CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services: Environment for Life (ICELS 2015) Conference Proceedings November 2 - 5, 2015 Bangkok, Thailand The Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Center at Central World Organized by: Chaipattana Foundation The King’s Royally Initiated Laem Phak Bia Environmental Research and Development Project Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Environment, Kasetsart University
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Prof. Dr. Kasem Chunkao Thailand Prof. Dr. Nipon Tungtham Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samakkee Boonyawat Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nipon Tungkananurak Thailand Assoc. Prof. Kanita Tungkananurak Thailand Assist. Prof. Dr. Kiattisak Duangmal Thailand Assist. Prof. Dr. Surat Bualert Thailand Assist. Prof. Dr. Kannika Duangmal Thailand Assist. Prof. Dr. Onanong Phewnil Thailand Assist. Prof. Dr. Thitima Rungratanaubon Thailand Assist. Prof. Dr. Sujinna Karnasuta Thailand Dr. Alongkorn Intaraksa Thailand Dr. Kittichai Duangmal Thailand Dr. Narouchit Dampin Thailand Dr. Noppawan Semvimol Thailand Dr. Satreethai Poommai Thailand Dr. Thassanee Boonprakong Thailand Dr. Thanit Pattamapitoon Thailand Dr. Watcharapong Wararam Thailand PROGRAM COMMITTEE Prof. Dr. Kasem Chunkao Thailand Prof. Dr. Nipon Tangtham Thailand Prof. Dr. Wit Tarnchalanukit Thailand Prof. Dr. Hirozumi Watanabe Japan Prof. Dr. Gan Zhang China Prof. Dr. Chao Yuan China Prof. Dr. John Bavor Australia Prof. Dr. Monique Leclerc USA Dr. Anja Tremper UK Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samakkee Boonyawat Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Preecha Dhammanon Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wilai Santisopasri Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Surat Bualert Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onanong Phewnil Thailand Assist. Prof. Dr. Kiattisak Duangmal Thailand The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Prof. Dr. Monique Leclerc USA Prof. Dr. John Bavor Australia Prof. Dr. Ken Buckle Australia Prof. Dr. Brian Shutes UK Dr. Anja Tremper UK Prof. Dr. Hirozumi Watanabe Japan Prof. Dr. Gan Zhang China Prof. Dr. Chao Yuan China Mr. Richard Welford China Prof. Dr. Kasem Chunkao Thailand Prof. Dr. Wit Tarnchalanukit Thailand Prof.Dr. Supamard Panichsakpattana Thailand Prof. Dr. Nipon Tangtham Thailand Prof. Dr. Sanit Aksornkoaw Thailand Prof. Dr. Chongrak Polprasert Thailand Prof. Dr. Sombat Kanchanakit Thailand Prof. Dr. Sayan Tudsri Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Paiboon Prabhuddham Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samakkee Boonyawat Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chucheep Piputsitee Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wilai Santisopasri Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nataya Pilanthananond Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr.Wiroj Jiamjarasrangsi, M.D. Thailand Assoc. Prof. Dr. Win Chaeychomsri Thailand Dr. Sophon Thanamai Thailand Mr. Jean-Philippe AMIET France ORGANIZERS Chaipattana Foundation The King’s Royally Initiated Laem Phak Bia Environmental Research and Development Project Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Environment, Kasetsart University Sponsored by Supported by Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.icels.org The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand
Sustainable Resource Utilization: Concept and Practice Orasa Suksawang Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kasetsart University Correspondence: Orasa Suksawang, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kasetsart University Thailand 10900. Tel: 66-81-643-6556 E-mail: [email protected] Abstract This research presents local community practices of waste biomass utilization in a way that can sustain the growth endlessly, under Biomass to Energy and Biochar Community (BEBC), a project partly granted by the Energy and Environment Partnership-Mekong. Previously, people’s attitudes emphasized only how to use resources just for responding to their needs and living convenience ignoring sustainability. Although sustainability policy has been worldwide focused, people could not understand its theory and applications. It was realized that this was not because of their lack of knowledge but it was a culture of reduction thinking and learning process concerning only part of the system. Sustainable resources system thinking was introduced to local people through workshop training and real life experience. The training used casual loops of resource utilization to better understand the growth-decay cycle on breaking down the biomass wastes into syngas for cooking and biochar for soil improvement, resulting in an enduring growth of fresh biomass. Due to holistic awareness and the positive impacts from clean waste management: higher agricultural yields, reduction of farm and living expenditures as well and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, this sustainability concept has been adopted by the trainees and is now being replicated in more villages for practices in household and at farm level. Keywords: biomass, waste, energy, biochar, sustainability, resource, emissions, environment 1. Introduction 1.1 Resource utilization problems The term resource, broadly defined as "a stock or supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively‖ (Oxford Dictionary, 2015), commonly referring to human, land, water, air and forest. Ineffective uses of the resources both existences and wastes can contribute to the country’s economic decline, social insecurity as well as environmental problems. The highlight discussed in this article focuses on waste agricultural biomass, land-based resource, by product of agricultural food crops and trees which are all abundant in Thailand. Based on agricultural census in 2013, there are 5.9 million agricultural holdings on 116.5 million rais (36% of the whole country land). About 3.8 million holders grew rice on 72.5 million rais resulting in 39.8 million tons of rice production about 0.549 tons/rai (National Statistical Office of Thailand, 2013). Waste biomass from rice cultivation calculated using rice grain to rice straw ratio as 1:1.3 (FAO, 2002) were about 45 million tons across the country. It was reported that total rice straws of the year 2009/2010 in 51 provinces of the three regions—Northeast (20), North (17) and South (14)—accounting for 10.7 million tons/year, were used as fuels and others only 10.1 percent of the total volumes, remaining as 9.6 million tons/year, equivalent to crude oil potential 2,822.23 ktoe/year or energy 6,604.02 GW-h/year or 786.19 MW power installed in a province (DEDE, 2013). In addition, as stated in the 11th Thai National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP), Thailand has faced severely deteriorated soil crisis accounting for 35.97 million rais accounting for 11.24% of the whole country. In addition, the problem of water shortage for agriculture has increased, it has been found that villlages accounting for 34% of the whole country have been at risk for moderate to severe drought (NESDB, 2011). The improvement of agricultural productivity by increasing chemical substances such as fertilizers and pesticdes results in more toxic soil and it is damaging the soil fertility as well as the biodiversity. This will exacerbate and hasten the decay of soil and rural poverty. If this problem could not be solved to support the growth of population, agricultural development could not be sustainable. Moreover, this would decline the national security of food production as well as the trade competition of agricultural products. Moreover, the energy consumption increased during last 5 years 2.1% per year, by average, results in the need of import of fossil fuel and electricity. It was reported that 70% of the total commercial imported energy has been The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 1
raw petrol. This has implied an increase of air pollution, which is affecting the environment and causes climate changes. It was found that the rate of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in 2004 rose 5.61% from 2003. The energy sector has been found to emit most of the GHGs accounting for 76.71% (including energy production and consumption), followed by the agricultural and industrial sectors accounting for 20.69% and 8.78% respectively (NESDB, 2011). Globally, 31% of GHGs that is emitted to the atmosphere is caused by land use and land use changes (Stake, 2009). It was noted that we had surplus biomass resources but we used only half, that was the fresh biomass while left abundant wastes which could be broken down to gas as renewable energy resources to replace energy imported; and biochar as carbon sequestration in soil for soil improvement and emmission reduction; in contrast, we used the land resource/soil for generating biomass in a way that is damaging its fertility and creating emissions due to malpractices in agriculture. 1.2 Sustainable resource utilization Concept and Practice The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were adopted at the UN conference in 2000 as guidelines for the nations to integrate a sustainable development concept in national policy and planning as the balance between economic, social and environmental development (Bâc Dorin, 2008). The question is how to transform these goals into practices. Figure1 shows a system of sustainable development in the form of feedback loops using systems thinking. If we have the same mental picture of dynamic interactions between the three pillars included in a system as shown in Figure 1, although we focused the problem element included in the system differently, we could achieve the same goal. As can be seen in Figure 1, the growth of resources and environment as well as the growth of society could be enhanced by technology and network development, while the declines might be affected by the growth of economy and urbanization. The decay of resources, environmental and social development would drop the economic growth. This implies that technology is the key element of the system to possibly balance between resources and environmental, economic and social development. The growth patterns of anything can be observed with changes in three stages as shown in Figure 2—Exponential growth, S-curve or Sustainable growth and Overshoot and collapse patterns (Suksawang, 2014). Figure 3 shows the practice of sustainable resource utilization in a way that can sustain the growth endlessly. Figure 1 Feedback loops of sustainable development system formulated by the author based on the problems stated in the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2012-2016) Figure 2 Development of growth patterns The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 2
Based on experiences in the systems thinking training workshops, stakeholders in developmental issues had different pictures of the problems. However, if all problems are connected under causal relationships, they are all included in the same system. For example, most farmers would focus on soil problems related with low agricultural yield and low income (line boxes in Figure 4) ignoring the impacts of agicultural practices on environment, while government planners, developers and practitioners coming from different functioning organizations would focus issues based on their mandates (dotted boxes in Figure 4) by ignoring its impacts. However, when they were asked to link all problem elements as shown in Figure 4, they better understood and realized how to solve the problems effectively with caution about its impacts on other sectors. The United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, from 25 to 27 September 2015 in New York, has confirmed to move forword to implementation stage and plan to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030 and adopted development agenda goals for actions over the next 15 years in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet as follows—―People: to end poverty and hunger in all their forms and dimensions;.... Planet: to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change;.... Prosperity: to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.....‖(UN General Assembly, 2015). These goals have already been initiated and practiced in this research since 2013 at the community level under the ―Biomass to Energy and Biochar Community (BEBC)‖, a project partly funded by the Energy and Environment Partnership with Mekong (EEP-Mekong). In BEBC project, agricultural biomass wastes were converted to renewable energy and biochar for soil improvement as well as carbon sequestration for emission reduction, using gasification technology at the Figure 4 Feedback loops of sustainable resource utilization system Source: Orasa Suksawang, 2009 Figure 3 Sustainable resource utilization: converting wastes/decay to energy and biochar for soil improvement to suatain the growth The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 3
community and pyrolysis technology at household scales, as shown in Figure 5, 6, in order to maintain the S-curve of resource growth as shown in Figure 3. 1.3 Background of BEBC Project BEBC project is a pilot project focusing on biomass, aiming to install a pilot biomass gasification power plant and establish a community carbon credit model and proved associated benefits from the industrial and household gasifiers including biochar production. The project overall objective was to install a commercial small-scale biomass thermal gasification power plant, integrated with soil improvement by gasifier residues, increased development of environmental and agricultural benefits, contribution to the national policy on energy security, sustainable land resource and environment management as well as rural poverty alleviation in one package.All happening through conversion of biomass to energy and utilization of the biochar residues as a soil improver as well. The project was started on September 1st, 2013 and would have been completed in December 2015. Direct beneficiaries are farmers, the rural community and the local government at the project site, Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand. Expected impacts of the project are changes in community attitudes and actions towards management of sustainability cycle comprising 5 actors —soil, agriculture, biomass waste, energy and biochar working together to provide a sustainable growth of renewable resources, food, energy and a greener environment; to be aware, valued and adopted in practices by communities with support from the government. When biomass, is heated, volatile matters in the biomass is evaporated. The volatile matters consist of combustible hydrocarbons that can be used as fuel for a gas engine; the remains after evaporation of the combustible gas are carbon and ash. The carbon can be used as biochar. The main concept of this project is to create a pilot project for biomass to energy, using gasification technology for energy production, and at the same time produce biochar to be applied to the soil as a soil improver, carbon sequestration, and crop yield improver. In addition CO2 from the power plant is to be supplied for plants in a greenhouse chamber, by use of CO2 enrichment technology. This project helps solving more problems at the same time: alternative energy, greenhouse gas mitigation, land resources and rural poverty, improving the conditions in communities and households. At community scale, crop-wastes from farmlands become fuels for power generation while the bio-char and ash residues are returned back to farmers for carbon sequestration and soil improvement, in an exchange scheme (Figure 5). It is also planned to introduce a local carbon credit concept. Moreover, food processed from crops using biochar can be labeled with low carbon footprint for consumption incentives/promotion of ―green‖ products. The challenge of this project is to merge peoples awareness of national energy, environment and soil crisis altogether. This could be achieved through household scale, energy/syngas from converting biomass/trees’ residues, around the house, using pyrolysis technology to produce gas for cooking, and mixing bio-char, by product, with organic compost to be sold and used as fertilizer (Figure 6). Figure 5 Sustainable utilization of biomass at community level The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 4
2. Research Objectives In order to meet SDGs in sustainable utilization of resource this research aims: 2.1 To develop stoves for converting biomass to energy and biochar used at household scale 2.2 To investigate the composition of syngas produced from rice straw by pyrolysis at temperature 400-500°C; and characteristics of biochar from rice straw and eucalyptus in terms of nutrient contents, chemical and physical properties 2.3 To monitor biochar application in the rice field conducted by farmers in the project area 3. Method 3.1 Equipment used for converting biomass to gas and biochar is BEBC stove developed by the author, using pyrolysis technology. 3.2 Biomass feedstocks used for conversion are rice straw 3.3 Gases were tested at AIT laboratory using gas chromatography 3.4 Biochar produced, from rice straw, at household scale, and biochar produced from eucalyptus at the community power plant located in the project area, Nakhon Phanom province, were analysed at laboratories: 1) Chemical properties: pH, Electricity conductivity (EC), Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), Base satulation (BS), Phosphate, Silica at Kasetsart University (Kamphaeng Saen campus) Laboratory. 2) Physical properties: characteristics of pores were analysed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) at National Science and Technology Development Agencies (NSTDA) laboratory; specific surface area and total pore volumes were analysed using physisorption-BET by Autosorb 1C, Quantachrome, USA at Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization) (TINT) laboratory. 3.5 Applications of biochar in paddy fields were conducted by a farmer group after being trained in the project workshop—using biochar from eucalyptus, power plant by-products, comparing a plot (1/2 rai or 800 sq.m size) with traditional practice using chemical fertilizers and nearby plot with the same size using biochar mixed with composts without chemical fertilizers. Soil properties in the plots with and without biochar had been tested at Kasetsart University (Kamphaeng Saen campus) laboratory. 4. Results 4.1 Development of stoves for producing gas and biochar 1) Stove development for demonstration in the training workshops A stove set used for converting biomass to gas and biochar comprised two tin cans, a bigger size with 13.5 cm. diameter, 16 cm. height and a smaller size with 8 cm. diameter, 14 cm. height; putting rice straw (30 grams) as a Figure 6 Sustainable utilization of biomass at household level The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 5
feedstock inside the smaller can and closed with the cap —for limiting oxygen— having very small holes for gas releasing. Insert the small can inside at the center of the bigger one (with holes around the can at the bottom for air flowing) and fill the empty space between the two cans with small dry waste branches as fuels for complete combustion and heating the biomass to be broken into gas and left with biochar as shown in Figure 7. 2) Stove development for using at household level A stove used for cooking at household developed from a 50 litres steel drum—37 cm. diameter, 40 cm. height —containing leavening agents for food processing, after the agents were sold out, the drum became the waste of the shop. “Our concept is to make value added to wastes from commercial activity by using it as tools for converting other wastes, from agricultural activity, to renewable energy and materials/biochar to add value to land resource/soil and the atmosphere for sustainable utilization with green environment”. Holes with 10 cm diameter were made at the center of the drum bottom and cap for inserting a steel pipe, with the same 10 cm. diameter, rounded with small holes for gas releasing. The drum will look like a donut. The space surrounded the steel pipe would be filled with biomass for converting to gas and biochar while the space in the steel pipe would also be filled with biomas/wood wastes, but as fuels for combustion to heat biomass in donut like (Figure7). Table 1 Process of converting biomass to syngas and biochar Description Tin can for demonstration 50 litres steel drum for cooking at household level Biomass type Biomass type Rice straw Tree branch wastes Rice straw Tree branch wastes Dry material (gram) 30 100-110 1145 7575 Wood wastes as fuel (gram) 30-60 100-140 700 700 Time for gas releasing (min) 15 15 45 45 Moisture of feedstock (%) 10% 10% 10% 10% Temperature (°C) 350-500 350-500 350-500 350-500 Biochar (gram) 10 25-30 250-300 1900-2500 Sale price to BEBC center baht/kg 10 10 Processed biochar with packaging Farm gate price Baht/kg * 35-40 35-40 Source: BEBC Project, 2015, funded by the EEP-Mekong * price at BEBC center, Nakon Phanom 2015 depending on feedstocks and processing Biochar from rice straw Figure 7 A set of tin cans for demonstration on how to convert rice straw/biomass to gas and biochar Figure 8 A waste steel drum for converting rice straw/ biomass to gas for cooking at household and biochar for soil improvement and carbon sequestration for emission reduction The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 6
4.2 Composition of syngas and properties of biochar produced from biomass using pyrolysis technology 1) Composition of syngas produced from rice straw using pyrolysis technology at 400-500 °C As shown in Table 2, the syngas or fuel gas (defined as a mix of three gases—hydrogen, Methane and Carbon monoxide) produced by BEBC stove during the project implementation was found to be in the range of typical composition of syngas produced from coal gasification. The proportions of H2 and CO altogether were 86.4 % of total syngas volumns produced. The rice straw of about 1.1 kg (1,145grams) with 700 grams of wood wastes as fuel for combustion could generate syngas for cooking about 45 mins with the heating value of 2566 kcal/m3 (LHV). If biomass were wood wastes of about 7.5 kg using the same amount of fuels for combustion, the syngas could be used three times for three meals—45 mins per time/meals—the fuels for combustion were also filled 3 times. This would be convenient for preparing foods per day. Anyway, this should be observed by the users of BEBC stoves because the time periods for syngas releasing depend on the type, size and moisture of biomass used for producing gas and biochar. Table 2: Composition of syngas produced from rice straw by pyrolysis at 400-500 °C Syngas Composition Typical % 1 Literature 1 Typical %2 Literatue 2 % (Average) 3 LHV 4 (low heating value) H2 (Hydrogen) 25-30 20-40 27.51955 707.2524 CH4 (Methane) 0-5 0-15 1.496206 128.2249 CO (Carbon monoxide) 30-60 35-40 57.40998 1730.337 LHV _kcal/ m 3 2565.8 LHV _kJ /m3 10735.37 1 US Department of Energy : syngas composition resulted from coal gasification 1 http://www.netl.doe.gov/research/coal/energy-systems/gasification 2 http://www.clarke-energy.com/gas-type/synthesis-gas-syngas/ 3 average of two samples at different time in one process 45 mins 4 The amount of heat evolved when a unit weight (or volume in the case of gaseous fuels) of the fuel is completely burnt and water vapor leaves with the combustion products without being condensed 1 kcal (kilocalorie) = 4.184 kJ (kilojoule) Laboratory :AIT laboratory 2014, analyzed by gas chromatography Source: BEBC project, funded by the EEP-Mekong, 2) Chemical and physical properties of biochar produced from rice straw using pyrolysis technology and biochar from eucalyptus produced from gasification power plant at the project area, Nakhon Phanom province. Chemical properties of biochar from rice straw and eucalyptus biomass and soil in demonstration farm Chemical properties of biochar from rice straw produced by pyrolysis technology at household using BEBC stove at temperature between 400-500 °C and biochar from eucalyptus by gasification technology produced at 1000 °C from power plant were analysed. From Table 3, it can be observed that both biochars are alkaline (pH value >7), rich of carbon and high Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) levels (capacity to hold cation) but rice straw has higher pH value, EC (Electrical Conductivity), CEC and nutrients (N, P, K) contents while less carbon contents compared with eucalyptus biochar. Ca to Mg ratio is at 0 .30 for rice straw biochar while 3.59 for eucalyptus biochar. N to K ratio is at 0.47 for rice straw biochar while 1.51 for eucalyptus biochar. The Base Saturation (BS) of eucalyptus biochar was much higher than the BS of rice straw. It is noted that the soil in demonstration farm was acidic and hardly had nutrients available and low level of CEC. The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 7
Table 3 Chemical properties and nutrient contents of rice straw and eucalyptus biochars and soil Physical properties of biochar from rice straw and eucalyptus biomass The images of biochars, shown in Figure 9,10 enlarged by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) instrument at 200, 500, 1000 (1K) and 2000 (2K) times of original biochar, display the different formations of surfaces and pores between rice sraw and eucalyptus biochar after the syngas had flown out. The average pore size of eucalyptus biochar (197.5 Å) was equivalent to five times greater than the average pore size of rice straw biochar. This resulted in a clear vision of the pores in eucalyptus biochar image with 1000 times enlargement from the normal scale. However, the specific surface area per unit weight of rice straw biochar was found to be sixty-nine times greater than that of eucalyptus biochar as shown in Table 4. These pores could be habitats of microbes and water stocks in soil when biochar was used as soil improver. Table 4 Surface area and total pores’volume analysis of rice straw and eucalyptus biochar Lab no. Sample name (analysed 17 June 14) pH1:10 EC1:10 (dS/m) C (%) N (%) P (%) K (%) CEC (cmol/kg) 1 Biochar-rice straw 400-500 °C 10.18 2.78 48.94 1.024 0.138 2.19 32.90 2 Biochar-Eucalyptus 1000 °C 7.60 0.86 60.45 0.709 0.072 0.49 28.96 3 Soil in demonstration farm 5.26 0.05 0.71 0.049 0.012 0.36 10.05 Lab no. Sample name (analysed 17 June 14) BS (%) Exch.K Exch.Na Exch.Ca Exch.Mg (mg/kg) 1 Biochar-rice straw 400-500 °C 34.55 2146.81 104.44 233.55 787.64 2 Biochar-Eucalyptus 1000 °C 150.24 196.25 8005.19 318.71 88.75 3 Soil in demonstration farm 49.10 81.64 145.95 217.12 111.55 Laboratory: Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen campus laboratory, 2014 Source: BEBC Project ID 4-T-034, 2014, funded by the EEP-Mekong Sample Specific surface area (m2/g) External surface area (m2/g) Average pore size (Å) Total pore volumne (cc/g) Biochar-Rice straw 82.95 82.95 38.77 8.040x10-2 Biochar-Eucalyptus 1.21 1.21 197.5 5.956x10-3 Laboratory: Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization) (TINT) laboratory, July 23-25, 2014 Method:Physisorption-BET, Instrument: Autosorb 1C, Quantachrome, USA, Sample preparation:Outgas 200 C,16 h Source: BEBC Project ID 4-T-034, 2014, funded by the EEP-Mekong The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 8
4.3 Biochar application in the rice field conducted by farmers in the project area Mr. Pong Khotthumma and his team, as shown in Figure 12, together grouped to learn from their real practices the benefit of biochar in paddy field after being taught in the workshop on how soil could be upgraded by biochar and syngas, by product, could be used as fuels in household cooking. They all live in a village closed to the power plant about 2 kilometers and decided to apply biochar for Jasmine rice field of crop year 2014 on 1600 sq.m or 1 rai belonging to Mr. Pong using model in Figure 11. They divided the study plot into two 800 sq.m plots equally and started cultivation in June 2014, applying 40 kg eucalyptus biochar, contributed from the power plant, mixed with 140 kg composts available from the cows at Mr. Pong’s farmhouse, in one plot compared with another plot using chemical fertilizers about 25 kg as normal practices. They harvested by the end of November 2014 and found that the plot with biochar had a 40% higher rice yield than the plot using chemical fertilizers as shown in Table 5. In addition, based on their observation during the cultivation period, although without rain for two weeks, the rice with biochar was still fresh while the other plot showed problems; and insects/pests only visited the plot with chemical fertilizers. It was realized later after the lab test that phostphates available in biochar could prevent insects from entering the rice field. The positive results of farmers’ experiment in the field caused the District to set policy for implementation in January 2015, asking every village to have at least one demonstration plot of vegetables applying biochar produced at household using BEBC Stove and the gas by product to be used for Normal vision Figure 9 Image of rice straw biochar captured by SEM instrument at different scale Source: BEBC project, 2014, funded by EEP-Mekong x200 x500 x1K x2K Figure 10 Image of eucalyptus biochar captured by SEM instrument at different scale Source: BEBC project, 2014, funded by EEP-Mekong x1K x1K x200 x200 x500 Normal vision The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 9
cooking. Aiming to increase the farmers’ income from kitchen gardening after the rice harvest, as they only have one cultivated rice crop each year, and also prepare farmers to learn how to apply biochar for soil improvement before real practices in next years rice crop. Figure 11 A sustainable resource utilization model applied by Farmers at community level Figure12 A farmer group and farmland for application of biochar in a paddy field compared with traditional practice using chemical fertilizer, 2014 The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 10
Table 5 Biochar application in farmers’ paddy field Figure 13 Observation on Jasmine rice cultivation at village no 8, Nonghi subdistrict, Plapak district, Nakhon Phanom province before harvesting one month, 2014 5. Discussion Without holistic thinking, what we think is good today might be the worst one day into the future when the impact becomes effective. BEBC project is research and development oriented, the research and development/practices normally support each other in a positive feedback loop, the project outputs resulting from this interaction might exhibit growth or decline pattern; more research results in more development/practices and more development/ practices result in more research (growth pattern). In reality, more research might result in less development/ practices while less development/practices result in more research (decline pattern). However, we need sustainable systems, thus the research and development should counteract each other in a balanced system aiming to provide sustainable growth pattern—more research should result in more development/practices, while more practices result in less research. More research, but less development/practices were found in reality, since the research conducted has been worldwide known only among researchers, planners and developers, but not among practitioners such as the poor, the expected targets of development. To solve this problem, we created practical lifelong learning at this project, using research outputs as tools for learning altogether among researchers, developers and farmers—the targets of the project. The cases we found and would like to share here are the two samples, one case: we as researchers and developers and farmers all realized that agricultural practice of burning agricultural wastes before new cultivation is negatively effecting both soil resources and environment, but it still remains in practices. Based on our survey in one sub-district in the project area, farmers about 49% burnt rice straw in the fields and 14% decomposed it in the fields, 32% used it for feeding cows and 5% sold it to merchants. After farmers and local authorities realized the interconnected problems of the present practice from causal loops they formulated, and tested themselve how to convert the rice straw as well as waste branches into gas and biochar using tin-can kits in the workshop, they could assess the value of rice straw as well as waste branches previously ignored by people. This resulted in a better choice of clean waste management practices. After learning by daily practice in producing gas from biomass (waste branches and rice straws) for cooking in household and using biochar for vegetable farms, farmers have confidence and have realized the benefits of biochar — soil improvement, clean waste management, energy Plot description Plot size (sq.m) Type of Soil3 texture Chemical fertilizers used (kg) Composts used (kg) Biochar1 used (kg) Rice2 yield (kg) Biochar+compost 800 Sandy clay loam - 120 40 210 Chemical fertilizer 800 Sandy clay loam 25 - - 150 1Biochar, produced from eucalyptus at 1000 °C, contributed by the gasification power plant in the project area 2Rainfed Jasmine rice cultivated in June 2014, harvested in November 2014 3Tested at Kasetsart University (Kamphaeng Saen campus laboratory) funded by the EEP-Mekong Source: Farmers, Mr. Pong Khottumma and partners, the cultivators, in December 2014 The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 11
by-product, reducing expenditures for chemical fertilizers and fuels for cooking and emissions (ignored by farmers previously). Another case, regarding to sandy and aggregated soil textures in the project area, the soil could not keep water resulting in low yield agriculture with high chemical fertilizer practices. After presentation of lab tests of soil samples and biochars from various types of biomass to farmers— chemical and nutrient contents as well as physical characteristics by SEM including pores and surface areas analyses— farmers realized that they wasted money for fertilizers because the plant roots could not take up nutrients without soluble form, moreover, this practice also gradually damaged the soil and the environment. This resulted in their own decision making to change attitudes towards new practices with biochar. At the end of this year crop in December 2015, farmers in the project area are planning to convert rice straws to biochar at the fields and sink it into the soils after rice harvest and will examine the possibility of no tillage for the next year crop including the benefits from potential local carbon credit. At present there are five local training centers established and managed by the local people with technical knowledge assistance from the project, aiming to expand sustainable choices in resource utilization to farmers across the district and provinces. 6. Conclusion Biochar, by its name, was new to farmers and local authorities in the project area, but it caught the attention from the participants because it benefits the farmers, improves the soil and the effect has been proved by farmers in practices and confirmed by scientific data from the lab tests managed by the project. By-products of this adoption, in practices, are clean waste management, soil improvement, higher agricultural yields, non toxic agricultural food, clean environment due to reduction of emissions from agricultural practices and a higher income to the farmers. This research and development, carried out by the project team, will be completed in December 2015, but the research and development by the local people will be continue and be a prototype for other areas. It is believed that the people in the project area could achieve the SDGs in 2030. Acknowledgments This research and development included activities of OUTPUT 3 and OUTPUT 4 of the Project ID: 4-T-034 titled Biomass to Energy and Biochar Community (BEBC) during 2014-2015, funded by the Energy and Environment Partnership-Mekong, the project led by Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute in cooperation with the three Partners-Nakhon Phanom Provincial Administrative Organization (NKP PAO-Partner 1), Supreme Renewable Energy Co., Ltd (Partner 2) and S.Sirisuntarin (Partner 3). The key contributions for the success of the project implementation were the strong cooperations of Nakhon Phanom Governor, Vice Governor, Chief District Officer of Plapak District including provincial authorities and farmers, the targets of the project. Raw materials (waste drums) availably bought for making BEBC stoves in this research and for community enterprises were the cooperation of Charoen Chai Chemical Ltd., to join our network of BEBC and be the primary source of waste drums. References Bâc Dorin, Paul. (2008). A History of the Concept of Sustainable Development: Literature Review. Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 17 (2), 577-579. DEDE (Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency). (2013). Biomass Database Potential in Thailand. Ministry of Energy. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). (2002). Animal Production Based on Crop Residues; China's Experiences. FAO Animal Production And Health Paper. No. 149. 39p. National Statistical Office of Thailand. (2013).Advanced Report 2013 Agricultural Census. Ministry of Information and Communication Technology. NESDB (National Economic and Social Development Board). (2011). The Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan. B.E. 2555 – 2559 (A.D. 2012 – 2016). Oxford Dictionary. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/ The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 12
Suksawang, Orasa. (2009). Biochar Technology: An Approach to Solving Global Warming, Soil and Poverty in Agri-sector. Proceedings of Global Warming: Bio-diversity and Sustainable Uses, Paper presented at Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakorn Prathom Province, 5-6 November 2009, 172-184. Suksawang, Orasa. (2014). System Dynamics Approach to Geography (8th edition). Bangkok: Extention and Training Printing Office of Kasetsart University. Starke, Linda. (2009). (editor). State of the World into a Warming World : A Worldwatch Institute Report on Progress Toward a Sustainable Society. Website : http://www.worldwatch.org. UN General Assembly. (2015). Draft outcome document of the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda. The 1st International Conference on Environment, Livelihood, and Services (ICELS 2015) 2 - 5 November 2015, Bangkok, Thailand A 02002 - 13