In Thailand agricultural waste, such as rice husk, wood chips and palm and coconut shells is available in abundance. This waste – otherwise known as biomass – is typically burned in fields or left to decay causing carbon to be released into the air.
However, the Kangwal Polyester Company in Phetchaburi province uses this biomass to generate thermal energy. This thermal energy is used as process heat in the form of thermal oil for the polyester production process. This differs from the standard practice of using coal to generate thermal energy and this alternate use of biomass as a fuel source creates significant carbon savings.
Kangwal Polyester Co. Ltd. is a Thai company manufacturing polyester chips, partial-oriented yarn, staple fibre and draw textured yarn. This project activity primarily aims at reducing these GHG emissions by partial replacement of the Bunker C based thermal oil heaters with one biomass fired thermal oil heater. The project is designed to replace 16,000 Litres of bunker C oil per day (5,280,000 L/year), which is equivalent to GHG emission reductions in the order of 15,619 tons CO2 equivalent per year. The existing Bunker C fired thermal oil heaters fully comply with the existing pollution regulation, operate efficiently and have a remaining lifetime of around 20 years. The Bunker C boilers could have been replaced by coal fired boilers, which represent the most economic option; however Kangwal Polyester Co. Ltd. has opted to have an environmentally sustainable solution for generation of process heat.
This project contributes to sustainable development locally by;