Abstract
Agriculture and related industries form the backbone of many Asian economies. Not only do they provide food, but they are increasingly proving to be a reliable local source of energy and materials. Biofuels from palm oil and sugarcane are prominent examples where the palm and sugar mills serve as biorefineries – providing food, fuels as well as materials. Nevertheless, there are also associated environmental impacts which need to be considered along with economic considerations. A life cycle approach is useful for both environmental as well as economic assessment. In particular eco-efficiency, a tool combining both environmental and economic aspects is very useful to analyze biorefinery configurations and look at the trade-offs between the environmental and economic aspects. The increase of value-added products from the biorefineries may lead to increased economic benefits but also increased environmental emissions. Indicators such as eco-efficiency show the relative advantages of the enhanced biorefinery system as compared to conventional food or biofuel production systems. Thus, they provide important information to decision-makers both for industry and policy.
Highlights
Agriculture is a key economic sector for many countries in Asia
The improved biorefinery systems result in a 2070% increase in eco-efficiency as compared to the base case
The study shows the advantages of using a biorefinery concept for food, fuel and chemical production as a step towards a circular economy where all parts of an agricultural product, including waste, are optimally utilized
Summary
Agriculture is a key economic sector for many countries in Asia. does it provide food for domestic consumption, but agro-industries support the economy through export of food products. Many countries in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam have been leading in the production of biofuels – biodiesel from palm oil and coconut oil to replace diesel and ethanol from sugarcane, molasses and corn to replace gasoline. These countries have promoted the use of biofuels through blending mandates and economic instruments supporting the introduction of biofuels into the market. It is necessary to evaluate them using rigorous scientific techniques and identify the conditions and constraints under which they can be successfully achieved In such evaluations, it is important to look at the entire supply chain in order to avoid transferring problems from one part of the life cycle to another. Eco-efficiency is used as a composite indicator including both environmental and economic aspects
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