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Sustainable gasification–biochar systems? A case-study of rice-husk gasification in Cambodia, Part I: Context, chemical properties, environmental and health and safety issues

Author

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  • Shackley, Simon
  • Carter, Sarah
  • Knowles, Tony
  • Middelink, Erik
  • Haefele, Stephan
  • Sohi, Saran
  • Cross, Andrew
  • Haszeldine, Stuart

Abstract

Biochar is a carbon- and energy-rich porous material produced through slow pyrolysis of biomass, which has been proposed as a way of storing carbon in soils for the long-term (centurial to millennial timescales) but its production incurs an energy penalty. Gasification of rice husks at paddy mills combines the benefits of reasonably efficient delivery of energy with a reasonably high carbon char and ash mixture. The ca. 35% carbon content of the rice husk char is possibly a consequence of the protective shield of silica, preventing full exposure of the biomass to oxidation in the gasifier. In this paper we undertake an evaluation of the sustainability of this ‘gasification–biochar system’ (GBS) in Cambodia, where a rapid deployment of gasifiers is underway. In Part I, we describe the context and analyse (some of) the physical and chemical properties of the biochar. While there are some potential health, safety and environmental issues that require further analysis, they are problems that could be readily addressed in further research and appear to be resolvable. In Part II, we present results from field trials, summarise the data on the carbon abatement of the gasification–biochar system and present some preliminary economic data.

Suggested Citation

  • Shackley, Simon & Carter, Sarah & Knowles, Tony & Middelink, Erik & Haefele, Stephan & Sohi, Saran & Cross, Andrew & Haszeldine, Stuart, 2012. "Sustainable gasification–biochar systems? A case-study of rice-husk gasification in Cambodia, Part I: Context, chemical properties, environmental and health and safety issues," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 49-58.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:42:y:2012:i:c:p:49-58
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2011.11.026
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    1. Parnphumeesup, Piya & Kerr, Sandy A., 2011. "Stakeholder preferences towards the sustainable development of CDM projects: Lessons from biomass (rice husk) CDM project in Thailand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3591-3601, June.
    2. Searchinger, Timothy & Heimlich, Ralph & Houghton, R. A. & Dong, Fengxia & Elobeid, Amani & Fabiosa, Jacinto F. & Tokgoz, Simla & Hayes, Dermot J. & Yu, Hun-Hsiang, 2008. "Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12881, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    3. Hammond, Jim & Shackley, Simon & Sohi, Saran & Brownsort, Peter, 2011. "Prospective life cycle carbon abatement for pyrolysis biochar systems in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2646-2655, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pode, Ramchandra & Diouf, Boucar & Pode, Gayatri, 2015. "Sustainable rural electrification using rice husk biomass energy: A case study of Cambodia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 530-542.
    2. Hong Nam Nguyen & Minh Ha-Duong, 2014. "Rice husk gasification for electricity generation in Cambodia in December 2014," CIRED Working Papers hal-01107615, HAL.
    3. Kwofie, E.M. & Ngadi, M., 2016. "Sustainable energy supply for local rice parboiling in West Africa: The potential of rice husk," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1409-1418.
    4. Pode, Ramchandra, 2016. "Potential applications of rice husk ash waste from rice husk biomass power plant," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1468-1485.
    5. Field, John L. & Tanger, Paul & Shackley, Simon J. & Haefele, Stephan M., 2016. "Agricultural residue gasification for low-cost, low-carbon decentralized power: An empirical case study in Cambodia," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 612-624.
    6. Khushbu Kumari & Raushan Kumar & Nirmali Bordoloi & Tatiana Minkina & Chetan Keswani & Kuldeep Bauddh, 2023. "Unravelling the Recent Developments in the Production Technology and Efficient Applications of Biochar for Agro-Ecosystems," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-26, February.
    7. Theeba Manickam & Gerard Cornelissen & Robert T. Bachmann & Illani Z. Ibrahim & Jan Mulder & Sarah E. Hale, 2015. "Biochar Application in Malaysian Sandy and Acid Sulfate Soils: Soil Amelioration Effects and Improved Crop Production over Two Cropping Seasons," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(12), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Ndindeng, Sali Atanga & Wopereis, Marco & Sanyang, Sidi & Futakuchi, Koichi, 2019. "Evaluation of fan-assisted rice husk fuelled gasifier cookstoves for application in sub-Sahara Africa," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 924-935.
    9. Nadaleti, Willian Cézar, 2019. "Utilization of residues from rice parboiling industries in southern Brazil for biogas and hydrogen-syngas generation: Heat, electricity and energy planning," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 55-72.
    10. Bazargan, Alireza & Bazargan, Majid & McKay, Gordon, 2015. "Optimization of rice husk pretreatment for energy production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 512-520.
    11. Kambo, Harpreet Singh & Dutta, Animesh, 2015. "A comparative review of biochar and hydrochar in terms of production, physico-chemical properties and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 359-378.

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