 GL of biofuel by utilized the 11.33 MT of available total residue. [3] . According to [4] , the five critical factors that require extensively study are biomass analysis and availability, conversion technologies, efficiency, environment studies, and political decisions. Biomass geographical aspects represent the important factor that can affect the feasibility of the project[5]. Blending has become a distinguished method for handling the supply of solid fuels at power plants, process industries, and institutional establishments [6]. However, most available studies regarding biomass energy are limited to a single biomass type only [3]. Currently, blending is increasingly accomplished for both technical and economic factors [7]. According to [8], the application of biomass blending could be reduced by blending expensive and high quality feedstocks with lower cost and lower quality feedstocks such that the overall quality still meets the specifications required by the bio refinery with cost reduction. Even though there are plentiful studies regarding biomass energy, the knowledge on the environmental impact for the whole life cycle perspective for electricity generation is still very limited. The comprehensive studies on economic and environmental aspects of its application can motivate the penetration of biomass as one type of fuel in Malaysia’s mixed electricity generation. This can reduce the dependency on current conventional fuels in the energy sector, and at the same time, become an initiative in encouraging the development of sustainable energy in Malaysia as stated in the nation’s portfolio. This study exploring the most potential of biomass waste residue for electricity generation based on available factor. The objective of this study is to identify the potential use of crops residue in electricity generation in Kedah and

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 8s, (2019), pp. 105-113

determine the amount of electricity generation based on potential available biomass resources.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

World are start to discover new combination blending of all biomass resources available for their country for produced bioenergy. The biomass blending should be focus to eliminate the constraints of biomass supply. By doing the blending of varieties biomass in one boiler hopefully can solve the biomass security supply issues. This is because majority of biomass resources are available per season, normally one month until six month to obtain the output. Researcher start to explore the blending concept of biomass in the boiler. All aspect need to investigate. Hence, it is authoritative to develop conversion technologies that can process blended biomass feedstock with negligible negative effect [9]. Previous study found the temperature characteristic of ashes from blending of pine sawdust and corn stalk [3]. And according to these studies [3], the concept of co-gasification of coal and biomass blends has shown distinct merits and high promise on lab-scale studies as compared to individual gasification of coal and biomass. For instance, co-firing biomass with fossil-based fuel can only be a short- or middle-term transition solution due to unsecure supply chain [3]. Therefore, researcher necessary to concentrate on whole supply-chain network of biomass-to-products, which is from harvesting of biomass up to electricity production (final product). However, effective design of biomass energy supply chain is critical for large scale production [3]. An overall the performance of biomass are depend on energy policy aims which are CO2 emissions, cost of electricity, security supply, public acceptance and value added captured. In economic aspect biomass blending could improve the cost due to study in [7] found that the blending algae with terrestrial biomass results in lower drying costs and adjustment of the blend ratio can be used as a management tool to ensure conversion facilities operate at full capacity. According to[9] , the five crucial parameters that need extensively study are biomass analysis and availability, conversion technologies, optimizing efficiency, reduction of environmental impact, and political decisions. Biomass geographical aspects represent the important factor that can affect the feasibility of the project [2]. Even though there are a lot of study regarding the biomass energy, however, the knowledge on the environmental impact for the whole life cycle perspective for electricity generation is still very limited. Direct combustion is the most mutual thermochemical conversion process used for biomass solid fuels due to positive side of reliable and cost [10, 11]. According to [11] show that with appropriate drying and heat combination, the overall efficiency of a biomass power plant can be significantly improved then cut the energy cost. One of the most widely used technologies worldwide in the production of electrical energy are steam cycles, such as the Rankine cycle, which convert heat into electricity. Nowadays, the track in technologies became an exciting and technically possible decision appears, that is design of hybrid structures of technological systems. Such systems can be nowadays configured using organic Rankine cycle (ORC), Striling engine, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) in combination with combustion engines, micro-turbines or turbo- expanders [4]. Abundant of study are focus in technology of biomass power plant that refer to increase the efficiency and reducing the losses [9]. Figure 1 show the available technology in biomass power generation type[12].But the technology of blending various biomass still in early development.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 8s, (2019), pp. 105-113

Figure 1:Available type of technology in biomass power generation III. METHODOLOGY

This study explore all possible biomass residue potential in electricity generation in Northern region of Malaysia. This study focus on Kedah located at Northwester part of Malaysia. Kedah is the 8th largest state by land area and 8th most populated state in Malaysia, with a total land area of 9,500 km2 (3,700 sq mi) and a population of 2,166,200[13]. Kedah consist of 12 district[14]. Table 1 list the district of Kedah and their area. Table 1. District of Kedah and their area. District Area Percentage (km²) (%) Sik 1,635 17.22 Baling 1,529 16.11 Padang Terap 1,359 14.32 Kubang Pasu 946 9.97 Kuala Muda 913 9.62 Kulim 774 8.15 Kota Setar 420 4.42 Pendang 629 6.63 Pulau 526 5.54 Langkawi Bandar 271 2.86 Baharu Yan 246 2.59 Pokok Sena 244 2.57

The biomass resources include the crop residue and garden waste.The assessment achieved in this study is based on defining and concentrating the biomass availability and supply in diverse geographical locations in Northern region of Malaysia, which is in Kedah. Figure 1 show the overall flow diagram of this research. The research is start with: i. Estimating the amount of available biomass waste for each distinct in Kedah. Average four years data is used (2012-2015). These are include industrial crop, cash crop, paddy, and solid waste in the northern region of Malaysia. In this part all the statistic report and interview session with person in charge regarding the production the above matter is referred. The available data is arrange by distinct in Kedah to get the most suitable and applicable to choose. There have 34 number of crops including

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 8s, (2019), pp. 105-113

industrial and cash crop only six crops are choose; paddy, coconut, nipa palm, maize, cassava and sugarcanes. Equation (1) are used in calculated the potential of electricity generated. Table 2 list the high heating value. Table 2. High Heating value Table. Crops High Heating Refereces Value (MJ/Kg) Rice 16.28 Straw Rice husk 15.8 Coconut 14.64 [15] Shell 23.01 [16] 18.2 20.18 [17] 15.69 [18] husk 16.74 17.03 [19] 20.1 [17] Corn 32 [20] 17.3 Sugarcan 8.1 [21] e bagasse 16.43 [22] 18.4 [23]

(1)

ii. The projected quantity of biomass residues that may add in the energy generation is calculated using the availability or potential energy factors presented by Hall, et al., [24]. These factors represent the fraction of residue from definite source that can be actually collected, recovered and used for energy. The energy availability factors is used 25% for agricultural residues [24]. The assessment is determined based on data took from previous studies which utilized similar biomass resources for energy utilization. Table 2 list the estimates of residue to product ratio applied in this study.

Table 2. Estimates of Residue to Product Ratio Type Residue Ratio References Paddy residue Rice straw 0.75 [25] Rice husk 0.22 [26] Industrial crops Coconut shells 0.12 [27] Coconut husks 0.419 [27] Cash crops Maize stalk 2.00 Cassava stalk 0.062 Sugarcane tops 0.3 Sugarcane bagasse 0.29

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 8s, (2019), pp. 105-113

Figure 1: Overall flow diagram of this research

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Northern region produces a variety of cash crops, industrial crops, and vegetables. Figure 2 lists the most potential available biomass resources in this area that could be blended with paddy residue for electricity generation in Northern region of Malaysia. Even though, these are blending biomass, the researcher suggest to used chemical, thermal, or biological preprocessing steps to convert raw biomass into commodity feedstocks with uniform physical properties [24]. The feedstock range of caloric value in between 15.8 MJ/kg to 22.82 MJ/kg. However, the utilization of wood residue for electricity generation is not encouraged due to the limited resource supply in the northern region of Malaysia, since the majority of mills have already sold their wood residue to paper mills, manufacturing companies, and bulk companies[28]. These will generate extra income, and at the same time, can help them to dispose their waste in the mills. To apply wood waste for electricity generation in Kedah, it is not possible due to the limited sources. Nonetheless, this can be achieved if the government provides an incentive towards biomass electricity generation in Malaysia.

Figure 2: Different type of biomass resources

Figure 3 show the potential of electricity generation by district in Kedah. Paddy residue potentially to generated 6.13 MW of electricity. Garden waste could generated 5.76 MW follow by 0.72 MW of

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 8s, (2019), pp. 105-113

cash crop. The smallest amount of electricity could be generated by industrial crop which is 0.44 MW. There need an extensive study to combine all these feedstock while to maintain the output if electricity. The most available biomass resource is in the Kuala Muda district. The best location in the northern region to build a biomass power plant is chosen purely by looking at the high biomass resources available which is Kuala Muda. However, the selection of power plant need to consider site requirements, community impacts, environmental impacts, economic impacts and land use impacts [29]

30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

Annually Production (MT) Annually Production 5000

Sik

Yan

Kulim

Baling

Pendang

Langkawi

Kota Setar Kota

Pokok Sena Pokok

Kuala Muda Kuala

Kubang Pasu Kubang

Padang Terap Padang Bandar Baharu Bandar

rice husk rice straw maize stalk

sugarcane tops sugarcane bagasse cassava

coconut shell coconut husk garden waste

Figure 3: Biomass residue production

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 8s, (2019), pp. 105-113

Figure 4: Potential of electricity generation by district in Kedah

25000000

20000000 Hundreds

15000000

10000000

5000000

Electricity consumption , kWh , Electricityconsumption 0

Sik K Sik

Yan L Yan

Kulim F Kulim

Baling A Baling

Pendang I Pendang

Langkawi G Langkawi

Kota Setar C Setar Kota

Pokok Sena J Sena Pokok

Kuala Muda D Muda Kuala

Kubang Pasu E Pasu Kubang

Padang Terap H Terap Padang Bandar Baharu B Baharu Bandar Total Electricity Consumption Biomass potential

Figure 5: Northern region electricity consumption compared with biomass crop electricity potential

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 8s, (2019), pp. 105-113

The most available biomass resources in in Kuala Muda district. Figure 4 show Potential of electricity generation by district in Kedah. Based on the result Kedah crops potentially to generate about 13.04 MW of electricity. Garden waste are the highest potentially to generate electricity then rice straw. However, currently practice both of this resources are being dump in the landfill and also burn in the fields. Figure 5 indicate the Northern region electricity consumption compared with biomass crop electricity potential. Kuala Muda, Kubang Pasu and Kota Setar create the great potential in biomass based electricity generation. Consumption of biomass crop in electricity generation can save up to 14% of fossil fuel consume in power sector.

V. CONCLUSION

Kedah has about 13.04 mw capability of biomass fuels as feedstock in electricity generation. this is equivalent to 14% of fossil fuel replacement in power generation. even though the amount is not too high at least it can reduce the dependency of fossil fuel consumption (conventional method) in electricity generation. it actually can diversify the fuel consumption and follow the government target to move to the sustainable country. crop residue based electricity generation can help the waste management issue and generate the wealth creation amongst the stakeholder involve in the power sector. however, the optimum logistic study are encourage to explore to minimize the output and create the high efficiency of power generation. realization of this study could be achieve with involvement of government, financial sector, education and society.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This research was financially supported by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (FRGS- 13260/2015). We thank the reviewers and associate editor for their comments which have improved this manuscript.

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