IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i2p576-d477470.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Eco-Efficiency Assessment of Bio-Based Diesel Substitutes: A Case Study in Thailand

Author

Listed:
  • Napapat Permpool

    (The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
    Center of Excellence on Energy Technology and Environment (CEE), PERDO, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok 10400, Thailand)

  • Awais Mahmood

    (The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
    Center of Excellence on Energy Technology and Environment (CEE), PERDO, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok 10400, Thailand)

  • Hafiz Usman Ghani

    (The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
    Center of Excellence on Energy Technology and Environment (CEE), PERDO, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok 10400, Thailand)

  • Shabbir H. Gheewala

    (The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
    Center of Excellence on Energy Technology and Environment (CEE), PERDO, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok 10400, Thailand)

Abstract

The development of new bio-based diesel substitutes can improve their compatibility with diesel engines. Nevertheless, for actual implementation, their environmental and economic performance needs to be studied. This study quantified the eco-efficiency of three bio-based diesels, viz., fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), partially hydrogenated FAME (H-FAME), and bio-hydrogenated diesel (BHD), to address the perspective of producers as well as policymakers for implementing the advanced diesel alternatives. The eco-efficiency was assessed as a ratio of life cycle costing as the economic indicator and three different environmental damages—human health, ecosystem quality, and resource availability. The eco-efficiency of FAME was the most favorable among all the potential substitutes with regard to human health and ecosystem quality, but the least favorable for resource availability impact. Even though BHD was beneficial in terms of life cycle costing, it was the least preferable when considering human health and ecosystem quality, though it performed the best for resource availability. H-FAME was also promising, in line with FAME. It is suggested that the technologies for BHD production should be improved, especially the catalyst used, which contributed greatly to environmental impacts and costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Napapat Permpool & Awais Mahmood & Hafiz Usman Ghani & Shabbir H. Gheewala, 2021. "An Eco-Efficiency Assessment of Bio-Based Diesel Substitutes: A Case Study in Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-10, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:2:p:576-:d:477470
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/2/576/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/2/576/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Silalertruksa, Thapat & Gheewala, Shabbir H., 2012. "Environmental sustainability assessment of palm biodiesel production in Thailand," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 306-314.
    2. Huppes, Gjalt & Ishikawa, Masanobu, 2009. "Eco-efficiency guiding micro-level actions towards sustainability: Ten basic steps for analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1687-1700, April.
    3. Napapat Permpool & Hafiz Usman Ghani & Shabbir H. Gheewala, 2020. "An In-Depth Environmental Sustainability Analysis of Conventional and Advanced Bio-Based Diesels in Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Pleanjai, Somporn & Gheewala, Shabbir H., 2009. "Full chain energy analysis of biodiesel production from palm oil in Thailand," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(Supplemen), pages 209-214, November.
    5. Kunnika Changwichan & Thapat Silalertruksa & Shabbir H. Gheewala, 2018. "Eco-Efficiency Assessment of Bioplastics Production Systems and End-of-Life Options," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Kulvendra Patel & S. K. Singh, 2025. "Sustainable biodiesel from used cooking oil: a comparative life cycle, energy, and uncertainty analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(6), pages 14755-14780, June.
    2. Ukrit Jaroenkietkajorn & Shabbir H. Gheewala & Rattanawan Mungkung & Napat Jakrawatana & Thapat Silalertruksa & Naruetep Lecksiwilai & Jittima Prasara-A & Pariyapat Nilsalab, 2024. "Challenges and Opportunities of Bio-Circular-Green Economy for Agriculture," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 1729-1750, September.
    3. Avinash, A. & Subramaniam, D. & Murugesan, A., 2014. "Bio-diesel—A global scenario," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 517-527.
    4. Simone Blanc & Stefano Massaglia & Filippo Brun & Cristiana Peano & Angela Mosso & Nicole Roberta Giuggioli, 2019. "Use of Bio-Based Plastics in the Fruit Supply Chain: An Integrated Approach to Assess Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-18, April.
    5. Sebastian Spierling & Venkateshwaran Venkatachalam & Marina Mudersbach & Nico Becker & Christoph Herrmann & Hans-Josef Endres, 2020. "End-of-Life Options for Bio-Based Plastics in a Circular Economy—Status Quo and Potential from a Life Cycle Assessment Perspective," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-20, July.
    6. Suria Tarigan & Iput Pradiko & Nuzul H. Darlan & Yudha Kristanto, 2025. "Carbon Footprint Comparison of Rapeseed and Palm Oil: Impact of Land Use and Fertilizers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-13, February.
    7. Talebian-Kiakalaieh, Amin & Amin, Nor Aishah Saidina & Mazaheri, Hossein, 2013. "A review on novel processes of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 683-710.
    8. Tariq Javed & Fareyha Said & Dalilawati Zainal & Azlina Abdul Jalil, 2024. "Circular Economy Implementation Status of Selected ASEAN Countries," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440231, March.
    9. Salvatore Ammirato & Alberto Michele Felicetti & Cinzia Raso & Bruno Antonio Pansera & Antonio Violi, 2020. "Agritourism and Sustainability: What We Can Learn from a Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    10. Uusitalo, V. & Väisänen, S. & Havukainen, J. & Havukainen, M. & Soukka, R. & Luoranen, M., 2014. "Carbon footprint of renewable diesel from palm oil, jatropha oil and rapeseed oil," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 103-113.
    11. Ana Fonseca & Edgar Ramalho & Ana Gouveia & Filipa Figueiredo & João Nunes, 2023. "Life Cycle Assessment of PLA Products: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-19, August.
    12. Korhonen, Jouni & Honkasalo, Antero & Seppälä, Jyri, 2018. "Circular Economy: The Concept and its Limitations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 37-46.
    13. Polprasert, Chongchin & Patthanaissaranukool, Withida & Englande, Andrew J., 2015. "A choice between RBD (refined, bleached, and deodorized) palm olein and palm methyl ester productions from carbon movement categorization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 610-620.
    14. Hassan, Mohd Nor Azman & Jaramillo, Paulina & Griffin, W. Michael, 2011. "Life cycle GHG emissions from Malaysian oil palm bioenergy development: The impact on transportation sector's energy security," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2615-2625, May.
    15. Xu, H. & Lee, U. & Wang, M., 2020. "Life-cycle energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of palm fatty acid distillate derived renewable diesel," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    16. Oyetola Ogunkunle & Christopher C. Enweremadu, 2025. "Optimization of Blighia sapida Seed Oil Biodiesel Production: A Sustainable Approach to Renewable Biofuels," Resources, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-26, May.
    17. Pandey, Krishan K. & Pragya, Namita & Sahoo, P.K., 2011. "Life cycle assessment of small-scale high-input Jatropha biodiesel production in India," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 4831-4839.
    18. Xintong Wu & Zhendong Li & Fangcheng Tang, 2022. "The Effect of Carbon Price Volatility on Firm Green Transitions: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Listed Firms," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-11, October.
    19. Marcus Keogh-Brown & Henning Tarp Jensen & Bhavani Shankar & Sanjay Basu & Soledad Cuevas & Alan Dangour & Shabbir H. Gheewala & Rosemary Green & Edward Joy & Nalitra Thaiprasert & Richard Smith, 2017. "An integrated macroeconomic, demographic and health modelling framework for palm oil policies in Thailand," EcoMod2017 10569, EcoMod.
    20. Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo & Juana Castillo & Mercedes Beltrán-Esteve, 2013. "A dynamic approach to measuring ecological-economic performance with directional distance functions: greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union," Working Papers 1304, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:2:p:576-:d:477470. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.