JAKARTA – Alternative energy from vegetable oils, which is more friendly to the environment, is increasingly needed to reduce the global reliance on fossil fuels. Apparently, the palm oil as one of the vegetable oils has become a major contributor of the renewable energy sources to meet the rising need of the global community.
The Palm Oil Agribusiness Strategic Policy Institute (PASPI) reported that there are three generations of the palm oil-based renewable energy that can be offered by the palm oil industry to the global society. The first generation is the processing of palm oil to produce Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) for production of biodiesel or green diesel, green gasoline, and green avtur.
The second generation is the usage of oil palm biomass for production of bioethanol, bio-pellet, charcoal briquettes, bio-coal, bio-gas, and bio-electricity.
The third generation is the usage of its solid and liquid wastes for production of biogas (from Methane Capture Palm Oil Mill Effluent — POME), biodiesel algae (liquid waste of CPO mill for algae pool), and the use of Spent Bleaching Earth (SBE) from refinery for energy.
Globally, the oil palm based renewable energy has been widely used in many countries in the form of biodiesel/FAME and bio-coal. According to PASPI report, the renewable energy of the first generation, namely green diesel, green gasoline, and green avtur, is being developed in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the renewable energy of the second generation and third generation (biogas) has been used locally in Indonesia.
“The palm oil plays an important role in the global biodiesel industry. The volume of palm oil used for production of global biodiesel increased from 3.9 million tons in 2011 to 15.2 million tons in 2021,” PASPI said in a report.
The research institution said that as the world’s largest producer of palm oil, Indonesia has also produced biodiesel from palm oil (FAME). During the period of 2011-2021, production of biodiesel in Indonesia rose from 243,000 kiloliters to 8.9 million kiloliters.
“With its consistency to implement the mandatory biodiesel program, Indonesia has reduced its reliance on the import of diesel fuel and reduced the use of fossil fuels which will then cut carbon emissions,” PASPI reported. (*)
Source: wartaekonomi.co.id
