Good Practice: AT Biopower Rice Husk Power Project in Pichit, Thailand

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Summary: The project is the rice husk fired power plant in Pichit province, Thailand, with approximately 22 MW-gross and 20 MW net capacities. Generated electricity will be sold through a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA), firm-contract with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). A.T. Biopower (ATB) will generate electricity 147,627 MWh-gross annually, of which 132,864 MWh-net will be exported to EGAT. GHG emission reduction shall be come from the amount of electricity substitute to Thailand's grid electricity generation and amount of rice husk used in the project instead of dispose it in uncontrolled conditions (decay or burned in open air).

Aims: The Project is designed to use rice husk for electricity generation that would otherwise be burned in the open air or left to decay in field. The project involves the construction and operation of a new rice husk power plant in Pichit province, central Thailand, with 22 MW gross generating capacity, 20 MW net. Electricity will be sold through a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).

This project is a thermal-steam cycle power plant, which uses rice husk as heat energy source. The power plant is expected to have thermal-electrical conversion efficiency approximately 30%. The plant will operate using suspension-fired boilers, designed to burn ground rice husk in suspension. This particular boiler technology was adopted due to their ability to produce high quality ash product, which will be suitable as a substitute ingredient for cement.

Summary of Results: ATB plans to operate the plant for 24 hours a day, 346 days a year. According to the PPA, EGAT guarantees minimum purchase of 80% of the contracted capacity, so the minimum amount of electricity sales to EGAT will be 132,864 MWh/yr (20 MW x 24 hr x 346 day x 80% = 132,864 MWh/yr).

It is expected that the plant will internally consume about 10% of the electricity it produces, so ATB has to generate 147,627 MWh/yr of gross electricity. GHG emission reduction of this project is approximately 77,292 tonnes CO₂equivalent/year.

Planning Time: The starting date of the project activity (date on starting construction work) is 5th January 2004. The Project will finish all construction and related works, and aims to start the credit period by 21st December 2005.

Operation Time: Power plant life time is minimum 25 years.

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