Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

RENEWABLE ENERGY FROM PALM OIL AGROINDUSTRY IN INDONESIA: AVAILABILITY, QUANTITY, DISTRIBUTION AND POTENTIAL

Dwi Ermawati Rahayu, Wahyono Hadi and Budisantoso Wirjodirdjo

Abstract

Biomass from Palm Oil agro-industry has great potential to be used as renewable energy because of its abundant supply, cheaper material and flexibility. This is suitable for the provision of sustainable raw materials to produce renewable energy in Indonesia. The sources of biomass comes from plantation area, and palm oil mill. The biomass waste from harvesting, pruning, and replanting activities in plantations area in the form of frond, leaves and palm tree trunks. From the palm oil mill produced liquid waste as Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), and produced solid waste in the form of Palm Kernel Shells (PKS), Mesocarp Fibers (MF), and Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB). Biomass potential in Indonesia can be calculated from the productivity of oil palm. The paper is to give an overview of the availability, and distribution of the oil palm biomass wastes in Indonesia and the potential for utilization. The volume of biomass is PKS 5-7%, EFB 20-23%, MF 11-14% from 1 ton of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB). The results showed that the entire potential of oil palm solid waste biomass in Indonesia 2017 is 90.34 million tons and POME is 92.96 million tons. The five largest of distribution biomass is in Riau, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Middle Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan province. It can supply of around 10% of Indonesia’s national energy demand and grow even greater if combined with other types of biomass.