Finding The Best Treasure From Energy Plantation Implementation Part 4

Although grazing specificallymentioned in the Qur'an as the Sunnah of the Prophets, but unfortunately thatgrazing is not studied in detail in this country on the faculty of farms, agricultural faculties, and the faculties of the Qur'an and Hadith, consequently the grazing techniques become undeveloped and our meat production is low, so it must be imported although the best potential land with huge area we can find in this country. In general there are 2 garzing methods today: grazing precision and rotational grazing. Precision grazing is done on pastures that which has been precisely measured feeding requirements for the sheep based on the extent and condition of feed or grass at the site. The location can be  also planted with various other crops, for example grazing in vineyards, in apple plantations, coconut plantation, rubber plantation, in mango plantations, oil palm plantations, energy plantations and so on. In precision grazing like mentioned above there is an effort to keep the other plants from being damaged by the sheep. While on rotation grazing the sheep are rotated based on the condition of the grass or the avaibility of feed. When a lot of grass is used for grazing and when it is exhausted then grazing moves to another location with lots of grass while waiting for the previous place to grow back the grass so it can be used for grazing again. Here are some videos of rotation grazing and precision grazing :

Hopefully, these videos will be more motivating for the development of sheep grazing in Indonesia, especially in palm oil plantations which reaches 12 million hectares, coconut plantations  around 3.7 million hectares  and rubber plantation reaches 3.4 million hectares. In addition to the meat production of the sheep, it will also fertilize the soil from the droppings dung of the sheep distributed during the grazing. Low meat consumption of population of Indonesia needs to be increased with the production of meat from within the country, not even boost imports. When the soil becomes fertile then the productivity of the palm oil will also increase as the palm trees get enough fertilizer. In addition, the resulting sheep's wool will become the wool yarn as one of the best textile materials. Wool can be used to make carpets, blankets, sweaters and so on with superior quality compared with imitations ie acrylic yarn. Indonesia still imports the wool yarn because it does not have sufficient sources of raw materials from within the country. With the encouragement of sheep farms, the import of yarn and wool cloth can be reduced even eliminated and fulfilled from within the country. 

In addition, sheep skins can also be used as raw materials for leather industry. After tanning the sheep skin can be used to load a variety of human needs goods, such as jacket, purse, wallet and so forth. Certain types of sheep also produce milk for the best nutritious beverage for humans. It is very much beneficial by optimizing the plantation lands with sheep grazing.

Market Condition of Biomass Fuel

Indonesia has enormous biomass production potential because of its tropical climate, and extensive land. Biomass fuels from Indonesia which are now exported are wood pellets and palm kernel shells. Wood pellet production is still low in the range of 80 thousand tons / year, while the palm kernel shell is quite high at around 10 million tons / year. Both types of biomass fuels are mostly for export while in domestic is not yet widely used. Why the domestic market itself has not used much of both types of biomass fuel? This is because people are still dependent on fossil fuels, namely LPG gas to cook households and coal in the industrial sector. The government policy to increase the use of renewable and alternative energy needs to be encouraged so that biomass energy is increasingly used.

PKS Loading

As for the export market, the need for biomass fuel needs is greater and projected starting in 2020 will increase sharply. For palm kernel shells (pks) buyers are Korea and Japan. Currently there are many sellers of palm kernel shells, while the number of buyers is still limited. This raises the business conditions that are less healthy because the price of these commodities will be more determined by the buyer (oligopsoni). The practice should be avoided and resolved if the number of buyers and sellers is relatively balanced. How to increase the number of buyers of biomass fuel from Indonesia? For export markets other than two countries namely Korea and Japan which have been importing mainly Indonesian palm kernel shells for power plants, then promotion to look for other markets, such as China and Europe may also do. Currently there have also been buyers from Taiwan and Thailand although their needs are still relatively small for its use for heating in industrial boilers.

The market condition of palm kernel shells (pks) is different from wood pellets. The difference is that the wood pellet producers spread almost all over the world, as the raw materials of woody biomass are located almost all over the earth. While sales of bulk Palm kernel shells are only done in Indonesia and Malaysia which is the biggest CPO producer in the world as well as the largest palm oil plantation owner in the world. In addition, a number of large countries are promoting its wood pellets on a large scale so that the wood pellet becomes very popular, so the demand is increasing sharply and some countries are starting to start for wood pellet production. Wood pellets are more famous and worldwide than palm shells although the properties or characteristics of both as biomass fuel are almost the same. This condition should further encourage the Indonesian government to promote the palm kernel shell. In global market conditions with the number of producers and users of wood pellets that are also quite balanced in number, the market conditions are better, although some countries become major producers and control most of the market. While domestic pellet market is still small so it still needs to be encouraged its use as well as its production. Along with the public unrest due to LPG gas scarcity, the motivation to use wood pellet is also getting bigger.

While also waiting for 2020, the market or users in the country also needs to be made so that will increase the number of biomass fuel buyers. The use of biomass fuel is proven to provide economic and environmental benefits if the management is good and sustainable. When the biomass fuel market is large, then production should also be added. If the palm kernel shells (pks) are palm oil waste depending on the amount of CPO production, wood pellets can be produced separately especially with raw materials from the energy plantation so that the capacity can be very large. Currently, Indonesia's CPO production is around 35 million tons/year with a palm oil plantation area of ​​12 million hectares. The energy plantation can be optimized with sheep farming and honey bee farming (see 5F project for the world!), As well as for palm oil plantations (see Transmigration For Sheeping In Palm Oil Pantation, Could It Be?). Empty fruit bunches and old palm oil trunk that are not productive can also be made pellets. And especially for oil palm pellets (OPT pellets) we currently have demand for volume of 1,000 tons / month, for those interested in becoming a manufacturer, please read more here.

When Shepherding As Dowry

One of the two women said: "My father took him as a man who worked (for us), because indeed the best person you take to work (on us) is a strong man who can be trusted." (QS Al-Qashash: 26)

He said (Syu'aib) : " I intend to marry you off to one of my two daughters, on the basis that you work with me eight years and if you have ten years then it is (a favor) of you, then I will not weigh you down, and you will insha Allah find me the good ones ". (QS Al Qashash: 27)

"And He grows the grass" (Surah Al A'laa: 4)

The story of Moses who helped two women and then invited Moses to meet the father of the two women. Then, since Moses had a strong body and trustworthiness, one of the women suggested his father, the Prophet Shuaib, to be taken as a worker. The Prophet Syu'aib not only accepted Moses to be his worker, even intended to marry one of his daughters to Moses on condition of working with him as a shepherd for 8 or 10 years. Inspirational and exemplary story of all time.

When in this age the parents are anxious to seek a son-in-law, the inspiration of the story above is enlightening. Parents today can make sheep grazing so that it becomes a way to get their best daughter-in-law. And if his parents are still confused, then his daughters should also ask their parents to make the shepherds of the sheep. Allah SWT grows grasses for the feed of livestock grazed, especially the sheep.

"He is Who has sent down rain from the sky for you, partly a drink and partly (fertilizes) the plants, on which you are grazing your cattle. "(QS 16:10)

In Indonesia with an area of ​​oil palm plantations that reach about 12 million hectares, of course can be used for sheep grazing, even would be the best place (QS 16:10). What a pity if the plantation area of ​millions hectares is not optimized, even have to spend big money to clean grass under the palm oil tree. Though the grasses are feed for the sheep are grazed. The dung from the sheep also becomes fertilizer for palm oil trees which will eventually fertilize the soil and increase the productivity of its harvest. When sheep grazing in palm oil plantations has become an integrated concept, it becomes more attractive. Since the palm oil plantations are mostly or 80% located in Sumatra and Kalimantan, grazing areas can also be among fruit plantations even in multipurpose energy plantations.

All the Prophets were once shepherds of sheep / goats, indicating that the work of shepherding of sheep is important. Allah SWT shows that one of the best ways to educate His messengers who are the best human beings is to shepherd the sheep, so imitating it will also give the best results. Unfortunately, shepherding lessons are not taught in detail in our agricultural colleges, as well as in Islamic colleges of either the majors or faculties of the Qur'an or Hadith. Yet this shepherd is the sunnah of all the Prophets and also specifically there a guidance in the Qur'an.

Professions of shepherding for women is also a good thing, it can be referred from the two verses of Al Quran Surah Al Qashash above. The daughters of Prophet Shu'aib worked as shepherds even to help her father that old. Today when women in Jabodetabek (Jakarta and surrounding cities) jostle to their work places both on buses and trains, so prone to touch with non mahram and sexual harassment, then again refers to the two verses of the Qur'an above will inspire, motivate and simultaneously can be implemented. Women in the area do not even need to urbanize to the densely populated cities, crowded to work or work, traffic jams and so on, but enough to turn the Prophet's sunnah back to the shepherding.

Of course there is a lot of wisdom from the shepherding. As palm oil plantations have been crowded by the sheep, soil fertility will increase and domestic meat production is also increasing, together with it as the best educational medium. Indonesia's low production of palm oil can also increase rapidly in line with the increase in soil fertility. The sheep will also be the best treasure for Muslims, which can be read in more detail here, here, and here. Domestic meat consumption which is currently only 1/4 of the world average can also be improved. The low consumption of domestic meat is also a result of us have no interest in grazing. When parents are aware of the importance of shepherding, they will not hesitate to make the shepherding effort, which is also a means of getting their best son-in-law. At that time the dowry (dowry of marriage) becomes a set of tools of sholat and shepherding. Insha Allah.

Wood Pellet Production Is The Best Option For Indonesia

Knowing the historical background, the potential and characteristics of a nation will facilitate effective and efficient policy making for the nation. But if only imitate from other nations without considering historical background, its potential and its characteristic hence can be sure that policy will be taken also not effective and efficient. How often our nation imitate the economic progress of a nation, but do not pay attention to three important points above, so the result is also not optimal. Every country has its own character, so we can not follow the model of economic growth of other countries blindly. For example: we go along with the economic growth of industry and services, as developed countries do, while the agriculture and forestry sectors have become scramble of other countries. So are the mines and natural gas, while for petroleum we even a importing country.

The neighboring country, Singapore which is a small population and the land is small also, of course, an interesting economic source is the service sector. Similarly in developed countries, which in addition to having a lot of resources, once the needs of its population are met, then the source of growth must be pursued from other countries. So they use industrial and service sectors to pursue that growth. Then what about Indonesia?

Indonesia has a very large population, 260 million people with a vast and fertile land. Tropical climate and high rainfall 3 times the world average makes it very potential for biomass production, both for the food, energy or other sectors. If we examine and analyze how big the food and energy sector is for the 260 million people, we will know how big the economic value is. Then easily we can answer, why other countries busy scramble the agriculture and forestry sector in our country.

Please readers make their own calculations of how much food they need (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals) as well as energy or fuel (for households, industries, vehicles and power plants). Of course the value will be very large, hundreds of billions of dollars even thousands of billions of dollars. Not to mention how much food and energy fulfillment from other countries (import), such as how much rice we import, soybean import, meat import, petroleum import, wheat import and so on. What if the imported goods are substituted by our own fulfillment and the long term can be self-sufficient or sovereign in the food and energy sectors. While tens or even hundreds of millions of hectares of land is available, then labor is also abundant.

Will we join forces to catch up on the sector of economic growth in the industrial and service sectors, while our food and energy production is dependent on other countries? Of course not as the answer. Will it easily eliminate that dependency? The answer is also not easy. First we have to change the paradigm, that we can self-sufficient food (which is certainly not just carbohydrates only) and energy. Secondly, we must revive the agricultural and forestry sectors, to meet the food and energy sectors.

In the energy sector, these lands can be used for energy plantations that later wood harvested for wood pellet production. In addition, the area of ​​the plantation can also be used for sheep grazing and leaves from the energy plantation is also a high nutritious feed for the sheep. Pastured sheep will spread the dung and urine as fertilizer for the energy plantation. With energy plantatins and sheep farming means in addition to being a solution to energy problems as well as solutions to food problems, especially protein. The lands that were initially barren became green again and provided economic and environmental benefits.

Back to the population of Indonesia as much as 260 million, of course the need for energy or fuel will also be very large as well. Formerly wood-fired stoves are widely used, currently only a small part of the countryside uses it because it has switched to using LPG fuel. Some time ago kerosene stove is also popularly used before LPG fuel. So technically basically is no problem using solid fuel, liquid fuel or gas fuel as long as the fuel is available, affordable prices and stoves are also available. When wood pellets are produced everywhere, the problem of fuel scarcity will be overcome. This is because the energy plantation and wood pellet production can be done anywhere, in contrast to natural gas whose source is only in certain places. Why not for wood pellet production? Extensive land, fertile, tropical climate, rainfall and abundant labor. Wood pellet production in addition to the region-based potential, can also be a model of new economic growth for the effective and efficient.

Wood Pellet Demand Crawling Up?

The fall of wood pellet market some time ago is also greatly influenced by the price of oil. The low oil price touched $ 30/barrel in early 2016 also lowered the selling price and demand for wood pellets. This condition even to shift the position of wood pellet as the cheapest fuel for the heating sector. At that time the energy price per calorie of oil which is a liquid fuel better quality and much in demand cheap, so that solid fuel that lower quality and less desirable also become cheaper. There are even many industries switching to using oil fuels than before using solid fuels such as coal. Wood pellets as one of the solid fuels (although from renewable sources) are also affected by the world oil price, because of the basis of calculating the price per calorie or heat of the fuel.

After almost 3 years of oil prices falling gradually, the current price of oil has risen drastically at the price of $ 70 / barrel. Some analysts say if crude oil prices more than $ 63 / barrel then the demand for wood pellets will rise again with prices that are also more attractive. Oil prices to be one of three causes of the decline in the wood pellet market in the world market in the last 3-4 years. The other two causes are the first, because a number of policies for the use of wood pellets have not been effectively implemented because the power plants have not yet been completed or in the development stage, and some power plants are still in the co-firing trial stage with wood pellets. And the second ,climate change then the winters in Europe in recent years been warmer or less as cold as those earlier times. Logically when the above conditions can turn out otherwise the wood pellet market will improve. And what we are witnessing today is a significant increase in oil prices, as it has exceeded $ 63/barrel.

As the wood pellet industry begins to wiggle and excite, it should also spur wood pellet production in Indonesia. Export market or world wood pellet market more ready and attractive prices need to be filled soon, so if need be dominated. Unused land even barren ones can be greened with energy plantations. Stages of designing energy plantation for wood pellet production can be read here. Furthermore, the domestic market is also need immediately created and developed, because in the short term we will also run out of petroleum, with the current conditions have become nett importers of petroleum. What if we just just sit there like a spectator? Certainly will aggravate our energy condition. We should participate to encourage the energy sovereignty of our country especially with renewable energy such as wood pellets because it provides many benefits.