P. Abdul Salam

Low greenhouse gas biomass options for cooking in the developing countries

Large quantities of biomass fuels are used for cooking in the developing countries. Although biomass is a renewable source of energy, traditional biomass-fired stoves cause significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to formation of products of incomplete combustion; also, exposure to smoke from these stoves causes serious health problems. This paper presents an analysis of a number of selected options available for developing countries in the context of reducing total greenhouse gas emission per unit of useful energy for cooking. It is assumed that biomass as an energy carrier is CO2—neutral. However, other GHGs emitted from biomass combustion cause a net greenhouse effect; accordingly, in this study only the non-CO2 greenhouse gases i.e. CH4 and N2O are considered in estimating GHG emission for different biomass-based cooking options. The total GHG emission from traditional wood-fired stoves is estimated to be about of CO2 equivalent per mega joule of useful energy (g CO2-e MJuseful−1) delivered to the cooking pot; this can be compared with 42, 5, 2, 350, 166 and -e MJuseful−1 in case of improved wood-, biogas-, producer gas-, kerosene-, natural gas- and LPG-fired stoves, respectively. Modern biomass based cooking options such as improved biomass-, biogas- and producer gas-fired stoves can potentially play an important role in mitigating GHG emission from domestic cooking by providing an alternative to kerosene-, natural gas- and LPG-fired stoves.

Emission factors of wood and charcoal-fired cookstoves

Abstract In the developing countries, energy required for cooking often has the biggest share in the total national energy demand and is normally met mostly by biomass. This paper presents the results of experimental studies on emission conducted on a number of traditional and improved cookstoves collected from different Asian countries using wood and charcoal as fuel. The emission factors from this study are comparable to those reported in the literature. In the case of wood combustion, CO 2 emission factor is in the range of 1560– 1620 g kg −1 . The emission factors for pollutants CO, CH 4 , TNMOC and NO x were in the ranges 19–136, 6–10, 6–9 and 0.05– 0.2 g kg −1 , respectively. In the case of charcoal combustion, CO 2 emission factor is in the range of 2155– 2567 g kg −1 . The emission factors for pollutants CO, CH 4 , TNMOC were in the ranges 35–198, 6.7–7.8, 6– 10 g kg −1 , respectively. Comparison between wood and charcoal fired stoves shows that, CO 2 and CO emission factor values for wood are lower as compared to charcoal. CH 4 and TNMOC emission factors for wood are with the same range as compared to charcoal. Emission factors for NO x using wood is slightly lower than charcoal. The emission of all the pollutants per unit of useful heat was found to decrease with increasing stove efficiency for both wood and charcoal fired stoves.

Emissions from biomass energy use in some selected Asian countries

In this paper, an attempt has been made to estimate the annual emission of certain greenhouse and other gases and substances from biomass energy sources in selected countries of Asia. For this purpose, the reported values of the different emission factor for biomass combustion have been compiled from an extensive literature review. From the compiled values, a set of emission factors of different gases/pollutants for each fuel-combustion system combination is obtained for each country. The emission factors for the carbon containing gases, i.e. CO2, CO and CH4, are corrected by multiplying each emission factor by a correction factor to avoid over- or under-estimation of total carbon emission. Estimated biomass energy use by technology and the corrected emission factors are used to estimate the total emissions in the selected countries.

Sustainable biomass production for energy in selected Asian countries.

This paper presents a synthesis of assessment of sustainable biomass production potential in six Asian countries-China, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and is based on the detailed studies carried out in these countries under the Asian Regional Research Programme in Energy, Environment and Climate (ARRPEEC). National level studies were undertaken to estimate land availability for biomass production, identify and evaluate the biomass production options in terms of yield per hectare and financial viability, estimate sustainable biomass production for energy, and estimate the energy potential of biomass production in the six Asian countries. Sustainable biomass production from plantation is estimated to be in the range of 182.5-210.5, 62-310, 0.4-1.7, 3.7-20.4, 2.0-9.9 and 11.6-106.6 Mt yr(-1) for China, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand, respectively. The maximum annual electricity generation potential, using advanced technologies, from the sustainable biomass production is estimated to be about 27, 114, 4.5, 79, 254 and 195 percentage of the total electricity generation in year 2000 in China, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand, respectively. Investment cost for bioenergy production varies from US

Greenhouse gas emissions and the mitigation potential of using animal wastes in Asia

381 to 1842 ha(-1) in the countries considered in this study; investment cost for production of biomass varies from US

Forecasting of municipal solid waste quantity in a developing country using multivariate grey models

5.1 to 23 t(-1)

Greenhouse-gas emission mitigation from the use of agricultural residues: the case of ricehusk

Developing countries of Asia account for most of the worlds animal population. The animal wastes produced annually in these countries constitute a major source of methane and other greenhouse gases (GHG). For 23 countries of Asia, we estimate that 17,730 Gg of CH4, 1,290,000 Gg of CO2 and 179 Gg of N2O are emitted from animal wastes. Using the biogas that can be produced from recoverable animal wastes as a substitute for kerosene in cooking will reduce net GHG emissions by 53.1, 19.5 and 61.1% for CH4, CO2 and N2O, respectively.

Comparison of jatropha and karanja biofuels on their combustion characteristics

In order to plan, manage and use municipal solid waste (MSW) in a sustainable way, accurate forecasting of MSW generation and composition plays a key role. It is difficult to carry out the reliable estimates using the existing models due to the limited data available in the developing countries. This study aims to forecast MSW collected in Thailand with prediction interval in long term period by using the optimized multivariate grey model which is the mathematical approach. For multivariate models, the representative factors of residential and commercial sectors affecting waste collected are identified, classified and quantified based on statistics and mathematics of grey system theory. Results show that GMC (1, 5), the grey model with convolution integral, is the most accurate with the least error of 1.16% MAPE. MSW collected would increase 1.40% per year from 43,435-44,994 tonnes per day in 2013 to 55,177-56,735 tonnes per day in 2030. This model also illustrates that population density is the most important factor affecting MSW collected, followed by urbanization, proportion employment and household size, respectively. These mean that the representative factors of commercial sector may affect more MSW collected than that of residential sector. Results can help decision makers to develop the measures and policies of waste management in long term period.

Managing water resources under climate uncertainty.

Greenhouse-gas emission mitigation has been estimated for the use of existing and mature biomass technologies. A general methodology has been developed to determine potential amounts of residues that can be made available for energy purposes and the resulting fossil-fuel replacement from utilization of these residues. The consequent reductions in CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions in CO2 equivalents for a time horizon of 20 years, as well as costs of abatements, were calculated. Both traditional and improved energy uses are considered.

Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Principles and Practices

ABSTRACT Biofuel blends produced from Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) and Karanja (Pongamia pinnata) oil were evaluated for their combustion properties. Two kinds of blends (regular diesel with Jatropha and Karanja oil) were prepared at 20% volume to the diesel and tested as alternative fuels in single cylinder (vertical), water-cooled, direct injection diesel engine at the rated speed of 1500 rpm. The performance of the engine in terms of thermal efficiency at full load for diesel was 30%. For Jatropha and Karanja biodiesel blends, the thermal efficiencies were 29.0% and 28.6%, respectively. The maximum cylinder pressure and ignition delay for biodiesel fuel blends are very close to that of regular diesel. Prolonged combustion was observed for Karanja oil blend in comparison to Jatropha oil blend. The combustion pattern also reveals the slow burning characteristics of vegetable oils and this study indicates that the blended biofuels have combustion characteristics that are similar to regular diesel fuels. Graphical Abstract