2.8 The Ratio of renewable energy production divided by total energy usage per year

1. Biodiesel production station 

The Energy and Environmental Engineering Center is conducting research, development, and academic services in energy and environmental engineering technology, focusing on reducing environmental impacts. Additionally, the center compiles and disseminates technological data to governmental, private, and public sectors. Examples of technologies shared include electricity generation from landfill gas, biogas production from organic materials, biomass gas production systems, tools for converting waste materials into fuel energy and fertilizers, and biodiesel production system prototypes.

Eco-friendly Biodiesel Production

Biodiesel refers to a product resulting from the transesterification reaction between vegetable oils, animal fats, or used vegetable oils and alcohol, catalyzed by an acid or base, producing a substance known as ester.

Typically, used vegetable oils contain free fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols, water, and other impurities. Therefore, a chemical process is needed to transform the structure of the oil into a straight-chain form using transesterification (or alcoholysis), converting triglycerides into monoalkyl esters such as methyl ester and glycerin or glycerol.

Biodiesel has a higher flashpoint than conventional diesel, making it safer for use and transportation. Its cetane number, which indicates the ignition quality, is higher than that of diesel, leading to easier engine starts and reduced white smoke emissions.

The biodiesel production prototype uses vegetable oils such as palm oil, coconut oil, jatropha oil, or animal fats, whether used or unused, combined with alcohol and potassium hydroxide as the reaction agent. This produces biodiesel (ester) and glycerol as a byproduct, with a production capacity of 25 liters per batch, approximately 75 liters per day, at a cost of 60,000 baht per set.

The biodiesel production prototype, with a capacity of 25 liters per batch, operates for about one hour following the process outlined below:

    Heat 25 liters of vegetable oil to 60°C. Add 5 liters of alcohol mixed with 250 grams of potassium hydroxide. This process yields approximately 5 liters of glycerol and 20 liters of biodiesel. The glycerol and wastewater produced in the process can be treated further with sulfuric acid and caustic soda to produce glycerin and water that can be used as fertilizer for agriculture, thus completing an environmentally friendly production cycle.

A 25-liter biodiesel production prototype

2. Clean Biomass

Producing hot gas with a Gasification Stove

Energy and Environmental Engineering Operations Center, Faculty of Engineering, Kamphaeng Saen Kasetsart University.

Gasifier is the conversion of carbon compounds into syngas or synthesis gas. It mainly consists of Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2). Gasification is the partial combustion of fuel substances in a controlled combustion chamber. Unlike pyrolysis systems, the process of replacing carbon elements under a temperature of 400-6000C is achieved. It does not contain oxygen or uses very small amounts of oxygen, which can be developed into a system in conjunction with bio-fermentation tanks to generate electricity.

Clean Biomass

3. Solar Power

On 12th December 2019,  Assistant Professor Dr. Suriyan Thanyakijjanukij as Dean of Faculty of Fisheries, Assistant Professor Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat as Deputy Dean of Special Affairs, along with administrators, professors, personnel and students of the Faculty of Fisheries, participated in the opening ceremony to deliver the Floating Solar power generation system from BCPG Public Company Limited, which was honored by Mr. Bundit Saphianchai, President and the Company's management team of BCPG as the giver at the Museum of Fishery Natural Science, Center for Research Management and Academic Support, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University.

BCPG Public Company Limited provided a support to the Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, with the installation of Floating Solar power generation system with 39.06 kW peak capacity (53.1045 hp) at the pond in front of the Faculty of Fisheries. The objectives were to study, train and experiment with the pilot project to produce clean energy (Zero Emission Building), together with aquaculture raising, as well as to honor His Majesty King Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej Borommanattthabophit, the Father of Thai Energy.

Solar Power

4. Usage of wind power

Wind power

5. Biogas production station

Biogas production station of Kasetsart University produced gas from food waste 400 kg. /day and converted into heat energy from a gas tank of 15 cubic meters to use in the canteen. 

Biogas production station

Landscape Mission Group and environment, Central Service Division, Kamphaeng Saen Campus Office

There is a demonstration of the technology transfer of agricultural products without waste. The objectives as following:

1. To encourage farmers and the people to bring the agricultural waste materials and easy to find in the local to manage systems to get renewable biogas and quality organic fertilizers in the pesticide residue-free production of plants.
2. To encourage farmers and people to respond to the government's policy to eradicate water hyacinth, which pollutes bad water, slowing down the flow of water, and create problems in water traffic, which makes the various departments lost the budget to get rid of hyacinths.
3. It is a learning center for farmers, students, personnel and publics.

100 kg of water hyacinth feed them every day for 15 days (1500 kg) will get 5 kg of methane / day.

Biogas production station

Biogas production project from organic waste, 200 kg per day, consisting of: A 10,000-liter fermentation tank equipped with a raw material mixing agitator produces 12 cubic meters of gas per day. It can be used as a renewable fuel for LPG as well.

Biogas is a gas formed by fermenting animal manure or organic matter to be decomposed by microorganisms in anaerobic conditions. The resulting gas is a mixture of gases between methane and carbon dioxide gas, nitrogen gas, hydrogen gas, and hydrogen sulfide gas. Methane, which is the main component, has combustible properties, so it can be used as a heat fuel and can be used as fuel for running the engine. 1 cubic meter of biogas is equivalent to 0.46 kilograms of LPG.

Biogas production station

The technology of producing oil from plastic waste is the process of melting plastics with heat of about 420 degrees Celsius, converting them into liquids and gases in reactor tanks, which are anaerobic (Pyrolysis). Once the gas has been cooled and the gas has been adjusted, it will be condensed by the cooling system until it becomes fuel. The non-condensed gas is used to heat the gas burner to heat itself. For ash formed below the reactor tank, it can be reused as fuel in the combustion chamber. 

Plastic waste oil production machine

The production of oil from plastic waste is a batch type demonstration system. 5 kg/time feeding takes 3 hours, reactor tank temperature is about 400 degrees Celsius for processing plastics into Light Crude Oil, fuel charcoal and synthetic gases.

The output obtained from the processing of plastics into oil. 

1. Yield 1 Pyrolysis Oil Approximately 20-30% consist of gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel oil, fuel oil and heavy oil mixed together. Pyrolysis oil can be used as a substitute for diesel fuel for use in agricultural machinery, ship engines, and others. The cost of production is lower than that of commercially available oil.
2. Yield 2 Hydrocarbon gas is about 10-30%, a gas that has a composition similar to natural gas but has a different ratio of elements such as methane, propane, butane, etc. The resulting gas is fed back into the furnace by the fan as fuel. It helps to save the fuel used in the system.
3. Yield 3 Carbon carbon briquettes can be used as solid fuel. It has a higher calorific value than conventional wood charcoal.

Products obtained from plastic processing into oil

Remark : All activities in 2.8 refer to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the global goals, especially relating to Goal 7 : Affordable and Clean Energy Enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.