Development of energy self-sufficiency of agroindustry

Abstract

Agroindustrial production processes consume considerable amount of energy and generate a lot of organic wastes. These wastes pollute the environment because of their rich organic compounds that will undergo decomposition. The main compounds contained in the waste are energy-carrying materials such as fibre, carbohydrates, protein, and oil/fat. The use of these materials as energy sources can save natural resources while cutting the load of environmental pollution. This paper discusses the assessment of adequacy of energy contained in the waste and proposes an integrated flow model to support the agroindustrial production process. The amount of waste obtained from the mass balance model is then multiplied by the energy content of each waste to obtain energy potential. Energy conversion is used to calculate steam (heat) and electricity needed to support the production process. Some examples are given to show that agroindustry has the potential to become an energy independent industry by applying the principle of less input and multiple outputs through the reuse, recovery, and recycling of the waste. Some future research recommendations are proposed to enable the implementation of energy self-sufficient agroindustry.