BIOMASS

 Background

Cambodia derives more than 80% of its energy requirements from biomass (MIME, 1997). For 90% of households, firewood and charcoal are used as an energy source for cooking. Evidence from specific study sites suggest that most cooking stoves currently used in Cambodia are of basic technology and of poor conversion efficiency, such as three-stone stoves and bucket stoves (FAO, 1998; Burgess, 2000; De Lopez, 2001). The Cambodia Fuel wood Saving Project (CFSB), an NGO funded by international donors, has developed locally a more efficient cooking stove. The introduction of the stove has been limited to a few rural areas because of budgetary constraints.

The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has conducted an assessment of the potential for using biomass as a source of renewable energy in Cambodia. The analysis starts with an examination of crops currently produced in different provinces of the Kingdom. Rice, sugar cane and maize are the only three crops that are grown nationally and whose residues can be used to produce energy. The annual production for year 1999 was 4.04 million tons for rice, 0.16 million tons for sugar cane and 0.10 for maize (MAFF, 2002). However, these figures mask large disparities among production regions. Out of 24 provinces, only three exceed an annual rice production of 400,000 tons. For sugar cane, three provinces produce more than 20,000 tons per year. These figures imply that rice and sugar cane production is broadly dispersed among different provinces. In contrast, the production of maize is more concentrated, with most of the crop harvested in Battambang Province. The problem of transporting biomass residues to energy production facilities would be further compounded by the generally poor condition of the provincial road network. Thus a barrier to the use of biomass to produce energy would be the availability of sufficient quantities of crop residues.

The NEDO report identifies Kompong Cham province as the region with the highest potential for biomass energy resources. The annual production for rice, sugar cane and maize were for year 2000 respectively 465,733 tons, 25,310 tons and 15,649. Proximity to the capital and the existence of adequate roads and waterways makes the area “ideal for the construction of a power generating facility fuelled by biomass energy” (NEDO, 2002).

A parallel initiative, funded by the European Commission, is the COGEN 3 project for the promotion of cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) technologies among ASEAN member countries. COGEN 3 acts as a business facilitator and aims to develop Full Scale Demonstration Projects (FSDP) through the provision of a grant of 15% of the cost of purchase of cogeneration equipment from EU-based suppliers (COGEN, 2002). Although several provinces have been identified as having potential for using rice husk for power production, the main obstacle is the availability of residues in sufficient quantities to allow for economies of scale and the construction of a financially viable facility. Existing rice-milling operations, operated by independent rural entrepreneurs, use rudimentary technology and have limited processing capacity, e.g. 2 to 3 tons of rice per hour (SME, 2000). This implies that rice husk will generally need to be collected from different mills to a central heat and power production plant. 

Project/Program

In February 2004 SME Cambodia received a grant from the Canada Fund for their proposed community based renewable energy project. For implementation of this project, the village of Anlong Tamey, Bannan District, Battambang Province was selected. This village comprises of over 100 separate households and does currently not have an electricity system. The initial cost of equipment required for setting up a bio-mass gasification, electricity generation and distribution system are covered by the grant. A newly formed community based energy cooperative will own, operate, maintain and manage the system. After an initial preparation, construction and operational testing period the system will operate on a non-subsidized, sustainable basis under the management of the Community Energy Cooperative.

The operating hours of the system will be from 6:00am till 10:00pm. Customers will be charged at a kWh rate, based on metered consumption. Revenues generated should be sufficient to cover system operation and maintenance expenditures as well as for future replacement of the system. The tariff will be set accordingly. The expected costs of production (= tariff) will be similar to Battambang city ($ 0.25 /kWh). (Sources: SME)

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

□        Increase farmer income by growing and selling fuel wood to the energy cooperative, and leaf material in the animal feed markets,

□        Create possibility of employment generation through commercially productive activities requiring electricity,

□        Improve village security through outdoor lighting of pathways, roads and public areas,

□        Make available possibilities of irrigation pumping for commercially oriented agriculture production,

□        Improve the quality of life of villagers through household electrification,

□        Make available education and information through radio and television.

There is level of potentially available biomass residues for power generation. Biomass for electricity generation is important role in rural electrification strategy. Private sector involvement in biomass for electricity generation is also important for rural energy development.

WOOD AND OTHER BIOMASS USE IN CAMBODIA

□        94 % of fuel wood is used directly as fuel,

□        6 % of fuel wood is converted to charcoal,

□        90 % of total fuel wood supply is consumed directly by households in rural areas,

□        8 % of total fuel wood supply is used in other urban households,

□        Less than 1 % of total fuel wood supply is used in industrial sector,

□        Less than 1 % of total fuel wood supply is used in service sector

□        The other biomasses such as wood, wood waste and rice husk are used by brick kilns, bakeries, and food processing,

□        Cane husk, palm branches and tree leaf are used by cane sugar and palm sugar producers,

□         Coconut branches, coconut husk and rice husk are used by rural households for cooking animal food,

□        Some rural households use coconut branches, palm branches, rice straw with cow dung, rice husk and wood waste for cooking their food.

□        They use these biomasses for directly firing.
 

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON BIOMASS FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION

□        Formerly rice husk were available without payment,

□        Now are sold commercially,

□        Biomass is used more efficiently for the possible substitution of fuel wood,

□        Rice husk are also exported to Thailand

□        Biomass accounts for over 80 % of the country energy demand, mainly wood,

□        There is not yet electricity production from biomass,

□        The lack of technology and budget is major barriers encountered in biomass for electricity generation.

Only EC ASEAN Cogen 3 Programme has promoted, since August 2002, the use of rice husk for a 1.5 MW cogeneration project in a rice mill, in Kandal Province near Phnom Penh, in the context of FSDP.

BARRIERS

□        High initial investment for biomass-electric power conversion technology,

□        Due to organizational and managerial barriers and also due to the lack of means, Cambodia cannot yet address properly the population basic needs;

□        Lack of basic socio-economic and technical data;

□        Low awareness due to lack of information;

□        Weakness in Financing, Banking and Credit systems.

Formerly rice husk were available without payment, but now are sold commercially, that need to be used more efficiently for the possible substitution of fuel wood. In Kampong Chhnang Province (Name of a province in Cambodia) even recent year ago rice husk were available free of charge but now cost half the price of fuel wood in energy terms. A detailed survey is necessary to assess the benefits of introducing biomass energy, efficient practice and technologies. Rice husk are also exported to Thailand by truck, that have brought products to Cambodia. Prices will depend on the size and type of fuel handling, combustion, boiler and flue gas treatment system.

CASE PROJECT BRIEF

SME Cambodia received a grant from the Canada Fund for their proposed community based renewable energy project. The project has selected the village of Anlong Tamey, Bannan District, Battambang Province. After an initial preparation, construction and operational testing period the system will operate on a non-subsidized, sustainable basis under the management of the Community Energy Cooperative.

The operating hours of the system will be from 6:00am till 10:00pm. Revenues generated should be sufficient to cover system operation and maintenance expenditures as well as for future replacement of the system. The tariff will be set accordingly.

PROJECT OUTPUTS
 

□       Establish a Community based renewable Energy Cooperative.

Village residents will be informed about the potential and opportunity to develop self sufficiency in electric power generation. They will be familiarised with the concept of a member owned and operated Community Energy Cooperative. SME Cambodia staff will facilitate the organisation of a community based cooperative energy organisation.

□       Establish a tree plantation “energy reserve” (3-4 ha. of tropical legume trees).

The biomass gasification system will utilize woody material from the branches of farmed Leuceana trees that the cooperative members will grow and harvest to supply as fuel for the biomass gasifier. Leaves from the harvested branches will be saved and used as fertilizer, for livestock feed or sold in local markets as animal feed (pig producers). The electricity system will operate on 100% locally produced renewable biomass (farmed trees).

□       Construction of a village electricity distribution grid.

The Cooperative members will supply the labour to erect a distribution system, (poles and conductor wire), that connects member households and local enterprises (e.g. irrigation pumps, hammer mill, rice mills etc.) to the generator set.

□       Installation of biomass gasification equipment and generator set.

SME Cambodia purchased a 9 kWe (gross) biomass gasifier and gen-set system from Ankur Scientific Energy Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Vadodara, India. The Ankur systems have proven effective for over 10 years in rural conditions similar to Cambodia, in India and other countries.

□       Train and orient village Cooperative families concerning safe and productive use of electricity from their grid.

Village residents will be instructed in the safe use of electricity through local meetings and demonstration.

□       Recruit and train system operators.

Two or three village residents will be recruited and trained to prepare biomass, operate the biomass gasifier and generator set, and provide various customer services.

□       Set up an accounting and village grid management systems for the Community Energy Cooperative.

A fee collection system, accounts record keeping and administration system will be established by the Community Energy Cooperative with assistance from SME Cambodia staff.

Key Players

GOVERNMENT:

1. Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy:

-         Department of Energy Technique

-         Department of Energy Development

2. Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry
3. Cambodian Climate Change Office of the Ministry of Environment

NON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION:

-     Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Cambodia

-     Cambodia Fuelwood Saving Project (CFSP)

-     Cambodian Research Centre for Development (CRCD)

ACADEMIC:

-    Royal University of Agriculture (RUA)

CIDA (Canada), GTZ (Germany), Dutch SNV (biogas), UNDP, FAO (Resources potential)

ACLEDA, CANADIA,