IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v36y2008i5p1589-1599.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Fuel ethanol from cane molasses in Thailand: Environmental and cost performance

Author

Listed:
  • Nguyen, Thu Lan T.
  • Gheewala, Shabbir H.

Abstract

In the context of the world's energy crisis and environmental concerns, crop-based ethanol has emerged as an energy alternative, the use of which can help reduce oil imports as well as emissions of CO2 and other air pollutants. However, a clear disadvantage of ethanol is its high cost over gasoline under the current pricing scheme that does not include externalities. The intent of this study is to perform a life cycle analysis comparing environmental and cost performance of molasses-based E10 with those of CG. The results show that although E10 provides reduction in fossil energy use, petroleum use, CO2 and NOx emissions, its total social costs are higher than those of gasoline due to higher direct production costs and external costs for other air emissions, e.g. CH4, N2O, CO, SO2, VOC and PM10. An analysis of projection scenarios shows that technological innovations towards cleaner production help maximize ethanol's benefits whilst minimizing its limitations.

Suggested Citation

  • Nguyen, Thu Lan T. & Gheewala, Shabbir H., 2008. "Fuel ethanol from cane molasses in Thailand: Environmental and cost performance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 1589-1599, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:36:y:2008:i:5:p:1589-1599
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301-4215(08)00004-9
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nguyen, Thu Lan T. & Gheewala, Shabbir H. & Garivait, Savitri, 2007. "Fossil energy savings and GHG mitigation potentials of ethanol as a gasoline substitute in Thailand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 5195-5205, October.
    2. Zhang, Cheng & Han, Weijian & Jing, Xuedong & Pu, Gengqiang & Wang, Chengtao, 2003. "Life cycle economic analysis of fuel ethanol derived from cassava in southwest China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 7(4), pages 353-366, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. González-García, Sara & Moreira, M. Teresa & Feijoo, Gumersindo, 2010. "Comparative environmental performance of lignocellulosic ethanol from different feedstocks," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(7), pages 2077-2085, September.
    2. Kumar, S. & Shrestha, Pujan & Abdul Salam, P., 2013. "A review of biofuel policies in the major biofuel producing countries of ASEAN: Production, targets, policy drivers and impacts," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 822-836.
    3. Iskin, Ibrahim & Daim, Tugrul & Kayakutlu, Gulgun & Altuntas, Mehmet, 2012. "Exploring renewable energy pricing with analytic network process — Comparing a developed and a developing economy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 882-891.
    4. Pacharaporn Arkornsakul & Woraphon Yamaka & Sombat Singkharat, 2015. "Consumer?s Willingness to Pay for Gasohol E100 in Chiang Mai Province and Nakhon Ratchasima Province," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 2704676, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    5. Chauhan, Manish Kumar & Varun & Chaudhary, Sachin & Kumar, Suneel & Samar, 2011. "Life cycle assessment of sugar industry: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(7), pages 3445-3453, September.
    6. Silalertruksa, Thapat & Gheewala, Shabbir H., 2010. "Security of feedstocks supply for future bio-ethanol production in Thailand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 7476-7486, November.
    7. Noel, Michael D. & Roach, Travis, 2017. "Marginal reductions in vehicle emissions under a dual-blend ethanol mandate: Evidence from a natural experiment," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 45-54.
    8. Khatiwada, Dilip & Venkata, Bharadwaj K. & Silveira, Semida & Johnson, Francis X., 2016. "Energy and GHG balances of ethanol production from cane molasses in Indonesia," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 756-768.
    9. Eshton, Bilha & Katima, Jamidu H.Y., 2015. "Carbon footprints of production and use of liquid biofuels in Tanzania," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 672-680.
    10. Peerawat Wongsurakul & Mutsee Termtanun & Worapon Kiatkittipong & Jun Wei Lim & Kunlanan Kiatkittipong & Prasert Pavasant & Izumi Kumakiri & Suttichai Assabumrungrat, 2022. "Comprehensive Review on Potential Contamination in Fuel Ethanol Production with Proposed Specific Guideline Criteria," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-53, April.
    11. Silalertruksa, Thapat & Gheewala, Shabbir H., 2009. "Environmental sustainability assessment of bio-ethanol production in Thailand," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 1933-1946.
    12. Yang, Q. & Chen, G.Q., 2012. "Nonrenewable energy cost of corn-ethanol in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 340-347.
    13. González-García, Sara & Gasol, Carles M. & Gabarrell, Xavier & Rieradevall, Joan & Moreira, Ma Teresa & Feijoo, Gumersindo, 2010. "Environmental profile of ethanol from poplar biomass as transport fuel in Southern Europe," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 1014-1023.
    14. Rendon-Sagardi, Miguel A. & Sanchez-Ramirez, Cuauhtemoc & Cortes-Robles, Guillermo & Alor-Hernandez, Giner & Cedillo-Campos, Miguel G., 2014. "Dynamic analysis of feasibility in ethanol supply chain for biofuel production in Mexico," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 358-367.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Silalertruksa, Thapat & Gheewala, Shabbir H., 2010. "Security of feedstocks supply for future bio-ethanol production in Thailand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 7476-7486, November.
    2. Bell, David R. & Silalertruksa, Thapat & Gheewala, Shabbir H. & Kamens, Richard, 2011. "The net cost of biofuels in Thailand--An economic analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 834-843, February.
    3. González-García, Sara & Luo, Lin & Moreira, Mª Teresa & Feijoo, Gumersindo & Huppes, Gjalt, 2009. "Life cycle assessment of flax shives derived second generation ethanol fueled automobiles in Spain," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(8), pages 1922-1933, October.
    4. Khatiwada, Dilip & Silveira, Semida, 2009. "Net energy balance of molasses based ethanol: The case of Nepal," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(9), pages 2515-2524, December.
    5. Zhou, Wei & Yang, Hongxing & Rissanen, Markku & Nygren, Bertil & Yan, Jinyue, 2012. "Decrease of energy demand for bioethanol-based polygeneration system through case study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 305-311.
    6. Hu, Zhiyuan & Fang, Fang & Ben, DaoFeng & Pu, Gengqiang & Wang, Chengtao, 2004. "Net energy, CO2 emission, and life-cycle cost assessment of cassava-based ethanol as an alternative automotive fuel in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(3), pages 247-256, July.
    7. Siros Tongchure, 2013. "Cassava Smallholders’ Participation in Contract Farming in Nakhon Ratchasrima Province, Thailand," Journal of Social and Development Sciences, AMH International, vol. 4(7), pages 332-338.
    8. Yang, Q. & Chen, G.Q., 2013. "Greenhouse gas emissions of corn–ethanol production in China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 176-184.
    9. Chen, Wei-Cheng & Sheng, Chung-Teh & Liu, Yu-Cheng & Chen, Wei-Jen & Huang, Wen-Luh & Chang, Shih-Hsien & Chang, Wei-Che, 2014. "Optimizing the efficiency of anhydrous ethanol purification via regenerable molecular sieve," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 483-489.
    10. Ma, Hengyun & Oxley, Les & Gibson, John & Li, Wen, 2010. "A survey of China's renewable energy economy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 438-445, January.
    11. Jessica Coria & Gunnar Köhlin & Jintao Xu, 2019. "On the Use of Market-Based Instruments to Reduce Air Pollution in Asia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-23, September.
    12. González-García, Sara & Moreira, M. Teresa & Feijoo, Gumersindo, 2010. "Comparative environmental performance of lignocellulosic ethanol from different feedstocks," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(7), pages 2077-2085, September.
    13. Liu, Ronghou & Li, Jinxia & Shen, Fei, 2008. "Refining bioethanol from stalk juice of sweet sorghum by immobilized yeast fermentation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 1130-1135.
    14. Chauhan, Manish Kumar & Varun & Chaudhary, Sachin & Kumar, Suneel & Samar, 2011. "Life cycle assessment of sugar industry: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(7), pages 3445-3453, September.
    15. Sánchez, Antonio Santos & Silva, Yuri Lopes & Kalid, Ricardo Araújo & Cohim, Eduardo & Torres, Ednildo Andrade, 2017. "Waste bio-refineries for the cassava starch industry: New trends and review of alternatives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 1265-1275.
    16. Chollacoop, Nuwong & Saisirirat, Peerawat & Sukkasi, Sittha & Tongroon, Manida & Fukuda, Tuenjai & Fukuda, Atsushi & Nivitchanyong, Siriluck, 2013. "Potential of greenhouse gas emission reduction in Thai road transport by ethanol bus technology," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 112-123.
    17. García, Carlos A. & Manzini, Fabio & Islas, Jorge, 2010. "Air emissions scenarios from ethanol as a gasoline oxygenate in Mexico City Metropolitan Area," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(9), pages 3032-3040, December.
    18. Yang, Q. & Chen, G.Q., 2012. "Nonrenewable energy cost of corn-ethanol in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 340-347.
    19. Ge, Jianping & Lei, Yalin & Tokunaga, Suminori, 2014. "Non-grain fuel ethanol expansion and its effects on food security: A computable general equilibrium analysis for China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 346-356.
    20. Daylan, B. & Ciliz, N., 2016. "Life cycle assessment and environmental life cycle costing analysis of lignocellulosic bioethanol as an alternative transportation fuel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 578-587.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:36:y:2008:i:5:p:1589-1599. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.