Over 3,000 local residents in Surat Thani, Thailand have protested against a planned biomass power plant being constructed in their province. Citing existing polluting factories in the region, including five palm oil factories, protestors contested the construction of the 9.5 MW biomass plant until local council president Damri Chanapak announced that the proposal had been dismissed. The project which would be fuelled by locally sourced empty fruit bunch (EFB) from the nearby palm millers was a collaboration between a private local company and a Japanese recycling company.
Renewable energy companies commonly face public scrutiny as environmental issues come to the forefront of community concerns. All too often poorly executed projects fail to perform to the necessary standards of construction and operation which lead to tensions in the local community. The benefits of a well planned and executed biomass plant to the local economy and environment have been well illustrated, but such opposition highlights that the onus is on project owners and local authorities to select technologies and operators with a proven track record. Furthermore, communication with local stakeholders is critical at an early stage. Demonstrating successful projects to the community and educating them regarding emissions mitigation, sustainable biomass sourcing, environmental protection are all aspects which should be undertaken during the feasibility stage of a project. DP CleanTech has built over 80 plants which have delivered environmentally responsible distributed power and brought benefits to local economies.
DPCT has a proven track record of providing truly sustainable solutions with stringent emissions control systems, community engagement and responsibly sourced biomass fuel across Europe and East Asia. Our high pressure high temperature technology offers supreme efficiencies and feedstock flexibility which allow for economic application of locally available, renewable biomass sources.
