An opportunity of new biomass materials as renewable energy in Thailand: perspective of coconut farmer

This survey research aimed at examining perspective of coconut farmers on a feasibility of using biomass materials from coconut plantations for energy production. This research employed the Cochran Method to set the sample size with a confidence level of 95%. The research went into the field to conduct the survey with questionnaires in 200 coconut farmers in Phetchaburi Province and Prachuap Khiri Khan Province where 0.07 million hectare of coconuts are grown, or 31% of all coconut plantations in Thailand. According to the main findings, raw materials in the form of leftover coconut biomass are composed of outer coat, middle fibrous cat, shell, upper core leave stalk, frond, bottom core leave stalk and empty fruit bunch. Upper core leave stalks are raw materials that have attracted the greatest interest in gathering as raw materials, whereas shell has attracted the least interest. The findings revealed that fruit peeling yards are the people best suited for compiling and buying raw materials. In terms of obstacles to gathering, material price uncertainty was found to be a major obstacle in gathering materials and was correlated opposite to interest in gathering upper core leave stalks with statistical significance.