Search

Taiwan imports more than 99% of her energy and suffers from climate change effects such as rising ocean level. Therefore, energy insecurity and GHG emissions offset are two serious problems facing Taiwan. This paper examines the possibilities for domestic bioenergy production in Taiwan utilizing set-aside land. Three bioenergy alternatives are examined: pyrolysis-based bioelectricity, conventional bioelectricity and ethanol. We examine the comparative economics and choices among these alternatives under current Taiwanese agricultural system policies and also under altered energy and greenhouse gas/carbon prices. Biochar, produced from pyrolysis, is also investigated for different uses: whether it is best used as an energy source and/or a soil amendment. The study employs modified Taiwanese Agricultural Sector Model (TASM) to simulate the effects of the alternatives in the face of energy and greenhouse gases prices. Results show that ethanol production is chosen under current conditions but that this is replaced by pyrolysis-based bioelectricity when the GHG price is high. The results also indicate that Taiwan's energy security can be enhanced by domestic bioenergy production and up to1.59% of total GHG emissions can be offset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Promoting biofuel to replace fossil fuels and alternative utilization schemes to replace conventional measures of biomass waste disposal have been considered a priority to mitigate CO 2 emissions. Despite fewer land resources and higher reliance on imported energy and raw material resources, the potential for bioenergy supply in a place like Taiwan should be fully investigated. This paper presents a case study regarding the utilization of waste biomass derived from an enhanced production of rice paddy and from the forest sector in Taiwan for biofuel production. In this study, the carbon balance for the two aforementioned bioenergy production scenarios was calculated. The amount of biomass waste expected to be derived from rice husk and rice straw produced from currently planted paddy and from reactivated fallow rice paddy was estimated. Forest sector wastes consist of biomass derived from processing domestically harvested and post-consumer harvested wood products. The projection was made up to 2065. The overall annual bioenergy providing potential of the biomass, estimated by this study, to replace gasoline through bioethanol production and residual combustion and to substitute coal for power generation via combustion were approximately 222.37 PJ and 206.77 PJ, respectively. These values represent 332.56% and 323.24% of the current level of bioenergy supplies, compared to the 76.4 PJ from biomass and waste incineration in 2016. This is the first time the bioenergy potential of post-consumer harvested wood products is being identified. Highlights • Potential of bioenergy from forest sector is identified. • Potential of bioenergy supply from reactivated fallow rice paddies is identified. • 254.06 PJ can be converted by bioethanol production and combustion of residue. • 246.92 PJ can be converted by obtained by combustion. • Up to 332.56% of the current level of bioenergy supplies can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Heavily (about 99%) depending on imported energy, Taiwan, a country in the subtropics, has limited natural resources. In this regard, biomass energy from (MSW) municipal solid waste incineration plants thus became attractive during the 1990s. The objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive analysis of MSW-to-energy in Taiwan. This paper gave a concise summary of current status of domestic energy consumption & power generation, MSW generation & MSW incineration treatment, and electricity generation from MSW incineration plants since 2000. Based on the electricity generation in 2008 (i.e., 2967 GWh), the environmental benefit of mitigating CO2 emissions and the economic benefit of selling electricity were preliminarily calculated to be around 1.9 × 106 tons and US$ 1.5 × 108, respectively. However, since the heat content of incinerated MSW and the methodologies were used on the recommendation of the (IPCC) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the net emissions of CO2 equivalent from methane (CH4) & nitrous oxide (N2O) have been estimated to be at around 76,000 and 88,000 tons/year compared to coal and oil, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examined promotion programs and implementing regulations that provide a framework for the application of energy and agricultural policies for the local energy crops cultivation by the reactivation of fallow land (about 100,000ha) and their utilizations in the bioenergy production in Taiwan. The contents were thus addressed on current energy supply and biomass energy production, estimation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy use (consumption) using the Reference Approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) method, national energy goal in biomass energy supply in the near future, and government policies and measures for encouraging bioenergy production and consumption. For the promotion of biofuels, the incentive programs were initiated in the period of 2006–2011. The potential benefits of the program include the upgrade of industrial investment in the bioenergy plants, the reactivation of fallow land (about 100,000ha), the mitigation of CO2 emissions, and so on. Concerning the utilization of napier grass (a potential energy grass) as biomass energy (electricity generation) for co-firing, its impacts on ambient air quality and non-CO2 greenhouse gases (i.e., CH4 and N2O) emissions were also discussed in the paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The study aimed to construct a technology industrialization roadmap model and apply it to illustrate the fermentative hydrogen production from biomass in Taiwan. The paper distinguishes and defines the emerging industrialization process technology and collects and analyzes secondary data. Subsequently, it identifies the current phase of technology development and investigates the future activities of the industrial phase and the relationship between technology, product, applications, and markets by further formulating the industrialization roadmap. The results are as follows. The industrialization of hydrogen production by fermentation from biomass in Taiwan is currently in the “technology-application transition phase,” in which key technologies such as selection and cultivation of dominant hydrogen-producing bacteria, processing of biomass feedstock, and control of operation parameters have been mastered. The industrialization roadmap has designated the years 2016–2020 as the “nurture phase,” 2021–2025 as the “application-market transition phase,” and 2026–2035 as the “growth phase.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the lack of locally natural sources and the environmental concerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, using a wide variety of biomass residues as energy sources has attracted much attention in the past two decades. The purpose of the case study was to examine the energy use of imported palm kernel shell (PKS) in Taiwan, which has generated superheated steam for the end users in the industrial sector. In this work, characterizing the thermochemical properties of imported PKS (including proximate analysis, elemental analysis and calorific value) was first conducted by the standard test methods. Based on the statistics of imported PKS and the method developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the preliminary benefit analysis of PKS-to-energy was further addressed in the paper to verify its equivalent GHG emission mitigation. The results showed the annual benefit of equivalent GHG mitigation of about 78,647 metric tons (using annual imported PKS of 60,000 metric tons on an average). In addition, the economic benefit for purchasing PKS in the industrial boilers can gain the cost-down at approximately NT$60,000,000 (US$2,000,000) in comparison with that of fuel oil. Furthermore, the regulatory measures for upgrading PKS-to-energy and countermeasures for controlling air pollutant emissions from PKS-to-energy facilities were briefly summarized to create another circular economy. Finally, some technological recommendations have been addressed to upgrade the added values of imported PKS in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two cruises were conducted across the mainstream of the Kuroshio off eastern Taiwan before and after the passage of Typhoon Saola in summer 2012. The continuous underway pCO2 (i.e., partial pressure of CO2) measurements revealed that surface seawater pCO2 (SS pCO2) displayed spatial variations in response to typhoon passage. The simulated results showed that the mixed-layer deepening after typhoon passage had a minor effect on SS pCO2 variation because pCO2 decrease driven by temperature dropdown and enhanced biological production fueled by nutrients input was largely compensated by pCO2 increase caused by salinity increase and dissolved inorganic carbon input from the subsurface layer. By contrast, the advection pattern showed significant change before and after the typhoon, which could play a major role in controlling the variation of SS pCO2. In the exit area of the cyclonic eddy, SS pCO2 decreased, while in the area of its arrival, SS pCO2 increased. Besides, the discharge of freshwater and the intrusion of the South China Sea subsurface could result in SS pCO2 increase in the nearshore area. The present study highlights that more advection changes need to be considered to better understand the impact of the typhoon on SS pCO2, especially in the strong current area, such as the Kuroshio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rice straw, a rich agricultural byproduct in Taiwan, can be used as biomass feedstock for cofiring systems. In this study, we analyzed the penetration of rice straw cofiring systems in the Taiwanese power market. In the power generation system, rice straw is cofired with fossil fuel in existing electricity plants. The benefits of cofiring systems include increasing the use of renewable energy, decreasing the fuel cost, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. We established a linear complementarity model to simulate the power market equilibrium with cofiring systems in Taiwan. GIS-based analysis was then used to analyze the geospatial relationships between paddy rice farms and power plants to assess potential biomass for straw-power generation. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis of the biomass feedstock supply system was conducted for various cofiring scenarios. The spatial maps and equilibrium results of rice straw cofiring in Taiwanese power market are presented in the paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the livestock manure are becoming significant energy and environmental issues in Taiwan. However, the waste management (i.e., anaerobic digestion) can produce the biogas associated with its composition mostly consisting of methane (CH4), which is now considered as a renewable energy with emphasis on electricity generation and other energy uses. The objective of this paper was to present an overview analysis of biogas-to-bioenergy in Taiwan, which included five elements: current status of biogas sources and their energy utilizations, potential of biogas (methane) generation from livestock manure management, governmental regulations and policies for promoting biogas, benefits of GHGs (i.e., methane) emission reduction, and research and development status of utilizing livestock manure for biofuel production. In the study, using the livestock population data surveyed by the Council of Agriculture (Taiwan) and the emission factors recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the potential of methane generation from livestock manure management in Taiwan during the period of 1995–2007 has been estimated to range from 36 to 56Ggyear−1, indicating that the biogas (methane) from swine and dairy cattle is abundant. Based on the characteristics of swine manure, the maximum potential of methane generation could reach to around 400Ggyear−1. With a practical basis of the total swine population (around 4300 thousandheads) from the farm scale of over 1000heads, a preliminary analysis showed the following benefits: methane reduction of 21.5Ggyear−1, electricity generation of 7.2×107 kW-hyear−1, equivalent electricity charge saving of 7.2×106 US$year−1, and equivalent carbon dioxide mitigation of 500Ggyear−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Greenhouse gas emission induced global climate shift is an immediate threat to the world because of increased likelihood of the occurrence of extreme events. Expanding bioenergy production on currently set-aside land is an attractive option being considered by Taiwanese policymakers to reduce potential damages. This study investigates the impact of pyrolysis-based bioelectricity and ethanol on the greenhouse gas emission using a two-stage dynamic semiparametric model. The results show that the bioelectricity generation has a significantly positive impact on the emission reduction. It encourages Taiwan to place more public resource on bioelectricity generation. This study is extended to forecast the emission reduction for 2015 to 2017. The quarterly emission reduction forecasts vary between 214,806 and 239,497 tons, which is less than 3% out of total emissions. It implies that the Taiwanese government could move the policy supports from biofuel production to bioelectricity production to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the bioenergy potentials of Taiwan for policy making, the annual potentials of common crop residues have been estimated to be about 1.7 × 106metric tons (dry matter) using the national crop production data and the crop residue factors. Based on the estimated amount, a preliminary benefit analysis showed that the total energy potential of 2.5 × 104TJ/y could be gained in Taiwan. It is equivalent to the reduction in net greenhouse gases emissions of around 2.3 × 103and 1.8 × 103Gg/y as a result from the substitutions of coal and oil, respectively. In addition, the potentials of the common crop residues for biogas (methane) generation and bioethanol production were estimated to be around 3.0 × 102Gg/y and 1.7 × 105m3/y, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to present a comprehensive analysis of biomass energy utilization and production in Taiwan. This article gives a concise summary of the current status of biomass energy, and it also centers on the new/revised promotion legislation/regulations concerning biomass energy in the measures of environmental protection and economic/financial incentives. This article also presents updated information about the production and consumption status of biodiesel and the research and development status of bioethanol in Taiwan. Based on the actual biopower generation in 2008 (i.e., 3,433 GWh), the environmental benefit of mitigating CO2emissions and the economic benefit of selling electricity were preliminarily calculated to be around 2.2 × 106metric tons and US$ 1.7 × 107, respectively. Finally, some recommendations for promoting biomass energy are addressed in the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study with an international perspective, investigated the state of knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes among young students toward bioenergy in Finland, Slovakia, Taiwan, and Turkey. A total of 1,903 students with an average age of 15 years from 19 rural and urban schools participated in this study. The study found statistically significant differences in students' bioenergy knowledge with respect to the countries. Only a small percentage of the students in each country were able to demonstrate a high level of bioenergy knowledge. In overall, the gender and rural-urban differences did not play a significant role in determining students' level of bioenergy knowledge. The students appeared to be very critical of bioenergy and especially of the issues related to bioenergy production from forests. They demonstrated positive attitudes in terms of their willingness to learn about bioenergy and its use in their daily life. The study found statistically significant effects of gender and locality on students' perceptions of bioenergy. Most knowledgeable students in bioenergy appeared to be most critical in their perceptions and attitudes toward bioenergy. The principal component analysis revealed three distinct dimensions of students' perceptions and attitudes toward bioenergy viz., 'motivation', 'critical', and 'practical'. A broader societal support is needed for the introduction of bioenergy in many countries and young generation's positive attitudes to this matter is certainly important for people who will create policies in this area. More efforts are needed to support young students so that they understand the multi-dimensional issues related to bioenergy by allowing them to have practical experiences with bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]