Thursday, 22 September 2011

DP CleanTech replace coal with waste wood chips and eucalyptus bark in Thailand

DP CleanTech has been contracted to convert an ageing coal fired power plant to run instead on waste wood such as eucalyptus bark. The retrofitted plant will provide green electricity and steam to Thailand’s largest bioethanol plant which is currently being built by TPK. The new bioethanol plant, in Nakorn Ratchasima, is expected to produce 1 million liters of bioethanol a day.

DP CleanTech’s new biomass boiler and vibrating grate technology will facilitate the full 20 MWe with 45tph, 15bar and 135tph, 6bar saturated steam required to run the new bioethanol plant. The biomass boiler will be fueled by waste wood and Eucalyptus bark sourced from the forestry and paper industry in the surrounding area. Creating steam and electricity from waste biomass as opposed to coal will significantly improve the TPK bioethanol plant’s green credentials.  Furthermore, DP CleanTech’s advanced boiler design has been adapted to handle biogas and up to 25 tons per hour of Giant King Grass providing excellent flexibility and fuel security. 

Ongoing efforts by The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) to diversify its power sources by using more coal and adopting nuclear have been met with resistance by environmentalists and communities. Egat are now researching IGCC technology, which turns coal into gas. However Egat deputy governor Somboon Arayaskul said that producing electricity from IGCC is about 50% more expensive than using fossil fuels. Feasibility studies into alternative technologies have revealed that coal to biomass conversions provide the relatively cheapest option for alternative sources of energy, and significantly reduce the environmental impact of existing coal power plants.

DP CleanTech developed its capabilities in coal to biomass conversion in Europe. This is the company’s first project of this kind in Asia, However DP CleanTech anticipates many more similar projects to come, as governments and companies try to quickly and cost effectively reduce their dependence on coal.

Jerome Le-Borgne, Sales Manager South East Asia said “This is a great project for DP CleanTech as it allows us to build our reference list in Thailand and prove ourselves in coal conversion projects. We believe Thailand has a major growth potential for biomass, largely thanks to the emerging government incentives. By providing this conversion service in addition to new build biomass plants we are establishing ourselves as the technological leaders for biomass to electricity.”

For further information contact: eric.cross@dpcleantech.com or visit www.dpcleantech.com