Is There Profit in Cane Trash? Another Dimension to the Assessment of Trashing versus Burning

The development of a holistic model to assess the long-term economic effects of trashing versus burning provides the foundations for assessing the potential profits from sales of trash to a mill. The costs of trash delivered under various circumstances are compared with the cost of coal of equivalent energy. Numerous factors influence the cost competitiveness of trash but it is evident that, in some circumstances, there is a win-win situation for millers and growers if millers buy trash instead of coal. In other circumstances the agronomic value of the trash may be greater than its value as a fuel. Developments in energy technologies are likely to expand the opportunities for profitable trash sales, making it important to have a decisionsupport model for assessing long-term effects and profits. This paper presents one such model and gives perspectives on opportunities for future sales of trash.