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.