Ecologocal footrint of biodiesel production in Thailand

Abstract

Biodiesel is one type of the alternative energy that used instead of diesel. In Thailand, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) as conventional biodiesel is blended with diesel. The alternative biodiesel included partially hydrogenated FAME (H-FAME) and bio-hydrogenated diesel (BHD). Both H-FAME and BHD can have high blending percentages with fossil diesel. Thailand's Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP) set a maximum biodiesel production target of 10.96 million liters (ML) per day in 2037. The total land and water ecosystem requirements for providing resources and absorbing emissions for biodiesel production can be assessed by ecological footprint (EF). Climate change affects the precipitation level, temperature, and yield for oil palm plantations. This work aims to assess the EF of FAME, H-FAME, and BHD to support the sustainable development of the biodiesel production target set by Thailand's AEDP while considering climate change. BHD required the least resources at 0.076 global hectares (gha)/1000 MJ in the existing condition, followed by FAME and H-FAME at 0.104 gha/1000 MJ. Water and cropland were the major sources that accounted for 67% and 14% of the EF, respectively. Climate change in 2040 under RCPs 4.5 and 8.5 slightly affected biodiesel production. In the existing condition, with biodiesel of 4.28 ML/day, the EF of FAME was 5.46 Mgha/year. When producing H-FAME or BHD instead, the EFs were 5.51 and 4.09 Mgha/year, respectively. For the production of 10.96 ML/day under RCP 8.5, with maximization of FFB productivity and oil percentage, EFs of FAME, H-FAME, and BHD decreased to 9.38, 9.89, and 7.29 Mgha/year, respectively. When the maximization of FFB productivity and oil percentage were incapable, EFs of FAME, H-FAME, and BHD increased to 14.5, 15.0, and 11.3 Mgha/year, respectively, and the total EF in Mgha per year were 2.7, 2.7, and 2.8 times greater than the existing condition. The plantation area must be increased by 741,862-802,281 ha. To decrease the amount of resources used for biodiesel production in Thailand according to the AEDP plan, the increase in yield of oil palm plantation, percentage palm oil, and promotion of BHD production could be promptly carried out.????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????? Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) ????????????????? ??????????????????????????? 2 ???? ?????? Partially hydrogenated FAME (H-FAME) ??? Bio-hydrogenated diesel (BHD) ???????????????????????????????????????????? FAME ????????????????????????????????????????????????? 10.96 ?????????????????? 2580 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ??????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (Ecological footprint :EF) ??? FAME H-FAME ??? BHD ???????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? RCP 4.5 ??? 8.5 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? BHD ????? EF ????????? ???????? EF ??????? 0.076 gha/1000 MJ ???? FAME ??? H-FAME ????? EF ??????? 0.104 gha/1000 MJ ??? EF ????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? 67% ??? 14% ???????? ????????????????????????????????? RCP 4.5 ??? 8.5 ???? 2583 ??????????????????? EF ??????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? 4.28 ?????????????? ??? EF ??? FAME, H-FAME ??? BHD ????????? 5.46, 5.51 ??? 4.09 Mgha/?? ???????? ?????? RCP 8.5 ??????????????????? 10.96 ?????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????? ??? EF ?????????????????????? FAME, H-FAME ??? BHD ????????? 9.38, 9.89 ??? 7.29 Mgha/?? ???????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????? ??? EF ?????????????????????? FAME, H-FAME ??? BHD ????????? 14.5, 15.0 ??? 11.3 Mgha/?? ???????? ?????????????????????????????????? 741,862-802,281 ??????? ??????? ??????????????? EF ??????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? BHD