Activated Carbon Production from Coconut Shell

No need to doubt the activated carbon from coconut shell is the most popular activated carbon now from a group of renewable raw materials (renewable resource). Indonesia is the largest coconut plantation owner in the world but the production of activated carbon from coconut shell is still low. Unlike palm oil which is generally owned by large plantations with organized businesses with hundreds of processing plants, coconuts are mostly owned by smallholder plantations, less organized so that the processing industry does not develop. So, how can coconut plantations and the industries develop? Before answering this question, it should be noted that coconut plantations and their processing industries suffered a lot of setbacks. This is because the coconut sector still lacks attention. In addition, the pattern of approaches for the coconut industry whose owners are mostly community plantations should also be different from the oil palm industry which is generally owned by large plantations.

Technically the coconut industry can imitate the palm oil industry, especially in the utilization of biomass waste to run its industry. Palm oil mills are more efficient in using biomass waste to extract crude palm oil (CPO) by producing electricity and steam. Biomass waste in palm oil mills is commonly used as an energy source, namely mesocarp fibre and shells. Whereas in the coconut industry there is still a lot of biomass waste that is not utilized at the factory. Coir, bunch, frond to shell can be used as an energy source for coconut processing plants. In the palm oil industry, there are 2 kinds of oil, namely CPO or crude palm oil from palm mesocarp fiber and PKO or palm kernel oil from the kernel of the fruit, whereas in coconut, the fruit can be used to produce copra, oil, coconut milk and dessicated coconut and the water for the production of nata de coco. It is seen that coconut products are more numerous and varied than palm oil. Both palm oil and coconut products are mainly for food products whose needs continue to increase.

If all of the biomass waste can be utilized, it is very possible that the industry can afford its own energy needs from its biomass waste, even if it is excessive. Coconut shell can be used further for the processing of activated charcoal, meaning that the coconut shell is not all used for energy or even all shells are allocated for the production of activated charcoal. In the palm oil industry, not all palm kernel shells are burned or used for energy in the palm oil mill, so one of them can be used for the production of activated carbon, for more details on the production of activated carbon from palm shells can be read here. The production process of activated carbon from coconut shell is also almost the same as the production of activated charcoal from palm kernel shells.

Although it is the largest owner of coconut plantations in the world, it is 3.7 million hectares but compared to its oil palm plantations which reach 12 million hectares, the coconut plantations are relatively small. With the increasing need for coconut-based products, coconut plantations should also be increased. Current coconut plantation centers, such as in Riau, South Sumatra, Bengkulu, Gorontalo and so on, which currently have a lot of damage, need to be restored, one of which is integrated with sheep grazing and further improved. With an area of ??coconut plantations 3.7 million hectares of coconut shell has a composition of 12% of coconut fruit so that the total coconut shell is around 23,000 tons / year.

Bagasse Pellet and EFB Pellet for Power Plant Fuel

Baggase pellets and EFB pellets are groups of agricultural waste pellets (agro-waste pellets) whose quality is below wood pellet. Not all power plants can use the two types of pellets above. This is because pellets of agricultural wastes generally have a large ash content and chemical content of ash which cannot be accepted by certain types of electricity generation technology. In general, agricultural waste pellets (agro-waste pellets) contain high potassium (kalium) with low melting point and chlorine that's corrosive element, so it is generally not suitable for pulverized combustion system type plants. The pulverized combustion system operates at high temperatures more than 1400 C. Power plants that operate at lower temperatures such as gasification and fluidized bed combustion (FBC) can use bagasse pellet and EFB pellet as fuel. Palm kernel shell is also suitable for this type of combustion technology, while wood pellet because it comes from wood (woody biomass) generally can be used for fuel pulverized combustion systems.

Baggase and Baggase Pellet

EFB and EFB Pellet

Both baggase pellet and EFB pellets can both be produced in Indonesia because the raw materials are widely available. Even the EFB pellet has a huge potential considering the vastness of palm oil plantations and the number of palm oil mills in Indonesia. With an estimated plantation area of ​​12 million hectares and 600 palm oil mills, Indonesia is the largest producer of CPO (crude palm oil) in the world, followed by Malaysia at number 2. EFB or palm oil empty fruit bunches account for 22% of palm oil plant capacity while 1 ton of sugar produces 3 tons of baggase waste. For sugar cane production, Indonesia is still lagging especially with Brazil. The area of ​​Brazilian sugar cane plantation is 9 million hectares with sugar production of 29 million tons, while Indonesia is only around 0.5 million hectares with sugar production in the range of 2 million tons. Baggase pellets have also been produced in Brazil, namely by the Cosan company with a capacity of 175 thousand tons / year (14.6 thousand tons / month) and exported to Japan.

Although the power plant with gasification and fluidized bed combustion technology is not as much as a pulverized combustion system, but with increasing awareness of environmentally friendly and sustainable renewable energy, it is also predicted that in the near future it will also increase. This is because power plants with gasification and fluidized bed combustion technology (<50 MW) are generally not as large as the pulverized combustion system (> 50 MW). Although small, but if there are large quantities, it will also cause demand for agrowaste pellets, such as pellet baggase and EFB pellets, even palm kernel shells. In the coming era power plants will also be smaller, but scattered and many, even so small that every household can have its own power plant, because it is only the size of a refrigerator, for more details can be read here.

Production of Pharmaceutical Grade Activated Carbon

Surface area is one of the important parameters for activated carbon. But the parameter surface area does not always represent the quality and use of the activated carbon. This is because it is related to the size of the molecule that is intended to be adsorbed from the activated carbon. Activated carbon has different pore size and distribution structures depending on the raw material and the production process. The pore size includes micropore (adsorption section, <2 nm), mesopore (transport pores, 2-50 nm) and macropore (access pores, 50-1000 nm). A typical commercial activated carbon has an internal surface area of ​​around 1000 m2 / gram with an internal pore volume of 0.3-3 ml / gram. A certain molecule of a certain size can only enter the activated carbon pores if it is smaller, and vice versa. The target molecule to be adsorbed with its size must be adjusted to the type of activated carbon used.

The use of activated carbon as a drug was recorded starting from the use of charcoal as a drug that had been carried out in ancient Greece. Its use at that time to treat digestive problems and even continues to this day such as overcoming the problem of overdosing the drug in the stomach. Along with the development of the era, activated carbon products can replace the use of charcoal. One of the important uses of activated carbon in the pharmaceutical field is to depyrogenate solutions for hypodermic infections. Many of these solutions are contaminated with bacterial poisons that cannot be removed by filtration or by sterilization. These poisons have acute reactions with living things and cause an increase in body temperature. Activated carbon when used has a depyrogenation effect and can be used directly for this. Only high purity activated carbon can be used so that it does not affect or cause other reactions with the solution. Purification and decolorization of compounds such as glycerol, lactic acid and its salts, betaine, glutamic acid, and tartaric acid and its salts generally use activated carbon.

"Allah SWT has made a disease and also the medicine. Allah SWT makes every disease have a cure. Then seek treatment, but do not seek treatment with the haram medicines. "(Narrated by Abu Daud no. 3874.).

"The Prophet sallallaahu‘ alaihi wa sallam forbade from drugs which are khobits (which are haram or dirty). "(Narrated by Abu Daud no. 3870, Tirmidhi no. 2045 and Ibn Majah no. 3459).

Concerns about the lack of halal medicines should also be a motivation for Muslims to produce various medicines themselves. Drugs such as food and beverages that enter our stomach are not arbitrary for us to consume. The halal of these products is far more important than the expected benefits, so we must really pay attention (QS 80: 24-32). The Prophet Muhammad ordered his followers to only seek treatment with something halal like the two hadiths above. Activated carbon can be used as a medicine or as an auxiliary material for the production of various kinds of medicines, and also must be ensured its halalness. This is because technically activated carbon can be produced from haram ingredients such as pork bones. Of course this still requires a lot of the struggle of the Muslims with full sincerity and patience so that actually getting the medicines needed is clearly halal.

Rotating Kiln for Steam (Physical) Activation

The production of activated carbon for use in the food and pharmaceutical sectors or drugs can only be done by activating physics, most of which use steam. This is because when using chemical activation such as with H3PO4, ZnCl2 and KOH, it is feared that contamination of activated carbon products will occur. The production process with physics activation is also more environmentally friendly than chemical activation. In addition to obtaining high purity activated carbon, the mineral contents in the ashes such as Ca, Mg, Si, Fe and so on must also be minimized to a minimum even if they can be removed completely. The process of removing minerals in the ash is carried out after the activation process by washing. Whereas in the process of producing activated carbon efficiently so it is very economical, it is better to use a continuous pyrolysis (carbonization) unit so that in addition to producing charcoal as the main product, also by-products that can be used as energy sources, and for more details can be read here.

Foodgrade Activated Carbon Production

Similar to bio pellet fuel where each user requires certain specifications of the type of pellet fuel, so does activated carbon. Basically every bio pellet fuel also has its own user or market (to be more clearly read here) as well as activated carbon. The choice of the standard type and production process will affect the quality or characteristics of the activated carbon. Like bio pellet fuel that can be made from various types of biomass, activated carbon can also be made from carbon-based materials such as biomass and coal. Wood pellets are one of the most popular products from bio pellet fuel, and coconut shell activated carbon is one of the most popular activated carbon products.

One of the uses of activated carbon is for the food sector and for that also has its own characteristics. The most important thing about activated carbon for food is about halal, for example, activated carbon can be made from animal bones, if the bones of an animal are haram (prohibited) like pigs, then the activated carbon is also haram or should not be used. Another thing that needs to be considered is the use of activated carbon for food products which also cannot be prohibited for food and beverages such as alcoholic beverages. It is also technically possible that activated carbon can be used for purifying alcohol.

"Then let the human pay attention to his/her food. Indeed, We have poured out water (from the sky), then We cut the earth as well as possible, then We sprouted grain on the earth, grapes and forages, olives and date palms, dense gardens, and fruits and grass, for your pleasure and for your livestock. "(Qur'an 80: 24-32)

Allah SWT instructs us to always pay attention to our food, this is because Allah SWT will not grant our prayers if the food we consume is haram (illegitimate). Activated carbon as an auxiliary material for food production is important to achieve this halal. Activated applications for the food industry are mainly for removing certain colors and odors from these food products. Some examples of applications are processing fruit juices, honey, sugar, sweeteners, edible oil, soft drinks, syrup and so on. In the industry of potable water activated carbon it is also used to eliminate flavors, odors and harmful contaminants.

Specifically activated carbon that conforms to food grade standards also has its own characteristics. These characteristics are related to ash and chemical levels of ash. Activated carbon ash content is calculated based on mineral content or inorganic components such as Ca, Mg, Si, Fe and so on, which are left in activated carbon after the production process. Activated carbon for food applications specifically and also pharmaceuticals must have high purity from impurities in the form of inorganic material or minerals in the ash. For these applications activated carbon must be cleaned by washing with acid solution and often followed by water to be free from the inorganic ash material.

Finding The Best Treasure From Energy Plantation Implementation Part 9

"And who grows grass. "(QS al-A'laa: 4)

"It is He Who has brought down the rain from the sky for you, some of it has become a drink and some of it has grown up, the plants which are in your place of grazing your cattle. "(Qur'an 16:10)

"Eat and graze your animals. Verily in this, there are signs of the power of Allah for those who understand. "(Qur'an, 20:54)

"Muslims are syirkah (sharia business cooperation) to three things, in terms of pasture (land), water and fire (energy)". (HR. Sunan Abu Daud).

Allah SWT grows grass (QS Al A'laa: 4) even though humans can just plant the grass but in essence Allah is the One who grows the grasses. That's because all related things to make grass grows has been created and prepared by Him. The grass is also very easy to grow and can be found in almost all places in Indonesia. In many ways this grass is even considered as a problem so a number of efforts are mobilized to overcome the problem of the grass. Even though the grasses are animal feed, especially sheep, goats, cattle and buffalo. This means that the grass is an important link for the meat production we need. In the UK even grass has contributed around 90% to their meat production, so grass cultivation for cattle grazing is professionally important in their food sector. Rotational grazing is the best technique for grazing livestock, especially sheep or sheep and cattle.

Grass Growth Cycle

The quality and quantity of grass is ultimately an important factor for the farm business with the grazing technique. Professional shepherds must be able to identify and strive for the best grasses for their livestock. Grasses that are anatomically mostly leaves are the same as the leaves of various plants that have a cycle of growing, mature, old, dead and dry. When should the sheep eat the grass? This needs to be considered for professional grazing. Farm animals do not like old grass but also those who are too young. The condition of the medium or adult age of the grass is the best condition for animal feed because the nutritional content is also maximal. What is the consequence if livestock are lacking in consuming grass or eating enough grass but low quality? Of course the results will not be optimal, especially for the growth of the weight of the livestock.

Grass for the farm with the grazing pattern is the main feed for the livestock, while the leaves that are considered as waste from the energy plantation are the additional feed. The more feed available, the more livestock can be cultivated. Calliandra leaves have a high protein content because the roots of the leguminoceae group have the ability to bind nitrogen to the root nodules. The ability to bind nitrogen to the root nodules in addition to the roots fertilize the soil will also increase the protein content of the calliandra leaves. The high levels of protein in the leaves become a highly nutritious supplement for the sheep. By using the leaves to feed sheep and sheep dung for energy plantation fertilizers, the integration of energy plantations and sheep farms is optimal.

Mixed grazing of sheep with cattle is also very possible because both of them can optimize feed in the pasture. The habit of grazing cows with sheep is different, so are the types of grass that are their favorite feed. The anatomical factors of the mouth of the two animals are different so that it affects the grazing habits and types of grass eaten, for more clarity to read in the table below. Another advantageous factor of sheep grazing with cattle is that cows tend to protect sheep when grazing from disturbances such as wild animals, so that they have more grazing effects and are so long that the increase in body weight increases rapidly. Although grazing mixed with sheep and cattle can give positive results, but grazing mixed sheep with horses does not match and gives a negative result.

Finding The Best Treasure From Energy Plantation Implementation Part 8

"It is He Who has brought down the rain from the sky for you, some of it has become a drink and some of it has grown up, the plants which are in your place of grazing your livestock. "(Qur'an 16:10)

"Eat and graze your animals. Verily in this, there are signs of the power of Allah for those who understand. "(Qur'an, 20:54)

"Muslims are syirkah (sharia business cooperation) to three things, in terms of pasture (land), water and fire (energy)". (HR. Sunan Abu Daud).

After the energy plantation is made for the production of wood pellets, then make sheep (or sheep with cattle) farms to use the leaves from the energy plantation tree or both can be made in parallel. Making sheep farms (or sheep with cattle) can also be an entry point before integration with an energy plantation in time or even a wider bioeconomy model. Farming sheep (or sheep with cattle) by rotating grazing is the best way, because maximizing land use, managing pasture is easier and more planned, and the productivity and quality of meat from livestock are also higher. In rotation grazing, the livestock is rotated in the barren pasture area that has been partitioned. The pasture area used should have a height of about 25-30 cm of grass and left behind when the grass has a height of about 8-10 cm. If the grass is spent (overgrazed) then further growth becomes less optimal and can even die, because it is unable to grow again.

There are at least 4 physical things that need to be considered for making rotating grazing work well, namely: feed supply, fence systems, water supply and shade. Feed supply or grass availability are important factors for the sustainability of the grazing. In the rainy season the grass or certain months will be abundant while the dry season decreases. To adjust to the amount of feed, the livestock population can also be adjusted. When abundant feed the livestock population is more than when feed is reduced. To keep feed more available, pasture can be equipped with a good irrigation system so that the grass can continue to grow even in the dry season.

Fencing systems are also a factor in the success of rotation grazing. The fence system allows planned management of pasture fields. Setting the use of areas for grazing and areas that must be rested so that the grass grows back is the function of the fence system. Furthermore, with the supply of water, obviously this is an important factor because Allah SWT creates something that lives from water (Qur'an 21:30) and every one who lives must need water, especially livestock. Each grazing area (paddock) must be equipped with the water supply. The more food or grass consumed the more water is needed. The lack of water supply will also reduce feed consumption. Cool and non-hot water is preferred by livestock compared to hot water. When a hot day, a place of water in a pond or a certain container will become hot, resulting in reduced water consumption and reduced feed consumption, which in turn will decrease body weight growth. A number of studies have shown that the maximum distance of pasture livestock to a maximum water source is around 250 meters for optimal results.

Shady places are also important for grazing. Farm animals tend to look for shade so they can graze longer. When the weather is hot, farm animals do not last long. The best shade is trees so trees need to be planted in the pasture area. Fruit trees are one of the interesting choices for that. Each paddock area can be planted with one type of fruit tree, for example one paddock for durian trees, the other paddock for rambutan, the other for date palm trees, mango, guava, olive and so on. Temperatures in Indonesia with a tropical climate are also higher than in subtropical regions, namely daytime on average reaching 25 C while in subtropical regions only 10 C. This shows that the best location is grazing is grassland with shady trees among them. The amount of rainfall like in Indonesia makes large fast and fruiting trees so that they can be quickly used for shade.

One of the most frequently asked questions for farmers who want to start rotation grazing is how many paddocks must be made? Basically, the more paddocks, the better because the pasture can be utilized to source livestock feed maximally. In general, you can start with 5 to 10 paddock with each paddock for grazing 3 to 7 days later rest for 25-30 days. Of almost all rotational grazing practices, the number of 4 paddocks is the minimum amount when starting. The square shape is the best form for the paddock, so that it is as close as possible to the shape. The shape of the small paddock extends or circles is not good because it is more difficult to achieve the results of the utilization of grass that is evenly distributed by livestock. For determining the pasture area as well as the distribution it will be better at the initial stage to do it with aerial photography.

Carbon as Basic Element

Carbon material is basically obtained in all living things. Carbon usually binds to hydrogen to form hydrocarbon chains. Fossil fuels are very familiar referred to as hydrocarbon sources. The fossil fuels also come from animals and plants that are buried for millions of years. After going through a very long process, it finally became hydrocarbon compounds that are widely known today. At this time also if we decompose biomass, hydrocarbon compounds will be produced or specifically with carbonization or pyrolysis will produce charcoal material whose main element is carbon. If we see today most of our daily necessities come from plastic. The plastic is a derivative product of fossil material from both the oil compound and the gas. Coal also when processed with pyrolysis will produce coke, benzol and syngas. Coke is very similar to charcoal whose main ingredients are carbon, benzol as well as biooil which can be used for fuels and various materials and chemicals. Syngas as well as being used for energy can also be used for the production of various chemicals and materials.

Why should charcoal be made? By making charcoal because it will be a stable material, easily stored and easily converted. When stored in a biooil form, in addition to unstable material, storage is also more difficult. While the storage in gas form is technically even more difficult. Charcoal conversion can be physically used as briquettes, pellets and activated charcoal. While chemical conversion is a fuel that can produce heat for various energy sources, either directly or further modified through various thermochemical processes. Small-scale generators are now widely used such as ORC (organic rankine cycle), stirling engine and gasification can use the charcoal as fuel.

Municipal solid waste consisting of various types of garbage, most of which are organic waste, that is from living and inorganic creatures from fossil sources. When viewed from industrial chemical point of view, it means that city waste is a source of carbon material. In this case we do not distinguish whether the carbon material is from organic material or renewable sources or from fossils which are non-renewable sources. With continuous pyrolysis technology, the waste can be converted into the main product in the form of charcoal, and by-products such as biooil, pyroligneous acid (liquid smoke) and syngas. The syngas can also be used for power plants and heat sources. Charcoal is then a carbon source that is flexible in its use and the easiest to store.

General rules in the form of overcoming the problem are prioritized rather than the benefits that can be produced are also suitable to be applied in solving the city garbage problem. But if the benefits side can be optimized in such a way that is certainly what is more expected and becomes the main choice. Continuous pyrolysis problem solving provides the best solution for the city waste problem, because not only is the problem resolved effectively and efficiently, but the added value of the products produced provides attractive economic.

Finding The Best Treasure From Energy Plantation Implementation Part 7

"It is He Who has brought down the rain from the sky for you, some of it has become a drink and some of it has grown up, the plants which are in your place of grazing your cattle. "(Qur'an 16:10)

"Eat and graze your animals. Verily in this, there are signs of the power of Allah for those who understand "(Qur'an, 20:54)

"Muslims are syirkah (sharia business cooperation) to three things, in terms of pasture (land), water and fire (energy)". (HR. Sunan Abu Daud).

Farmers outside Java island generally have 5-10 hectares of land, but not a few that have tens of hectares to hundreds of hectares. Many of these lands have not been planted or optimized so as to provide benefits for their owners. These lands are very potential to be made efficient pasture by rotating grazing. Sheep grazing and mixed sheep and cattle can be cultivated in these areas. Rotation grazing is to divide the pasture into several units such as the horse training arena (paddock), and then the cattle take turns grazing in the boundary grazing area. In rotation grazing there is always a pasture field that is rested to restore the growth of the grass. The landowners can also be syirkah (sharia business cooperation) to reach a certain area of ​​land to be used as an energy plantation. Energy plantation will produce wood for energy, namely wood pellets or wood briquettes or derivatives of other products. The leaves are used for animal feed namely sheep and sheep with cow. Farm animals can even be grazed in an energy plantation area with certain techniques or sacrifice some land for grazing areas.

Rotation grazing will provide efficient results in both meat productivity and the sustainability of the pasture. Grass growth can be maintained in such a way by rotating grazing, which is maintained at height of 8-10 cm. If the grass is eaten out (overgrazed) to the base of the stem it will be difficult to grow properly again. The technique regulates that the grass continues to grow well by regulating the duration of grazing on the grazing block, this will also be affected by the season factor. Grass will grow faster in the rainy season and oppositely in the dry season. With good irrigation, the growth of grass in the dry season can be maintained. Pasture is essentially farming of grass itself. In addition, by rotation grazing of sheep or livestock, they will graze more evenly because the grazing area is limited by the barriers. As a comparison, continuous grazing is used, where animals tend to only eat grass that is preferred and even overgrazed so that the sustainability of grass pasture is less optimal.

Then how can the sustainability of pasture be optimal? Fertilization is an important thing to achieve this, in addition to the things above. Distribution of livestock manure must be made as well as possible in the pasture field. With a ratio of land area compared to the number of animals small or the number of livestock made more so that the larger population makes the distribution of fertilizer evenly distributed. The distance of livestock mobility in this way is short and limited. Of course the availability of feed in the form of grass is an important consideration for the technique. Dense grass, although not so broad, may provide more food than large land with rare grass populations. If the area of ​​1 m2 with the condition of dense grass produced 1 kg of grass, then for every hectare there is 10 tons of grass for feed.

The Qur'an shows that pasture animals like the shade under the trees and also near the source of water (QS 16:10). This has also been proven from professional grazing in various countries over the globe. For this reason the pasture should also be overgrown with trees like the Qur'an's instructions. Among these trees can also grow a lot of grass. Farm animals will spend a lot of time in the shade under the trees. Water sources also need to be provided at that location for the place to drink the grazing animals. As a result, livestock manure will also accumulate in these locations so that it also fertilizes the soil. Fruit trees and woody trees can be used in the pasture. Leaves from the energy plantation can be used as additional feed for the sheep. Sheep farming can also include supporting the Shari'a qurban ie Islamic Shari'a slaughtering sacrificial animals on every 10 Dzulhijah or Idhu Adha feasts. In addition to these lands being used for energy plantations, plantation lands in Indonesia is very broad, for example palm oil which reaches 12 million hectares, coconut 3.7 million hectares, rubber 3.5 million hectares, various fruit plantations also very broad can be modified by sheep grazing to optimize land and increase soil fertility.

PKS For Coal Powerplant in Europe

Europe with its bio-economic program in the RED (Renewable Energy Directive) has targeted the use of renewable energy to reach a minimum of 20% by 2020 with biomass consumption reaching 70% of all renewable energy and by 2030 to be at least 27%. For biomass energy, Europe is also the largest producer of wood pellets, which is currently estimated at 13.5 million tons / year while its consumption is 18.8 million tons / year. The biggest wood pellet producing countries in Europe are Germany and Sweden. Even though the production of wood pellets of 13.5 million tons / year has not been able to meet the internal needs of the region, so it still needs supply from outside. America and Canada are the main suppliers of wood pellet needs for the country. Most of the use of wood pellets for electricity generation. In addition to wood pellets, PKS has also been imported from Indonesia. Along the size of the target to be achieved, the need for biomass fuel is predicted to increase.

Although most power plants currently use pulverized coal boiler technology which reaches around 50% of the world's electricity generation, the use of grate combustor boiler technology and fluidized bed boilers is also increasing. Pulverized coal boiler is mainly used for very large capacity plants (> 100 MW), while for ordinary medium capacity uses fluidized bed technology (between 20-100 MW) and for smaller capacity with combustor grate (<20 MW). The advantage of boiler boiler combustion and fluidized bed technology is fuel flexibility including tolerance to particle size. Various agricultural waste, municipal waste, used tires and so on can be used as fuel. When the pulverized coal boiler requires a small particle size (1-2 cm) like sawdust so that it can be atomized on the pulverizer nozzle, the combustor grate and fluidized bed the particle size of gravel (max. 8 cm) can be accepted. Based on these conditions agricultural waste, namely PKS has a great opportunity as fuel for these boilers.

49 MW Biomass Powerplant with Fluidized Bed Technology
in Japan that use PKS as fuel, has been operating since 2015 

To be able to fuel the boiler combustor grate and fluidized bed boiler PKS can be used directly, without additional pretreatment. More specifically for fluidized bed boilers, circulating fluized beds (CFB) boilers are more suitable for PKS compared to boiler fluidized bed (BFB) boilers, for more details read here. Then is PKS not suitable for pulverized coal boiler? There are several things that need to be considered for the use of PKS in pulverized coal boilers. The first thing that can be done is to reduce PKS particle size to a maximum of 2 cm so that it can be atomized in a pulverized system. The second thing to note is the percentage of PKS in coal, or the term cofiring. Unlike a grate and a fluidized bed combustor that can be flexible with various types of fuel, pulverized almost all use coal only. Of course it can also be pulverized to be replaced with biomass, especially PKS, but there are specific things that distinguish biomass and coal fuels, namely ash content and ash chemistry. Both of these things greatly influence the combustion characteristics in the pulverized system.

Coal ash content is generally greater than biomass, besides that coal ash chemistry is very different from biomass ash chemistry. Biomass ash has lower an inorganic than coal, but the alkali content in biomass can change the properties of coal ash, especially aluminosilicate ash. Practically, if you want to change the pulverized system from coal to biomass, especially PKS, it is necessary to modify the power plant and this is also not cheap, but if you want without modification or just a small modification of the power plant is needed, namely the cofiring method. Biomass cofiring with coal in small portions for example 3-5% does not need to modify the pulverized power plant. For example, Shinci in Japan with a capacity of 2 x 1,000 MW of supercritical pulverized fuel with 3% cofiring requires 16,000 tons / year of biomass and no modification, likewise with Korea Shoutheast Power (KOSEP) 5,000 MW with 5% cofiring requiring 600,000 tons / year of biomass and also without modification. Why is the cofiring in the pulverized system discussed a lot? In addition to this type of generator, the most number with a very large electricity production capacity so as to be an effective means of reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere which also automatically reduces coal use, also the use of biomass in cofiring has an effect on plant operations and the price of electricity produced. The other main reason is because is the cheapest way to enter renewable sector especially for big coal powerplants.

Denmark 700 MW Studstrup power station conducts cofiring up to 20% with straw

Combustor grate technology, fluidized bed and pulverized are basically combustion technologies. Combustion technology is one of the 3 thermal biomass processes that are widely applied, with the other two are gasification and pyrolysis. Gasification as well as pyrolysis can also be used for electricity production, but its use is not as much as combustion technology and its electricity production capacity is generally also small. Almost the same as a combustor grate and fluidized bed, fuel for gasification and pyrolysis is also flexible, including coal and PKS. In gasification technology mainly to maximize gas products (syngas) while in pyrolysis to maximize its solid products. PKS can be pyrolyzed to produce charcoal while coal will produce coke if it is pyrolyzed. Charcoal from PKS can be used for fuel, briquette production and activated charcoal while coke for steel smelting. Syngas is a pyrolysis by-product that can be used for electricity production while in gasification, syngas is the main product that can also be used for electricity production.

Why use PKS for the powerplant fuel? This is because PKS has almost the same characteristics as wood pellets, many are available and are cheap. Indonesia and Malaysia are the two main producers of PKS. PKS is produced from palm oil processing and considered as waste. With an area of ​​Indonesian oil palm plantations reaching 12 million hectares in Indonesia and 5 million hectares in Malaysia, the number of PKS produced from both countries reached 15 million tons / year. The number of PKS in both countries exceeds the production of wood pellets from the United States and Canada, or the two largest producers of wood pellets today. And of course the United States and Canada cannot produce PKS, because they do not have oil palm plantations, but Indonesia and Malaysia can also produce wood pellets because they have large forests. The production of wood pellets in Indonesia and Malaysia is still small today, which is less than 1 million tons / year, but the production of PKS is quite large which can act as an initial driver of bioeconomy in the countries and supply the PKS biomass to Europe.

OPT Charcoal Pellet Production for Waste of Oil Palm Trunk Solution

Oil palm trunk waste as well as biomass in general can be used for sources of energy, materials and chemicals. So much oil palm waste is because currently most of the oil palm plantations in Indonesia are old and enter a period of massive replanting. In addition, replanting is also a periodic program conducted by oil palm plantations to continue to maintain the sustainability of its production, so that palm oil waste is always available. Indonesia and Malaysia with a total oil palm plantation area of ​​around 17 million hectares of course have a lot of palm oil waste. If 1 hectare is planted with 130 palm trees, the palm tree population in both countries has reached 2.21 billion palm trees. The current era of bioeconomy encourages massive and sustainable use of biomass, so that initially considered waste is now a potential raw material. Charcoal production from palm oil waste also does not damage the environment because it is a tree that must be replaced with new plants.

The use of palm oil trunks for energy sources is one of them by making pellets (OPT pellets) which currently also have producers. Another option is to be made into charcoal pellets (OPT Charcoal Pellet). Before being pelleted first, the oil palm trunk is carbonised through the process of pyrolysis or carbonization. The charcoal produced is then compacted into pellets (OPT Charcoal Pellet) with a little added adhesive. There are many advantages that can be obtained by the pyrolysis process, especially continuous pyrolysis. In addition to the main products in the form of charcoal, biooil by-products, biomass vinegar (liquid smoke) and syngas are also of high economic value. Biooil can be used directly as liquid fuel for example for burners or ship fuels. Biooil can also be upgraded for a variety of general vehicle fuels such as gasoline or diesel oil. Biooil as well as crude oil can also be upgraded for the production of various chemicals (bio-based chemical).

Biomass vinegar (liquid smoke) can be used as a biopesticide or liquid organic fertilizer. Fertilization will restore nutrients or organic matter to the tree or plantation. This is important to be done to maintain the sustainability of the oil palm plantation itself, which is currently one of the main concerns. Syngas can be used as direct fuel such as biooil, or used for electricity generation using a gas engine. While the main product, charcoal after being pelleted, can be used as fuel or agricultural charcoal (biochar). The charcoal market is usually for the food industry, namely for heat sources, in contrast to wood pellets which are widely used in power plants.

Production of Wood Pellets or Charcoal Pellets?

Wood pellets have become a hot talk and tempting business opportunities today. Not a few large companies are planning to produce wood pellets in Indonesia, especially with raw materials from energy plantations. Of course there are still many who remember also some time ago Indonesia was highlighted by the world for its function as the world's lungs with its tropical forests as CO2 absorbers and compensation for carbon trading. Furthermore, will in the current era Indonesia will become the world's main supplier of biomass fuel which is carbon neutral fuel? It is not surprising that Indonesia is a destination country for investment in biomass production, this is because of its tropical climate, available vast land and fertile soil. Almost all regions in Indonesia can be planted for various types of plants and this condition is different from subtropical countries and dry regions such as deserts. Of course, it is important that the business activities of the biomass production and its derivatives provide fair benefits to the Indonesian citizens and government. Do not let the people only become objects even in their own country, like dead chickens in a rice barn. If that happens, then it's really outrageous. The Muslims can capture and take advantage of these opportunities in a way that is syirkah (sharia business cooperation), more detail can be read here.

History has also taught that natural wealth but not managed properly, only invites invaders. Remember, Indonesia was colonized, especially in the military, political, educational and economic terms of 350 years, because initially spices and certainly new style of colonialism (neo-colonialism) also could not happen again for the present and the future. Why are wood pellets so popular? The first reason is the high demand for wood pellets which is driven by a number of pro-environment policies, which in Asia, especially Korea and Japan. The second reason is that electricity generation is one of the biggest sources of pollution with very large CO2 emissions, so it needs to be reduced and even needs to be replaced with carbon neutral biomass power plants. The third reason, the production of wood pellets is cheaper than fuels such as bioethanol. A number of analyzes suggest that bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is newly produced when oil prices are above $ 100 / barrel while the current oil price is around $ 80 / barrel.

The main users of wood pellets are large power plants, so that production volume and continuity are needed. A number of strict rules have been applied to the production of wood pellets as examples of quality standards, and the continuity of raw material supply as evidenced by certain certifications such as FSC. The traded wood pellet products must meet these standards or criteria. Long contracts are also commonly used for buying and selling wood pellets. Looking at a number of things above, it can be understood if players or producers of wood pellets must have large capital. Wood pellet production is currently estimated at 20 million tons with the United States and Canada as its main producers, while Europe is the main user, followed by Japan and Korea in the Asian region.

Charcoal is an energy product from biomass processing, especially wood. Wood charcoal has been known for a long time and is produced in a number of places. The process of producing wood charcoal is generally traditional, takes a long time and the quality is not uniform. According to FAO, global wood charcoal production in 2015 was recorded at more than 50 million tons and about half of it was produced in Africa. Every year Europe imports 1 million tons of charcoal, as well as Saudi Arabia and Middle Eastern countries import more than 1 million tons of charcoal. The use of charcoal is mostly the household sector with retail (retail) distribution. In addition charcoal is also used for metallurgy, agriculture (biochar) and activated charcoal (activated carbon) raw materials.

Charcoal production and charcoal marketing have also not been treated by strict rules such as wood pellets. This is mainly due to the large number of charcoal producers, with a small average production and traditional production technology. In addition, the market or buyer also does not require large volumes and long-term contracts. The quality factor remains an important standard, especially for the export market. But it could be that more stringent rules will also apply to production and marketing, given the potential damage caused. The low conversion of traditional charcoal kiln, which is an average of 15%, makes the need extra for wood raw materials, so that to produce 1 million tons of raw materials is needed about 6.5 million tons of wood. The approach to using efficient technology is increasingly urgent especially to serve large and continuous needs. Pyrolysis or continuous carbonization is the solution to this, with a conversion rate to charcoal reaching 30% or almost one third. With this efficient technology, only 3 million tons of wood is needed, or only half that means saving about 3 million tons of wood raw material.

To improve efficiency and ease of transportation and handling and its use, so charcoal can be made into pellets. The heat value of charcoal which is higher than wood, which is about 2 times, also makes charcoal pellets have higher calories than wood pellets. Unlike the production of wood pellets which do not require additional adhesive, because lignin in the wood itself also functions as an adhesive when pressed (compressed) and high temperature, for charcoal pellets require additional adhesive in the form of tapioca flour, this is because lignin has decomposed when carbonization process (pyrolysis). Another advantage of the pyrolysis process is that a number of byproducts provide additional benefits, namely: biooil as a burner / boiler fuel, a ship fuel mixture and can be upgraded to vehicle fuel in general, then syngas which can be used for gas engine fuels for electricity production and wood vinegar which can be further processed into biopesticides and liquid organic fertilizers. For a production capacity of 200 tons / day of INPUT or approximately 70 tons of charcoal / day (OUTPUT), the electricity output produced can reach 5 MW with raw wood chips or sawdust.

The continuity of raw materials for charcoal production is also the same as the production of wood pellets, namely from the energy plantation so that it can continue continuously (sustainable). Optimizing energy plantations with sheep farming plus cattle and honey bee farming is the best option for optimizing land use. In conclusion there are two attractive options in the current biomass fuel business, namely the production of wood pellets with strict requirements ranging from raw material sources and wood pellet product quality, but can get a long-term wood pellet purchase contract that is up to 20 years or the production of charcoal pellets, which the conditions are not as strict as wood pellets, then in the carbonization or pyrolysis stage a number of by-products are also produced which are also profitable, even for electricity it is also very possible for long-term contracts to sell it to PLN with a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) mechanism for 25 years but for products the product cannot be a long contract. Based on the aforementioned matters, an in-depth study is needed before executing one or even both of these opportunities.

Finding The Best Treasure From Energy Plantation Implementation Part 6

"It is He Who has brought down the rain from the sky for you, some of it has become a drink and some of it has grown up, the plants which are in your place of grazing your cattle. "(Qur'an 16:10)

"Eat and graze your animals. Verily in this, there are signs of the power of Allah for those who understand. "(Qur'an, 20:54)

"Muslims are syirkah (sharia business cooperation) to three things, in terms of pasture (land), water and fire (energy)". (HR. Sunan Abu Daud).

When Muslims practice the instructions above, the problem of food, energy and water will be overcome. Why is the problem of food, energy and water so chaotic now? It can even threaten a country's sovereignty. The answer is because muslims don't practice the instructions above. In the current era when the world is competing to lower the earth's temperature, the energy sector can be a strategic entry point. Energy from trees or wood which is also in line with the current Qur'anic guidance has become a world program because it is a carbon neutral fuel that does not increase CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Europe, for example with the proclaimed bioeconomy program, energy from biomass reaches 70%. Japan and Korea with renewable energy programs also need tens of millions of tons of biomass fuel. The United States through its Energy Department has announced the production of dry biomass of at least 1 billion tons in 2040 without damaging the environment. Canada with its climate plan has also targeted to eliminate or free coal and gas power plants in 2030. When Muslims practice these instructions, they will get a reward for their faith in Allah SWT and His Messenger, not just benefits worldly like environmental benefits and economic benefits.

Wood pellets are biomass processing products that are very popular today. Multipurpose energy plantations can be used for the production of woody biomass as raw material for the production of wood pellets. The export wood pellet market is mainly Japan and Korea, but both have their own characteristics. Designing a multipurpose energy plantation for production also requires its own techniques, for more details can be read here. With Syirkah (sharia business cooperation) it is very likely that this potential can be realized. Then what if the Muslims do not want to be syirkah (sharia business cooperation)? First, obviously it will be very difficult to capture these opportunities. Second, the problem of food, energy and water will be controlled by non-Muslims, and Muslims will only be spectators and consumers, similar to today's conditions. Third, when the important matters of food, water and energy are not in the hands of the Muslims, the people are not self-sufficient and easily broken down and so on. Migration from fossil economics to bioeconomy is the right momentum for the economic awakening of the muslims people. The domestic wood pellet market also needs to be created and developed continuously. It is not impossible when the production of biomass fuels, especially wood pellets is massive, the role of renewable energy from biomass becomes dominant. Especially at this time Indonesia has also become the nett importer of petroleum. Petroleum produced domestically is not enough to meet the consumption of its population.

Sheep farming and honey bees integrated with energy plantations will provide optimal added value. The undeveloped and organized sheep producers in Indonesia makes the contribution in the economic sector still minimal. For example, in a country with a majority of non-Muslims such as the United States, there is a sheep association namely the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), which has about 83,000 sheep producers. In addition to a number of pastures both in the area of ??fruit trees or food crops, such as coconut plantations, mango plantations, guava and so on are ideal locations for sheep farming, the grasslands are in forest areas whose main products are wood such as mahogany, sengon and so on are also very good. In reference to Alberta, Canada's local Ministry of Environmental Protection has used tens of thousands of sheep to control hairy grasses that block the growth of weed grass in the area. Sheep include livestock that are resistant to a number of plants that are considered toxic, like furry plants which are a kind of weed and poisonous to cattle. So because of its ability in Texas and Southwest sheep is also used to control a number of species of weeds that attack grass habitat.

Maintaining a minimum of 3 inch (7.5 cm) grass is an important factor in pasture

Grazing techniques in Indonesia may have its own characteristics, this is because Indonesia has a tropical climate, while most big sheep producers are currently in subtropical climates. But it is precisely in this tropical region that sheep farming should have an ideal place for grazing, because it refers to the above Qur'anic instructions (Qur'an 16:10). Rotation grazing is the best way to get the best quality and quantity of meat. Milk, wool and leather are also other products produced from sheep farms which are also very much needed by Indonesia at this time. The speed of grass to recover in the rainy season is much faster than the dry season. But because excessive rain can cause the sheep to get sick and die, the pasture duration during the rainy season can be accelerated, but with shorter rotations and more sheep in the cage. Whereas in the dry season the way of grazing is the opposite. A good irrigation will keep the green-green grass in the dry season. In the current era to get water for irrigation a number of ways can be taken. In addition to flowing water from mountain water sources or blocking the flow of rivers, other methods such as making wells and water are raised and used on these plantations and farms. A number of technologies can be used to generate electricity for pump energy that raises water from the well, for example solar energy with solar PV, wind energy, biomass energy with gasification, stirling engine and ORC (organic rankine cycle).

Sheep grazing with cattle has also been shown to give positive results. This is because the two types of livestock have different grazing habits, for example sheep like broadleaf grass, while cows like narrow leafy grass. Sheep and cattle grazing can be done simultaneously or at different times. Pastures is also better, because all grasses are eaten by sheep and cattle, evenly. If the grassland is not grazed evenly, the quality of the grass will also decrease. Certain types of grass become favorites for sheep so that this type will be eaten more, even run out. Grass with such conditions becomes difficult to grow well again. Pastoral care as well as agricultural fields must be maintained to continue to produce these livestock feeds. Another important indication that this joint grazing gives more positive results, it's from a number of studies carried out in various locations in the world that with sheep grazing with cattle (mixed grazing), sheep weight gain is around 10% than just sheep grazing and an increase in cow weight around 25% compared only cow grazing.

Honey bee farming is another additional effort to improve the optimization of land use and help pollinate a variety of plants. There are many types of honey bees, the consideration of choosing the type of honey bee is also based on the cultivation technique and the honey production. Local honey bees are generally more easily cultivated such as the genus Trigona (stingless bee). Wood pellets, sheep, (plus cows) and honey are products that integrate energy plantations with farms of sheep and honey bees. This is the current opportunity, especially for Muslims to boost and accelerate their economic growth by means of the syirkah like the Prophet's hadith above. When the bioeconomy in Europe is targeted to drive the economic sector by € 2 trillion (34,000 trillion or 17 times the Indonesian state budget) and the absorption of 20 million workers, then Indonesia with biggest country in South Ast Asia, the bioeconomy in the tropics are based on integration these energy plantations and farms should also be very large. The Netherlands, which has an area about the size of East Java, targets 2.6-3 billion Euros (around 50 trillion rupiah) from its bioeconomy sector. Of course more important than all of this is our faith and devotion to Allah SWT so that the blessings from heaven and earth will be bestowed:

"If the inhabitants of these countries have faith and piety, surely We will bestow upon them blessings from heaven and earth, but they deny (Our verses), We will punish them for their actions." (Surat al-A ' raf: 96)

Biomass Efficiency Improvement for Energy Sufficiency Part 2

Indonesia is famous for the country of coconut island seduction. This is because the extent of coconut plantations in Indonesia reaches around 3.7 million hectares with most of them being smallholder plantations. The extent of the coconut plantations places Indonesia as the largest coconut plantation owner in the world, and the Philippines ranks second. Coconut trees mainly grow along the coast, and indeed Indonesia also has the longest coastline in the world. Although the number of Indonesian coconut plantations is the number 1 in the world, its productivity is still lower to the Philippines, so the Philippines is also the no. 1 coconut producer in the world. The coconut industry in the Philippines is also more advanced than Indonesia. Indonesia here is more prioritizing palm oil than coconut. The area of ??Indonesian palm oil plantations is currently around 12 million hectares or more than 3 times the size of its coconut plantations.

Coconut trees are also called the tree of life because all parts can be used for human life. But at present the sad fate of it because of the lack of attention to the development of plantations and industries. The main product of coconut is the oil which has high lauric acid content. Lauric acid is only found in three places, namely coconut oil, palm kernel oil and breast milk. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) which has many benefits for human health. Lauric acid helps cure various diseases such as diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension and so on. VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil) is a form of coconut oil that can be directly consumed by humans. VCO is different from coconut cooking oil because the VCO is made without heating so that it produces medium chain saturated fatty acids or high MCFA, vitamin E, antioxidants and enzymes in the coconut fruit. Lauric acid in VCO is easily absorbed to the mitochondria so it will increase the body's metabolism. Besides that it can stimulate insulin production which causes glucose metabolism to run normally, which is especially useful for diabetics. The more common benefit of consuming pure coconut oil or VCO can also activate antiaging hormones and pregnenolone, progesterone, and DHEA, and prevent heart attacks, senility, obesity, cancer, and other diseases associated with premature aging.

Saturated fatty acids, lauric acid consists of 12 carbon atoms, which are bonded saturated (no double bonds) by hydrogen atoms. This makes it not easily rancid and can last up to 2 years. With 12 carbon atoms, lauric acid is called medium chain fatty acid (MCFA). Whereas other fats or fatty acids in general such as palm cooking oil, peanut oil and so on are long chain fatty acids (LCFA) and their chemical bonds are not saturated (double bonds). Lauric acid will be converted to monolaurin or a monoglyceride compound obtained by babies from breast milk which has antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoa properties. Medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) can be absorbed directly through the intestinal wall when they reach the digestive tract, this process is faster because without going through the hydrolysis and enzymatic processes. Then directly supplied into the bloodstream and immediately carried into the liver to be metabolized. In the liver VCO is processed into energy alone, not LDL cholesterol and not fat deposits, this energy is used to improve the function of all endocrine glands, organs and body tissues. Medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) have a small molecular size, so they are easily digested and can be absorbed directly by the body (absorbed by the intestinal wall) because MCFA easily penetrates mitochondria (an organ in every cell of our body that functions to produce energy for the body), So that the pancreas, digestive tract, and liver can work lighter. The ease of MCFA penetrates the mitochondria, making VCO acts as an instant energy source or quickly produces energy for the body. While LCFA needs hydrolysis and enzymatic processes before being absorbed by the intestinal wall. The form of the product or the result of the LCFA decomposition is energy, cholesterol, and there is residual fat accumulated in body fat tissue. Cholesterol and fat deposits can be the basis for a variety of chronic and degenerative diseases such as hypertension, stroke and diabetes. VCO can also be a drug and halal health supplement, because at present there are very few of us to find halal medicinal or pharmaceutical products.

Coconut water also has many benefits. Nata de coco is a popular product of coconut water processing. Nata de coco as a fiber-rich, low-calorie drink containing vitamin B and C is very well consumed for health. Coconut water can also be as an isotonic drink, which is a substitute for body ions, to restore new stamina and energy to the body. The biggest content is potassium, with the following details, namely 294 mg of potassium, 23 mg of sodium, 5 mg of sugar and 118 mg of chloride. These minerals are needed for our growth, even though the quantity is very little. Lack of minerals results in being a source of health problems. We should be able to get sufficient supply of these minerals through our food or drink. For example, lack of potassium (K) will cause digestive problems and Copper (Cu) causes the production and work of the enzyme to be disturbed. All health problems can arise because of this. Copper deficiency disrupts energy production, neurotransmission, increases cardiovascular risk and neurodegenerative diseases. To fulfill complete minerals, coconut water can be added to other minerals.

Biomass from coconut, among others, coir, shell, fronds, leaves and trunks. All biomass waste can be processed to be converted into energy. From coconut fiber can be processed directly into pellets and briquettes. But it could also be to give more added value, fibers are separated from the coir into cocofiber, while the waste is cocopeat or cocodust can be made pellets or briquettes. cocopeat or cocodust can also be compressed into a kind of briquette, or famous for cocopeat block. The use of cocopeat block, especially for planting media, can be read in more detail here. Coconut trunks are quite expensive and are widely used in various building woods, so the use of pellets or briquettes is not suitable. While sawn waste or coconut stem processing waste is suitable for pellets or briquettes, because the price is cheap as waste wood in general. Coconut shells are now almost all processed into charcoal. Charcoal from the coconut shell can be directly used as fuel, raw material for briquettes and activated carbon .

If the coconut is fully processed or integrated then all the benefits of coconut can be optimized, or at least a number of biomass can be converted as an attractive energy source. Various scenarios of integrated coconut utilization technology can be considered, so that optimal scenarios can be found. Central coconut areas such as Indragiri Hilir in Riau, Padang, Bengkulu, Lampung and so on must start looking for the potential of this coconut business. Besides the Philippines, India is also quite advanced in the coconut industry even though its biomass has not been focused on the energy sector. It is precisely this opportunity to steal the start to make coconut waste more efficient for the energy sector. When the energy sector is strong, the sovereignty of the state is also getting stronger.