Abstract:
The current oil crisis has propelled a serious search for alternative energy sources to replace petroleum. Biodiesel, a source among other alternative energy sources, has been researched into and developed for a number of years until it has secured an equal status as diesel and is proved to be environmentally friendly. In Thailand, various governmental agencies and also those in the private sectors have continually experimented on biodiesel from crude oil palm, leading to the establishment of prototype factories and biodiesel production plants from crude palm oil for commercial purposes such as the Biodiesel Prototype Plant of Krabi Oil Palm Farmers Cooperative Group, the Biodiesel Production Plants of the Suratthani Provincial Administration Organization and the Biodiesel Commercial Plant of Raja Biodiesel Company Limited.
Biodiesel from crude palm oil or palm diesel is manufactured through the process of Estherification by blending crude palm oil with methanol and soda ash as the activator. At this process, triglyceride and methanol can be recycled. After that, the derived triglyceride is processed through the Transesterification process by using hydroxide to extract. Methyl Esther or biodiesel will be extracted at this process as a byproduct and crude glycerol will be purified before it is sold to customers.
The products of Nahon Biodiesel Company Limited are biodiesel from crude palm oil (B100) and purified glycerol. The target market is the business market which composes of the Logistics enterprises and the industries that use diesel. The price set for biodiesel is lower than that announced by PTT Pcl. The most important sale strategy is the setting up of the customer relation team consisting of marketing officers and specialists to establish a good relationship with customers, give knowledge and get the feedback from customers to further develop the products and services.
The plant will be located at Thungyai District, Nakhon Si Thammarat with the production capacity of 10,000 litres per day or 3,000,000 litres of biodiesel per year and 15,000 kilogrammes of pure glycerol per month or 180,000 kilogrammes per year by using 10,600 litres of crude palm oil per day or 3,180,000 litres per year. The most important objective of the enterprises research and development is to minimize the cost of producing biodiesel and the raw material.
The Net Present Value or NPV of the project equals 2,681,883 and the Payback Period is estimated at 5,32 years. The Discounted Payback Period of the project is 8.62 years. The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is 2,48% and the Internal Rate Return Considering Cost Investment and Interest of Reinvestment (MIRR) equals 8.71%.
The prediction of various unfavourable situations of the project has estimated the price crude palm oil at the investment of under twenty baht at the diesel price of 22 baht and the glycerol price of 40 baht. At the time of 10% sale decline, the project would incur a debt o 2,391,967 baht. At the time of a lack of palm oil supplies, used cooking oil or coconut oil can be used as a replacement of palm oil in the same manufacturing process.
In summary, the project is feasible because the current value is estimated at above zero and is expected to yield an appropriate internal rate of return (IRR). In addition, apparent social benefits of the project are to create jobs in the area, increase the value of agricultural products, reduce pollution from the use of diesel and most importantly, to guarantee the national energy stability.
WALAILAK UNIVERSITY. CENTER FOR LIBRARY RESOURCES AND EDUCATIONAL MEDIA