Green waste to biogas: Renewable energy possibilities for Thailand’s green markets Ghaffar Ali a,n , Vilas Nitivattananon a , Sawaid Abbas b , Muazzam Sabir c a School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, Khlong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand b Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand c Department of Agriculture Economics, University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan article info Article history: Received 11 April 2012 Accepted 9 May 2012 Available online 7 July 2012 Keywords: Green waste Biogas Benefit–cost ratio Talaad Thai Renewable energy Solid waste management abstract Today, the production of energy from waste is not a new process; however, its implementation and application continue to be a challenge in developing countries. Despite the abundance of valuable waste in the urban markets of these countries, practices aiming at renewable energy generation are missing. In Thailand, so-called green markets are replete with renewable energy potential, but the practical implementation of this potential is rare. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to show that the conversion of green waste into renewable energy is not only environmentally beneficial but also financially rewarding. This is demonstrated by exploring the energy potential of the market and conducting a benefit–cost analysis under two scenarios. The results illustrate that for the selected market, converting organic waste into biogas is advantageous both environmentally as well as financially; further, the benefit–cost ratio is three times higher after conversion, compared to before. Additionally, there is a huge margin of conversion and production of biogas. The policy makers and planners of Talaad Thai (Thailand’s largest green market) should invest greater effort in initiating plans, and set an example for other markets in Thailand, in order to make this planet clean and green. & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 5423 2. Thailand’s energy consumption and emissions.......................................................................... 5424 3. Case study of Thailand’s largest market ............................................................................... 5424 4. Renewable energy potential ........................................................................................ 5425 5. Benefit–cost analysis (BCA) ......................................................................................... 5426 5.1. Existing scenario ........................................................................................... 5427 5.2. Proposed scenario .......................................................................................... 5427 6. Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 5428 References ...................................................................................................... 5428 1. Introduction Developing countries in Asia are currently faced with pro- blems such as increasing urbanization and demands for more food and shelter to sustain a standard life pattern. Organic waste is primarily composed of food, especially in the mega cities of Asia, such as Tokyo, Beijing, Bangkok, Seoul, Karachi, Mumbai, and Colombo. All these cities are facing solid waste problems because of an increasing population, urbanization, and the ultimate demand for more food. Solid waste mismanagement is one of the main reasons for environmental deprivation, especially in developing countries. The complex interrelationship between the environment and trade has become a focal point for both national policy makers as well as international ones. Statistical data from the International Energy Agency [1] shows that conventional energy resources like oil continue to be the most important sources of energy, accounting for approximately 80% of the total primary energy supply (TPES); oil is followed by coal and gas as sources of energy. The second-most important contributor is combustible renewable energy (CRE), which accounts for 10% of the world’s TPES share. CRE, or traditional biomass energy, constitutes 80% of the total renewable energy consumed mainly Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 1364-0321/$ - see front matter & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.05.021 n Corresponding author. Tel.: þ66814892997. E-mail address: ghafar.gs@gmail.com (G. Ali). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16 (2012) 5423–5429