An opportunity of new biomass materials as renewable energy in Thailand: perspective of coconut farmer

Author(s): Pichet Ninduangdeea, Kittinun Boonrodb*, Yupin Yuenyongc, Awassada Phongphipatd
a Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, Phetchaburi 76000,Thailand
b Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, Phetchaburi 76000,Thailand
Faculty of Education, Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, Phetchaburi 76000,Thailand
d The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
International Journal of Smart Grid and Clean Energy, vol. 8, no. 5, September 2019: pp. 586-591
ISSN: 2315-4462 (Print)
ISSN: 2373-3594 (Online)
Digital Object Identifier: 10.12720/sgce.8.5.586-591

Abstract: This survey research aimed at examining perspective of coconut farmers on a feasibility of using biomass materials from coconut plantations for energy production. This research employed the Cochran Method to set the sample size with a confidence level of 95%. The research went into the field to conduct the survey with questionnaires in 200 coconut farmers in Phetchaburi Province and Prachuap Khiri Khan Province where 0.07 million hectare of coconuts are grown, or 31% of all coconut plantations in Thailand. According to the main findings, raw materials in the form of leftover coconut biomass are composed of outer coat, middle fibrous cat, shell, upper core leave stalk, frond, bottom core leave stalk and empty fruit bunch. Upper core leave stalks are raw materials that have attracted the greatest interest in gathering as raw materials, whereas shell has attracted the least interest. The findings revealed that fruit peeling yards are the people best suited for compiling and buying raw materials. In terms of obstacles to gathering, material price uncertainty was found to be a major obstacle in gathering materials and was correlated opposite to interest in gathering upper core leave stalks with statistical significance.

Keywords: coconut residues, biomass, public perspective, renewable energy
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