PALM BIOMASS UTILISATION IN MALAYSIA FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOPLASTICS Mohamad Ali Hassan University Putra Malaysia Yoshihito Shirai Kyushu Institute of Technology

Presentation Outline Biomass Resources in Malaysia Palm Oil Industry in Malaysia UPM-KIT-FELDA Biogas & Biomass Project Palm Biomass Plastics Novel Business

Biomass Resources in Malaysia organic matter available on a renewable basis includes forest and mill residues, wood wastes, agricultural crops and wastes, animal wastes and MSW Abundant in Malaysia > 70 million tonnes collected / year Produced throughout the year high sunlight intensity/time and high rainfall Main contributor of biomass is the palm oil industry (ligno-cellulosics)

Problems Associated with Biomass Increasing demand for food leads to increased biomass/waste generation problem with waste treatment and disposal Open dumps/landfill and wastewater treatment facility uncontrolled release of greenhouse gases/global warming groundwater and river contamination from leachate Indiscriminate dumping environmental pollution Burning of biomass emission of smoke & haze hazard emission of toxic chemicals such as dioxins No special incentives or provisions to utilize these residues Biomass business not economically feasible & long payback periods

Palm Oil Industry and Malaysian Socio Economy Introduced in 1911 from West Africa Commercial planting in 1917 No. 1 commodity in 1970 USD 6 billion export in 2003 More than 500 000 people employed directly and indirectly Poverty alleviation Land ownership scheme & stable income FELDA Sustainable Development 3P: Profit, People and Planet

Malaysian Palm Oil Industry Fresh Fruit Bunch 70 million tonnes Oil Extraction Crude Palm Oil 15 million tonnes Palm Kernel Oil 2 million tonnes Empty Fruit Bunches 15 million tonnes Fiber 9 million tonnes Shell 4 million tonnes Renewable Resources Palm Oil Mill Effluent 50 million tonnes

Palm Oil Industry and CDM Methane sinks Employs anaerobic treatment for palm oil mill effluent Extensive and efficient system The largest methane emission Not yet commercialized, WHY?

Potential Power Generation from Oil Palm Residues at Palm Oil Mills in Malaysia Type of Industry Production (Million Tonne) Residue Residue product Ratio (%) Residue Generated (Million Tonne) Potential Energy PJ Electricity Generation ( MW) Oil palm 59.8 EFB at 65%MC* 21.14 12.641 57 520 Fiber 12.72 7.607 108 1032 Shell 5.67 3.390 55 545 Total Solid 16.670 220 2098 POME (3.5m3/CPO or 65% of FFB) 38.870 320 Ref – Malaysian Oil Palm Statistics 2002, 22nd Edition, MPOB Data is for the year 2002

New Business Potential of Palm Biomass Empty Fruit Bunch > 15 million t/yr Palm Oil Mill Effluent > 50 million t/yr Concentration of biomass “business as usual” Sugars Bioplastic (PLA) or Bioethanol Saccharification of cellulose Lactic Acid or Cellulosic Bioethanol fermentation Electricity Organic acids Bioplastic (PHA) Biogas / Methane Plant

Biopolymers open up new options for an old problem -- disposal Wow! Plastic lasts FOREVER AGHH! Plastic lasts FOREVER Today 1950’s

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) Carbon source Extraction PHA in cell wall Fermentation Polyesters accumulated inside microbial cells as carbon & energy storage Produced from natural, renewable resources Able to be recycled, composted or burned without producing toxic byproducts 100 % biodegradable Produced under conditions of: low limiting nutrients (e.g. N, S, P) and excess carbon Bacteria

PHA Structure PHA R R = Hydrocarbon x = 100-30000 n = 1-4 PHB - CH3 PHV -CH2CH3 PHBV - CH3 & CH2CH3 PHBHx -CH3 & - CH2CH2CH3 PHBO -CH3 & -(CH2)4CH3 R = Hydrocarbon x = 100-30000 n = 1-4

Carbon Cycle of Bioplastics CO2 H2O Photosynthesis Biodegradation Recycle Plastic Products Carbohydrates Fermentation PHA Polymer

Applications

Your food comes from nature.. Now so does your container

$$$$ factor The major drawbacks in commercialisation of PHA are 1) high cost of production and recovery 2) price Raw material ~ 40-50% of the total production cost Current price with natural producer like Ralstonia eutropha is US $6-10 per kg, about 3-5 times more expensive than PP

To be commercially viable, PHA price ~ US $3-5 per kg Therefore, various carbon sources are being explored in order to reduce the price of bioplastics Our work focuses on producing organic acids and sugars as cheap carbon sources for bioplastics (PHA and PLA)

UTILIZATION OF BIOGAS & BIOMASS FOR NEW BIOPRODUCTS JOINT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT UNIVERSITY PUTRA MALAYSIA FELDA PALM INDUSTRIES SDN. BHD. KYUSHU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

PALM OIL INDUSTRY: NEW BIOPRODUCTS PROJECT #1 - Improved Methane Fermentation from Palm Oil Mill Effluent for Electric Power Generation for CDM PROJECT #2 - Organic Acids Production from Palm Oil Mill Effluent PROJECT #3 - Production of Sugars and Other Valued Products from Empty Fruit Bunch and Fruit Fiber

Bioplastics from Palm Biomass Concentration of biomass Oil Extraction Palm Oil Mill Effluent Consumer products Bioplastic (PHA) Bio-acids Plant

Biomass Plastics from EFB Poly-lactate pilot plant at Kyushu Institute of Technology Crystalline Poly-lactate

Novel Business Using Biomass Energy from Palm Oil Industry in Malaysia CDM provides profitable area for novel business to which biomass energy can be supplied from palm oil industry with a reasonable price for novel business CDM provides a complete methane fermentation system and change lagoon area into a profitable area. 1. CDM can reduce GHG by sealing the lagoons. 2. Prevention of undesirable smell by modern treatment. 3. Local employment can be encouraged from new business. CDM provides electricity using the methane fermentation system for novel business with a competitive price. Based on the economic growth in Malaysia, the development of new oil palm plantations in the tropical rainforest will soon be no longer economically viable. In order to meet the increasing demand for palm oil in the future, palm oil industry must cooperatively stay with other industries and people >>> 3P (Profit, People, Planet)