Tang M K; Shylaja V N & Iswari N13th NATSEM 2017; Subang Jaya, Selangor (17-19 July 2017)

Revolutionising Biomass Management:100 Years of Innovation

Introduction Phase 1 (Pre-1970s)

Bunch ash - incineration Phase 2 (1970-1980)

Field application of EFB & POME Fuel for boilers

Phase 3 (1980-1990) Composting Livestock feeds

Phase 4 (90’s-Early 2000) Fibre mat & fibreboard Biogas & CDM

Phase 5 (Post-2000) Renewable energy Bio-based value added products

Concluding remarks

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Types of Biomass Produced

POME• ~ 74.6 million

m3 of POME

EFB• ~ 24.0 million

tonnes of EFB

Pressed fiber

• ~ 10.3 million tonnes of pressed fibre

Kernel shell

• ~ 6.9 million tonnes of kernel shell

Cut fronds

• ~ 26.0 million tonnes of cut fronds

By-products Produced from FFB Processing in Malaysia (2016)

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85.8 million tones of FFB

Biomass Revolution

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PHASE 1 (Pre-1970s)

Bunch ash -incineration

PHASE 2 (1970-1980)

Field application of EFB & POME

Fuel for boilers

PHASE 3 (1980-1990)

Composting Livestock feeds

PHASE 5 (Post-2000)

Renewable energy

Bio-based value added products

PHASE 4 (90’s-Early 2000)

Fibre mat & fibreboard

Biogas & CDM

Phase 1 (Pre-1970)Bunch Ash

Incinerated EFB

40% K2O & highly alkaline ~ Substitute of MOP

Heavy air pollution ~ DoE discouragement

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Phase 2 (1970-1980)Field Application of EFB & POME

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Extensive research

EFB field mulching: Immature & mature High nutrient value Yield responses – 10-23%

POME field application: High nutrient content Yield increase of up to 29% BOD compliance – zero discharge More as irrigation

Phase 2 (1970-1980)Fuel for mill boilers

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Fibre & kernel shell

Process steam for processing

Most mills – self-generated electricity

Biomass as energy source

Phase 3 (1980-1990)Commercialisation of composting

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EFB + POME compost

An aerobic & biological process –methane avoidance

Organic fertiliser

Gain popularity

Open system vs closed system

Challenges: Inconsistent nutrient value Low POME uptake

Fortified compost intensify

Phase 3 (1980-1990)Livestock feeds

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Freshly chopped fronds – feeding beef & dairy cattle.

MARDI – pelletised feeds for ruminant Not successful – small market demand

April 2017: SDP-MPOB – Innovative breakthrough of premium grade PKC (Purafex) for animal feed include poultry.

Phase 4 (90’s – Early 2000)EFB fibre mat and fibreboard

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Disadvantage of bulkiness Compressed fibre mat/carpet – as mulch (ECOMAT®) Less effective compared to EFB Failed to take off on a big scale – lack of market demand

EFB medium density fibreboard (MDB) Substitution to scarcely rubberwood as feedstock

Late 90’s – mix biomass include trunk & cut fronds with rubberwood

Pioneer – Agro-Bio Fibre Sdn Bhd with FRIM Mostly local market

Phase 4 (90’s – Early 2000)Biogas & clean development mechanism

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The Kyoto Protocol 1997 Offer CDM – promote sustainability via carbon credit Trading of Certified Emission Reductions (CER)

Methane capture – Biogas plants Reduce GHG emissions Highly popular within major players On going well after the turn of the century

Phase 5 (Post-2000)Renewable energy power generation

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2001 – launch of Small Renewable Energy Power (SREP) Use clean, renewable fuel sources to generate electricity

By 2004, 32 out of 62 SREP projects using biomass as fuel

25 projects with grid connected capacity of 165.9 MW

Embraced well by major palm oil producers 2008 – TNB-Felda-J-Power: Biomass power plant at Jengka

2014 – TNB-Sime Darby: 2 plants at Lower Perak & Layang

2010 – National Renewable Energy Policy Usage of local renewable energy resources i.e. oil palm

Feed-in-Tariff

Encourage more companies to venture

Phase 5 (Post-2000)Bio-based value added products

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The largest potential of palm biomass utilization in Malaysia Global market (all chemicals) – RM7 trillion Lignocellulosic biomass can supply 0.6% = RM48 billion Expected to grow to RM110-175 billion by 2020

Attracted number of palm oil producers in Malaysia Felda – production of bioplastic using oil palm biomass Sime Darby – several biomass utilization projects

• California based

• Manufacture biosynthetic oils for lubricant, chemical, and cosmetics industries

Biosynthetic Technologies

• JV - FGV & SD, initiated by Malaysia Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT)

• Produce high value green chemicals for pharmaceuticals, materials, and energy industries

MYBiomass

• California based

• Produce unique fermentation processes for producing drop-in alternatives to petroleum derived chemicals

Verdezyne

Phase 5 (Post-2000)Bio-based value added products (…continue)

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Malaysia capacity – 1.6 mil tonnes of bio-based chemical annually Market value RM7-9 bilion Require 10-20 chemical plants: investment of RM10-15

billion Mobilisation of 5.5 mil tonnes of biomass

High risk – team up with other industries to scale up future technology

A worthwhile venture Increase in GNI (RM14-15 bil) & job creation of 15,900 Growing opportunities in addressing sustainability concerns

in existing oil palm value chain

Biochar (biological charcoal) EFB biochar as a carbon sink & soil amendment

Source: Rozario & Melssen (2013): National Biomass Strategy 2020

Concluding RemarksMoving forward

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Biomass management in oil palm industry towards another revolution Nanotechnology of bioenergy & biofuel production Emerging innovative disruptive technologies i.e. microbial

gas fermentation technology

Newer projects will emerge carrying even higher risks

A strong collaboration between private sectors & Government is essential to venture into these and successfully put Malaysia in the forefront of innovative biomass management

Optimal utilization level of oil palm biomass (recycle vs remover) – by industry managers & agronomists

Thank you