1 Management of Agricultural Wastes and Residues in Thailand: Wastes to Energy Approach

Agriculture sector in Thailand has played a significant role in economic contribution since historical times. Among the total area of 520 million square kilometers, more than 65 % is occupied by agriculture related activities. With the ever increasing market demand for agricultural products, most of the agricultural residues often end up in the municipal waste streams or in some cases, not efficiently used. Since 2001, energy demand in Thailand has been increasing at about 4 % per year. A large portion of the fossil fuels is imported to meet the industrial and domestic needs, thus causing concern for energy security. In addition, utilization of fossil fuels is associated with green house gas emissions with significant environmental impacts. This paper describes an acceptable approach of utilizing agricultural waste and residues as a potential source of alternative and sustainable energy in Thailand. It also explains the energy potential of agricultural residues and animal manures that could be exploited to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels. The paper also examines the prevailing methods and technologies employed in utilizing the agricultural biomass from the major crop products and animal manures with some case studies. 1