GIS-BASED METHODOLOGY ON TECHNO-ECONOMIC POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT OF SUGARCANE RESIDUES IN MEDELLIN, CEBU, PHILIPPINES

摘要

The act of burning traditional biomass results in indoor air pollution, which has negative effects on health such as respiratory, pulmonary, and cardiovascular diseases. The practice also contributes to ambient air pollution and climate change through the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and non-CO2 pollutants formed by the incomplete combustion of biomass. To help reduce air pollution coupled with its effect on climate change specifically the agricultural residues left on fields and burned, a Geographic Information System (GIS) supported assessment was developed to determine the techno-economic potentials of utilizing agricultural residues in Medellin, Cebu. The methodology was based on GIS analysis of agricultural, economic and climatic data employed in GIS spatial analysis platform. Data about land use, transportation facilities, urban cartography, regional territorial planning, terrain digital model, and climatic types have been stored in the GIS to define potential areas for gathering the residues coming from sugarcanes and to assess available for energy cultivation. The sugarcane is an abundant agricultural crop in the locality and its residue is the major feedstock available for bioenergy. The results reveal a meaningful technical and economic potential concentration in the locality feasible for biomass power plant for electricity generation. The assessment has shown a strong competitiveness of sugarcane residues for bioenergy when the collection system is implemented in an efficient way. An outcome of the study was to show the opportunities originating from issue of addressing energy security by utilizing indigenous energy resources.