PALMOILMAGAZINE, KUALA LUMPUR — Since 2018, researchers from Japan and Malaysia have taken the initiative to be part of a sustainable development program supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Spearheaded by Akihiko Kosugi of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Science (JIRCAS), the project involves collaboration between universities, companies and the Malaysian government.
The project aims to convert palm tree waste into biomass, so that it can become a renewable energy source. The effort makes use of palm tree residues, turning them into fiber and pellets for fuel, while recycling the liquid by-products of the process.
Also Read: The Dual Impact of Palm Oil Industries in Indonesia
This project provides a promising solution by repurposing palm tree waste into a renewable energy source, ultimately reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
As Palmoilmagazine.com quoted from Nikkei Asia, Thursday (9/5/2024), besides producing pellet as fuel material from palm oil rod, the project also explores palm oil wastes for other needs, such as, the materials to make furniture. Panasonic Housing Solutions, the subsidiary of Panasonic Holdings has developed a wooden board made from dead palm oil trees. These would support circular economic concept by efficiently taking advantages of (palm oil) wastes.
Though it would be the promising projects, there are challenges to face, such as, the transportation costs of getting palm oil rod to the recycling factories and other technical issues to process the wastes. But by having collaborative approach between Japan and Malaysia, and the involvement of many companies and the government, the project would have big potential to be the sustainable solution to process palm oil trees (that were cut off), and support energy transition to renewable energy. (T2)
