Agricultural Biomass-Based Power Generation Potential in Sri Lanka: A Techno-Economic Analysis

W. A. M. A. N. Illankoon (), Chiara Milanese (), Alessandro Girella, Puhulwella G. Rathnasiri, K. H. M. Sudesh, Maria Medina Llamas, Maria Cristina Collivignarelli and Sabrina Sorlini
Additional contact information
W. A. M. A. N. Illankoon: Civil, Environmental, International Cooperation and Mathematical Engineering, University of Brescia—Via Branze 43, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Chiara Milanese: Department of Chemistry & Center for Colloid and Surface Science, University of Pavia—Viale Taramelli 16, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Alessandro Girella: Department of Chemistry & Center for Colloid and Surface Science, University of Pavia—Viale Taramelli 16, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Puhulwella G. Rathnasiri: Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Bandaranayake Mawatha, Moratuwa 10400, Sri Lanka
K. H. M. Sudesh: Department of Applied Earth Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Uva Wellassa University, Passara Road, Badulla 90000, Sri Lanka
Maria Medina Llamas: Department of Chemistry & Center for Colloid and Surface Science, University of Pavia—Viale Taramelli 16, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Maria Cristina Collivignarelli: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Sabrina Sorlini: Civil, Environmental, International Cooperation and Mathematical Engineering, University of Brescia—Via Branze 43, 25123 Brescia, Italy

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 23, 1-18

Abstract: Worldwide energy costs have grown in recent years due to the dwindling global fossil fuel resources and the increased reliance on them for global energy production. This is a common scenario in many nations, including Sri Lanka. As a developing country, Sri Lanka should encourage the diversification of its renewable energy supplies using locally available resources. In this regard, Sri Lanka can promote the use of agricultural residues for energy generation. The present work explores the energy potential of the solid waste generated by the rice industry: rice straw (RS) and rice husk (RH). A new approach was developed using statistical data on rice production and paddy cultivation in each district of the island. The obtained data were integrated into a geographic information system (GIS) to provide geo-referenced results. A physico-chemical characterization of the RS and RH was conducted to correlate the properties of raw materials to their potential energy generation. As an energy generation technology, the grate-fired combustion boiler accompanied by steam turbine cycle (GFC/ST) was selected. Our findings show that the total energy capacity using by-products of the rice industry is estimated to be 2129.24 ktoe/year of primary energy, with a capacity of 977 Mwe, producing 5.65 TWh of electricity annually. An economic analysis shows ten districts have a high profit index ( PI > 1). The districts with the highest PI values are Anuradhapura, Ampara, Polonnaruwa, and Kurunegala, with annual energy potentials of 286 ktoe, 279 ktoe, 231 ktoe, and 160 ktoe, respectively. This work aims to aid future policy decisions by identifying potential districts in which to develop infrastructure for energy generation using agricultural waste, thus reducing net greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of Sri Lanka.

Keywords: rick husk; rice straw; biomass energy production; agricultural residues; alternative energy; Sri Lanka; green economy; decarbonization; green technologies; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/8984/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/8984/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:23:p:8984-:d:986378

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().