Biomass Type Selection for Boilers Using TOPSIS Multi-Criteria Model

Abstract

Biomass has been an important renewable alternative fuel for boilers in Thailand. In this paper, a multicriteria model in making complex decisions by Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was adopted as tool to select the preferred biomass from three typical biomass types (wood chips, palm shells and wood pellets). The multi-criteria are efficiency, price, ease to operate, Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Acidification Potential (AP). The boiler efficiency was measured by direct method in actual industrial boiler in Thailand. The prices were based on average Thailand market price as of January 2013. The ease to operate was obtained by factory operator interview. Global Warming Potentialand Acidification Potentialwere assessed by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. The decision weighting values for efficiency, price, ease to operate, global warming potential and acidification potential were obtained by factory management interview at 30%, 30%, 10%, 20% and 10% respectively. TOPSIS selected wood chips as the most preferable biomass type followed by palm shells as second choice and wood pellets as third choice. The TOPSIS value equations to find preferred biomass type for different decision weighting values were then developed for general uses.