Optimizing CO2 Truck Transport Routes from Sources to Storage in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

The rise in CO₂ emissions has paralleled the country's economic growth, with the energy sector being the primary source. In northeastern Thailand, power generation, particularly from biogas-based plants, contributes significantly to these emissions. To effectively mitigate CO₂ emissions by capturing and transporting CO₂ from emission sources to the storage site of the Nam Phong power plant for the implementation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in a depleted gas field, the assessment of logistics is required. This study determines optimal truck transportation routes for 23 CO₂ emission point sources in northeastern Thailand, providing comprehensive details such as starting and ending points, working hours, pickup quantities, total distance traveled, and cost per trip. The analysis identifies an optimal solution utilizing seven vehicles to efficiently collect CO₂ emissions from all designated locations, with daily CO₂ emissions at approximately 20 tonnes and annual emissions at around 5,565 tonnes. Key challenges in CO₂ transportation include natural hazards like flooding, geological obstacles, technical issues related to maintaining cold temperatures and safety protocols, and regulatory hurdles such as obtaining permits and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.