Abstract
With increasing fuel costs and concerns over environmental issues, the utilisation of biomass for fossil fuel substitution has drawn much attention with high potential for developing countries. It may supply over 33% of their energy consumption. In the case of Thailand, large quantities of agricultural residues are available after harvesting and milling. In Northeastern Thailand, over 1 Mt/year of maize are produced. This paper describes the potential of utilising maize residues for electricity generation. Based on research, the strategy of removing agricultural wastes while maintaining soil productivity is considered. The quantities of maize residues were estimated on the basis of maize production and residue-to-product ratios. It was found that at least 12 TJ/year of energy could be utilised. This can be a substantial energy source suitable for small-scaled electricity generation. The economic factors considered are: efficiencies of the components; fuel cost; capital cost; electricity prices; and interest rates.