Feasibility of husk-fuelled steam engines as prime mover of grid-connected generators under the Thai very small renewable energy power producer (VSPP) program

Rice husk generated as a by-product of rice mill processes can be utilized as an energy source for husk-fuelled rice mills. The economic evaluation of the investment of husk-fuelled steam engine rice mills, which generate mechanical energy for the direct driving of milling equipments, has previously been presented in literature. It was reported that for some particular conditions of rice mill, the investment of husk-fuelled steam engine as energy-saving technology is financially feasible. Since May 2002, electricity distributors in Thailand have allowed renewable energy producers up to 1 MW to connect their generators to the grid in order to sell surplus electricity to the grid. This arrangement creates more income opportunities for husk-fuelled steam engine owners to generate not only mechanical power for rice milling processes, but also surplus electricity for feeding onto the grid. The objective of this study is to investigate the financial feasibility of the investment in a husk-fuelled steam engine system which drives grid-connected electrical generators, reduces rice mill demand and electricity and sells surplus electricity to the grid. The technical and economic data for rice mill sizes 35, 45, 60, 95 and 120 t/d presented in this study show that the husk-fuelled steam engine system with grid-connected generators improves the economic performance of applying the system solely for the largest 120 t/d rice mills. However, the conventional husk-fuelled steam engine without electric generator gives a better economic performance of the rice mills sizes from 45 to 95 t/d.