Hydrothermal Carbonisation (HTC) Technology, Suitable For EFB Ugrading

Various efforts are made to improve the quality of biomass fuel so that it can be used especially on existing power plants. Power plants are the largest users of biomass fuels today as well as one of the main targets for reducing emissions by renewable fuels or carbon neutral fuel. Characteristics of raw materials and power generation technology becomes an important consideration in determining the technology of the fuel production process. The palm oil industry with the number of CPO producers (Palm Oil Mills) amounting to thousands (Indonesia and Malaysia) and the area of ​​oil palm plantations of 12 million hectares in Indonesia as well as 5 million hectares in Malaysia make it a target source of biomass raw materials. In the palm oil industry the amount of biomass produced is much more than oil or CPO as its main product, ie 10% oil and 90% biomass as illustrated below.

After the previous palm kernel shell (PKS) to fuel mainstay and sought for power plants because the properties are very appropriate, especially those using fluidized bed combustion (FBC), well next empty palm bunches or EFB which is very abundant and has not been used the next target for biomass fuel sources. If the PKS can already be used (just a little cleaning) by the power plants, then for EFB need to processing prior to be used because of the moisture content, size, shape and sometimes the chemical properties. EFB has high chlorine and potassium content so not all power plants are compatible with the fuel. If EFB is made into EFB pellet then FBC generator as used PKS can use it but for pulverized type is not suitable, because of the high chlorine and potassium content.

Such conditions create innovations so that EFB can be a suitable fuel for pulverized power plants that are widely used today. The innovation is a technology that can reduce the content of chlorine and potassium in particular, and increase its energy content. The technology is hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) or wet carbonisation so that the chemical ash in the form of chlorine and potassium can be dissolved by dissolving in water such as leaching and also its energy content can be increased by carbonization. In addition, the EFB condition of the palm oil mills with moisture content above 60% or wet biomass also simplify the application of hydrothermal carbonization technology.

The amount of EFB is huge, it is estimated that Indonesia alone reaches more than 35 million tons and in Malaysia is also very much that is more than 15 million tons, or from two of the largest producer of CPO at present the potential of EFB that can be processed reaches more than 50 million tons / year. In addition to addressing environmental issues, EFB processing will also drive a sizable economic sector. With hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) technology, EFB properties can be upgraded to fit the current powerplant commonly used. Fears of power generation due to high chlorine content, and potassium can be overcome with such technology. To save transportation costs while facilitating handling, storage and usage, EFB products that have been processed with hydrothermal carbonisation or HTC EFB (EFB hydrochar) are further densified into pellets and briquettes. It seems that this technology has provided an answer as well as opening up new opportunities for EFB processing into favorite biomass fuels such as wood pellets and PKS.

Solar PV or Biomass to Energy?

Indonesia is a tropical country with high rainfall, so even though the sun is shining throughout the year, but a lot of cloudy and rainy. This is an important consideration for the priorities and options of renewable energy that will be developed. Based on these conditions, the choice of biomass to energy or bioenergy development is more suitable for Indonesia condition, rather than solar PV. The availability of sunlight and high rainfall makes a variety of plants can grow well and optimally. Meanwhile, if with solar PV then when there is cloudy and rain then the intensity also dropped drastically. An analysis says if there is a cloud over the intensity of solar PV drops to 20% so to maintain the stability of its electricity supply required 5 units of solar PV. Of course it becomes very expensive especially investment for solar PV and more especially in batterai also still expensive for condition today. Solar PV is suitable for conditions with blazing sunlight with relatively stable intensity and minimum rainfall, making it suitable for desiccated desert areas such as the Arab regions or the Africa regions.

The practically development of energy plantation with the woody biomass harvested for wood pellet production is one of the concrete efforts of biomass to energy. With energy plantations, sunlight is captured by plants for photosynthesis to produce biomass especially wood for energy. Tens million of hectares of land are available in Indonesia that can be used for energy plantations. Apart from being a source of energy, energy plantations are also improving the ecosystem. Integration with sheep farming will also optimize the energy planation because the leaves are rich in protein from leguminoceae type of energy plantation trees will be converted into meat with the farm. Sheep manure can also be as fertilizer in the energy plantation. Moreover, the benefits of energy plantations are also not less than palm oil plantations, for more details can be read here or it could also palm oil planation owners begin to diversify their plantations with energy plantations, for more detail can be read here.

5 The Largest Wood Pellets Producers Today

References are needed to make something no less quality or even better, as well as for a wood pellet production facility. Indonesia with extensive land available,fertile and tropical climate needs to get complete and qualified reference especially on wood pellet production so that they can optimize its potency. Diversification of energy is also desperately needed by Indonesia so that it has strong resilience and energy sovereignty, especially with its current condition which has become a net importer of petroleum, even projected in the range of approximately 10 years future Indonesia's oil will be exhausted. The following description of the 5 largest wood pellet plant today can be used as a reference.

1.     Enviva

Enviva was established in 2004, currently Enviva operates 7 wood pellet plants with total production of more than 3 million tons / year. Some of its wood pellet production is exported to the UK and Europe. A number of ports are used For shipment or export of wood pellet, ie port of Chesapeake, Virginia; port of Wilmington, North Carolina, and ports from third party in Mobile, Alabama and Panama City, Florida. Enviva has recently announced for an off-take contract with Marubeni to supply 100,000 tons / year of wood pellets to new power plants starting in 2022 for 10 years.

Enviva's raw materials are mainly sourced from 1,183 industrial forests in 77 districts and in five southeastern states. Forests in the Southeast continue to grow and expand, with the total forest land in the Enviva area as a major supply increased by 320,842 hectares from 2011 to 2015, according to the US Forest Service. Inventory in the area has grown by 10 percent over the same time period and continues to increase as forests grow at a faster rate than they are harvested.

2.  Graanul Invest

Graanul Invest is the largest wood pellet producer in Europe and established since 2003. The production capacity of this producer is around 2.3 million ton / year by operating 11 wood pellet plants. In the early stages the company operates 2 wood pellet plants, one in Imavere, Estonia and one in Alytus, Luthuania. Subsequent developments with the acquisition of new plants and plant construction, to date operate 11 wood pellet plants. Port for export of Riga port in Latvia and port of Tallinn, Parnu and Kunda in Estonia.

3.     Drax Biomass

Drax in addition to being the largest wood pellets user today with more than 10 million tonnes / year, is also the largest producer of wood pellets in the world. Drax biomass as wood pellet producer started to operate since 2017 with total production about 1.5 million ton / year. Drax biomass has its headquarters in Atlanta and currently operates 3 wood pellet plants in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. Their wood pellet products are used to supply power plants in UK with shipment through Baton Rouge Transit on the Mississippi River at the port of Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

4.     Pinnacle

Pinnacle was established in 1989 and currently operates 6 wood pellet plants in British Columbia, Canada with raw materials mainly forest waste. Its production capacity is 1.4 million tons per year and its wood pellet products are exported to Europe, UK and Asia. Pinnacle wood pellet plants are on the main railway line, so transportation to the port is by train. The port used is the Westview terminal in Prince Rupert, which is the company's own port and Fibreco terminal in the port of Vancouver. To increase its production Pinnacle is currently building a wood pellet plants in Entwistle, Alberta and Smithers, British Columbia.

5.     An Viet Phat

An Viet Phat is a wood pellet manufacturer from Vietnam operating since 2014 with a current capacity of over 800,000 tons / year. An Viet Phat is also Asia's largest producer of wood pellets and the world's largest manufacturer of wood briquette. Market or export destination for wood pellet products ie Korea and Japan, with larger portion to Korea. Export is done from Ho Chi Minh port.

Russia as a big country but its wood pellet production is still below the top 5 producers. Russia's largest wood pellet manufacturer Vyborg has a capacity of 300.00 tons / year, ranking second in Arkaim on its west coast. Later in the country there are many small-capacity pellet producers in the northwest and especially to meet the heating market in Europe.

Most of the other areas are also not large for the production of wood pellets. Australia is currently only 2 wood pellet plants that export their products - Plantation Energy and Altus. Wood pellet production from Plantation Energy is around 250,000 tons / year while Altus is only 75,000 tons / year. Export target from Australian wood pellet especially Japan. The Middle East area is also the same as Africa is very few producers of wood pellets and from that little it's products are also only used in the country. Latin America is a small producer of wood pellets and one of the largest, Tanac in Brazil with a capacity of 400,000 tons / year. All wood pellet products from Tanac are exported to the Drax biomass power plant in the UK.

Based on the above references, Indonesian wood pellet producers should be able to compete with them. This is because the potential of raw materials is very large in Indonesia. The production of wood pellets from energy plantations and integrated with sheep or sheep and cattle farming and honey bee farms, will optimize the land and give maximum results as well. In addition, when viewed from the largest wood pellet plants in the world today also started its business relatively in the recently. Only Pinnacle started before 1990, while the average started over 2000, even Drax Biomass began operations in 2017 and An Viet Phat since 2014. The above facts are increasingly proving about the development of Al Qur'an-based energy and the hadith of the prophet also implies that the earth will return prosperously and green before the doomsday.

"There shall not be the Day of Resurrection, until the treasures have been piled up and overflowing, until a man goes everywhere carrying his treasures of zakat, but he has not found one who is willing to receive his zakat, and that the land of Arabs flourishes prosperous again with grasslands and rivers "(HR.Muslim).

Can Indonesia be a wood pellet giant? It can be. InshaAllah.