Calliandra Honey from Caliandra Energy Plantation

Calliandra honey can be said to be one of the best honeys in the world. The quality and taste of calliandra honey are above other honeys such as rubber honey, acacia honey and cottonwood honey. But it turns out that the production of calliandra honey is not as easy as other honeys. A number of things need to be done so that the target of getting the quality and quantity of calliandra honey can be achieved, including engineering or enrichment of energy plantation plants and selection of appropriate honey bee species. This is why before planting calliandra in the energy plantation, it is necessary to discuss it first with a honey bee farming expert, if indeed the energy plantation will also produce honey as a side product or additional product, in addition to the main product in the form of wood pellets from its wood. Making engineering or enrichment of energy plantation plants is much easier before planting activities are carried out than after the energy plantation has been completed or is producing.

Factors that meet the sustainability of a farm or bee colony are important things that must be met by beekeepers or honey producers. These factors include the availability of nectar, pollen, resin and water (abbreviated: neporea). The balance of these factors needs to be created to maintain sustainability and also optimize honey production from the honey bee farm. Of course, the specific needs of each factor are also closely related to the type of bee species being farmed. For example, for the availability of abundant pollen but minimal nectar sources, honey production will also be minimal, or vice versa, abundant nectar sources but minimal pollen sources, then honey production is abundant but the bee colony will shrink or decrease or even become extinct, meaning there is no sustainability. Certain bee species such as the trigona family even require more resin sources than other honey bee species. Pollen is a source of protein for bees so it is vital for the life of the bee colony. Calliandra is a source of nectar, so it is not sufficient to rely on food sources from only one plant species.

By maximizing the potential of the plantation, meaning not only processing the wood, maximum profit will be obtained. With such high quality calliandra honey, it would be a shame if it was not utilized. Calliandra honey production will even provide significant additional profit because it is estimated to produce 1 ton of honey per year from 1 hectare of calliandra plantation. And currently Perhutani (Indonesian state-owned forestry company) has a wider honey production area. Based on API (Indonesian Beekeeping Association) data, Indonesian honey needs reach 15,000 tons-150,000 tons per year. Of that amount, 50% of the needs are supplied from China. With the increasing development of calliandra energy plantations, especially for wood pellet production, which are managed by the government and private sector, it is hoped that it will also increase Indonesian honey production.

The main problem of beekeeping is the availability of food for bees or flower nectar. Calliandra, which is a fast-growing plant and is cultivated massively, will significantly boost honey production, even targeted to increase threefold (300%) in the next 5 years. Moreover, with nine of the world's eleven honey bee species living in Indonesia, this country should be able to meet its own needs. This is so that honey imports can be reduced and Indonesia will be able to export honey. In addition to honey, bee farming will also produce several derivative products, namely royal jelly, bee pollen, bee wax and bee venom.

Wood Chip Production Waste for Wood Pellet or Wood Briquette Production

The production of wood chips as biomass fuel in cofiring of PLN's (Indonesia's state-owned electricity company) coal powerplants has been increasingly popular lately. Wood chip production is the easiest biomass fuel production compared to various biomass fuel products currently produced by the industry. The availability of raw materials is the main factor in the sustainability of production. The calorific value of wood chips depends on the species or type of wood used and its dryness level (water content). Hardwoods and low water content are ideal products for wood chips. And because it has a low bulk density of around 250 - 350 kg / m3, the transportation factor is another aspect that is very important for the delivery of wood chip products.

The particle size of wood chips has also been determined so that handling and storage are easier. To obtain the desired particle size of wood chips, screening is carried out after the wood trunk or pieces are chopped with a wood chipper machine. With these prerequisites, there are products that are rejected from the production process, namely wood chip products that are too large (oversize) and products that are too small (undersize). Products that are too large (oversize) can be returned to the chipper machine to be chopped again, but wood chip products with particle sizes that are too small (undersize) must be used for other things so that in addition to zero waste wood chip production, it can also provide additional income for the wood chip producer.

Small particle sizes such as sawdust from wood chip waste production can be used for the production of wood pellets or wood briquettes (pini kay briquettes). And even wood briquettes are more tolerant of slightly larger particle sizes because wood briquette products have a higher density than wood pellets, in addition wood briquettes can also be further processed into charcoal briquettes (sawdust charcoal briquettes). Wood briquettes themselves are commonly used in countries with four seasons, especially in winter for home heating. While charcoal briquettes (sawdust charcoal briquettes) are commonly used for BBQ, especially for Middle Eastern countries and Turkiye.

In the production of wood chips, it is estimated that biomass waste that is approximately the size of sawdust is around 20-25%, meaning that if wood chip production reaches 5,000 tons/month, the waste is around 1,000 - 1,250 tons/month. This is sufficient for the production of wood briquettes and sawdust charcoal briquettes. Meanwhile, if you want to produce wood pellets, especially for the export market, usually a production capacity of around 5,000 - 10,000 tons/month is needed. Of course, this cannot be done. In addition, the investment in equipment for the production of wood briquettes, sawdust charcoal briquettes and even wood pellets for this purpose is also much larger than the production of wood chips. This makes it more reasonable if the production of wood briquettes or sawdust charcoal briquettes is carried out by other parties. The other party will process the wood chip factory waste into wood briquettes, charcoal briquettes (sawdust charcoal briquettes) and because the complexity of production and equipment costs are also higher, it is natural that the profits obtained from processing this waste are also higher.

The world price of wood pellets, like palm kernel shells (PKS), has fluctuated a lot, and lately the price has tended to be low. Palm kernel shells (PKS) themselves are biomass fuels that are competitors of wood pellets in the global market but are cheaper because they come from one of the solid wastes of palm oil mills that are processed simply. With these conditions, coupled with the fact that it is very difficult to obtain adequate volumes of waste from wood chip factories, the production of wood briquettes (pini kay briquettes) or charcoal briquettes (sawdust chracoal briquettes) becomes a rational choice. In addition, the stable price of the two products makes it even more attractive to consider them.

Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) and Coconut Oil (CCO) for Bio-Avtur (SAF)

Bio-avtur or SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) will be the only decarbonization scenario in the aviation sector for the next few decades. The three leading production processes for SAF production are HEFA, FT and ATJ. And of the three processes, the HEFA process is the most efficient and most competitive at present, predicted to survive until 2030. The raw materials or feedstock for the HEFA process are mainly vegetable oil, used cooking oil, animal fat and so on. The HEFA process has also been approved by ASTM for use as aviation fuel (bio-jet fuel) based on ASTM D7566-14. In 2011 the latest version of the standard was published that allows up to 50% of HEFA aviation fuel products to be added to conventional jet fuel or petroleum-based fuel (avtur). ASTM itself, as an entity, does not have the authority or drive the development or qualification process of a new SAF technology, but only creates a framework, process, and repository that is the basis for the industry to create test methods, specifications, classifications, guidelines, and practices for their own needs.

Bio-avtur or SAF must have characteristics similar to conventional jet fuel so that it can be used anywhere in the world. Jet A fuel is primarily used in the US and jet A1 fuel is used in the rest of the world. The fuels are interchangeable. The main difference between the two types is that Jet A1 has a lower freeze point (-47oC, vs. -40oC) and usually has a static quenching additive (SDA) added to help reduce static buildup in the fuel during flight. Jet A1 is the fuel of choice for intercontinental flights. Given the volatility of jet fuel, the preferred components are hydrocarbons in the C10 to C15 paraffin range. Furthermore, to meet the freeze point specification (-47oC), these paraffins must be highly branched to achieve such a low freeze point. This means that bio-avtur or SAF must have carbon atom bonds or C bonds in the C10-C15 range, and in this range palm kernel oil (PKO) and coconut oil (CCO) are most suitable due to their high lauric acid composition which consists of 12 C atoms.

HVO / HEFA - SPK (Hydro-processed Esters and Fatty Acids-Synthesized paraffinic kerosene) is a renewable paraffin with combustion properties similar to other renewable paraffins such as Fischer-Tropsch fluids, produced by biomass gasification and chemical synthesis. HVO / HEFA can be produced in dedicated facilities producing 100% HVO, or it can be co-processed with fossil fuels in petroleum oil refineries. In co-processing, a bio-based feedstock of typically 5-10% is blended with the fossil feedstock. The HVO / HEFA process in addition to renewable diesel (which is different from biodiesel – FAME) can also be modified to produce bio-avtur / SAF for jet fuel applications. AltAir Fuels supplies HVO / HEFA based SAF and produces approximately 13 million liters per year.

HEFA is produced by hydrogenation and hydrocracking of vegetable oils and animal fats using hydrogen and catalysts at high temperature and pressure. In this hydrotreating process, oxygen is released from the feedstock consisting of triglycerides and / or fatty acids. This will produce straight chain hydrocarbons (paraffins) with various properties and molecular sizes depending on the characteristics of the raw materials and the operating conditions of the process being carried out. With the high lauric content in palm kernel oil (PKO) and coconut oil (CCO), the yield will be high because the oil content is in the bio-avtur range, namely C10 - C15. This is different if you use vegetable oil with a longer carbon chain, such as CPO, calophyllum inophyllum oil or canola oil. If you use vegetable oil with a long chain, the yield will be small and an extra cracking process is needed to increase the yield of bioavtur or SAF.

This conversion usually goes through two stages, namely hydrotreatment followed by hydrocracking/isomerization. This hydrotreatment process is usually carried out at a temperature of 300 -390 C and for triglyceride treatment, propane is usually produced as a by-product. The more hydrogen is added, the less propane is produced. The final product of the straight-chain hydrocarbon can be adjusted according to the type of fuel, for example for bio-avtur or bio jet fuel or SAF, namely by isomerization and the cracking process. The hydrogen used in HEFA production currently mostly comes from fossil sources or blue hydrogen. The catalyst for this can be a simple refinery hydro-processing catalyst. This catalyst can be adjusted to isomerize the paraffin chain to lower the melting point of the product. If necessary, a second isomerization stage is used to carry out this task in order to achieve the required jet fuel cold flow properties, namely Jet A or Jet A-1.

Currently, Pertamina (Indonesia's state-owned oil company) has succeeded in producing bio-avtur or SAF from palm kernel oil or PKO processing, namely refined bleached deodorized palm kernel oil (RBDPKO) called bioavtur J2.4 or containing vegetable oil ingredients in the form of RBDPKO 2.4%. The production of this bioavtur is carried out through the Hydrotreated Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) co-processing method and has a capacity of 9,000 barrels per day. The J.24 bioavtur has successfully undergone commercial flight tests on a Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft owned by PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (GIAA) on October 4, 2023. And for the future, apart from the quantity aspect, namely the portion of vegetable oil (PKO) is larger, even the use of other vegetable oils such as coconut oil (CCO), CPO oil, calophyllum inophyllum oil and so on, it is also hoped that the quality of bioavtur will also improve. In addition, there are also plans from other institutions, namely the production of biovatur or SAF from coconut oil in collaboration with Japan.

In the aviation fuel industry, ASTM serves as the international standard for jet fuel quality, and plays a critical role in ensuring the safety, quality, and reliability of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). ASTM establishes requirements for criteria such as composition, volatility, fluidity, combustion, corrosion, thermal stability, contaminants, and additives, among others, to ensure that fuels are compatible when blended. ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials) is an international organization that develops technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, processes, systems, and services. Jet fuels must meet stringent quality specifications to be eligible for use in the aviation industry.

There are several ASTM standards related to this jet fuel, namely first, ASTM D1655: This is a conventional jet fuel specification that establishes requirements for Jet A and Jet A-1 produced from petroleum. This specification has been used globally by the aviation industry since 1959 to ensure the availability of safe and consistent jet fuel for all aircraft. Second, ASTM D4054: This ASTM standard practice defines the scope of fuel, rig, and engine property testing that should be considered when evaluating new synthetic jet fuels. This practice also describes the overall evaluation process and the important role of engine and aircraft manufacturers in ensuring a good jet fuel safety record is maintained with these new fuels. Third, ASTM D7566 Pathway: As per ASTM D4054, the pathway includes definitions of synthetic jet fuel blending components as defined by: permitted feedstocks; conversion processes and their attributes; and the final characteristics of the pure components. All of this is detailed in both the body of D7655 and its Appendices. The pathway will also define blending requirements.

In order for a new SAF production line to be included in D7566, it must undergo extensive testing to determine the maximum blend ratio with conventional jet fuel and demonstrate that the blend is suitable for its intended purpose. This procedure is outlined in ASTM D4054, ‘Standard Practice for Evaluation of New Aviation Turbine Fuels and Fuel Additives’.

Each batch of jet fuel needs to be certified before it can be used. While conventional jet fuel is certified as D1655 fuel (or a derivative), pure SAF is certified to the stringent specification requirements set out in Appendix D7566 which relates to the SAF production line. D7566 certified SAF is blended with conventional jet fuel to the maximum allowable blend ratio. The blended SAF is then certified to the D7566 blend requirements, and thus automatically receives D1655 certification, making it fully Jet A/A-1 compliant (‘drop-in fuel’) and ready for use in existing jet fuel infrastructure and equipment. In short, ASTM is vital to the aviation fuel industry as it is the basis for international standards for the quality of jet fuels, and SAF in particular.

Leaf Pellets from Energy Plantations

Calliandra leaf pellets
With an estimated leaf volume of 1/4 of the wood but the price of leaf pellets is around 3 times the price of wood pellets. So the profit from utilizing leaves into pellets (leaf pellets) is very big, estimated at 1/2 to 3/4 of the turnover of wood pellets. Whereas calliandra leaves are usually only considered by-products or waste in energy plantations.

And almost the same as gliricidia leaf pellets, if these plants are planted in the energy plantation.

As a reference for indigofera zollingeriana leaf pellets:

Both calliandra, gliricidia and indigofera are groups of legume plants whose leaves are suitable for animal feed rich in protein. Protein is the most expensive nutrient element in animal feed.

100% Complete Line Wood Pellet Machine or Mixed Line Wood Pellet Machine?

Factors namely the high investment value for purchasing high-quality wood pellet production machines (CAPEX) are often the main obstacle for prospective wood pellet producers. With high-quality machines from A-Z or 100% complete line, production constraints such as quantity and quality of wood pellets can usually be easily overcome so that the goals of the wood pellet business can be achieved. This is because with the 100% complete line configuration, the quality and reliability of the production machine have been tested and provided by one manufacturer, for example a certain brand manufacturer from Europe. This is where it can be said that the performance or performance of the machine with the cost is directly proportional so that the cost to benefit ratio is also expected to be equivalent so that the business remains profitable. Moreover, the need for high-quality wood pellet machines, especially for large capacity production, so that the risk factor of failure can be avoided and minimized.

Then how to achieve machine performance so that production targets (quality and quantity) are also achieved but with a cheaper investment value (CAPEX)? With conditions like this, of course, it is necessary to make an effort to modify the configuration of production machines from other compatible manufacturers or mixed line configurations. As a mixed line configuration, of course, it is necessary to analyze which parts or machines must be maintained with the best quality and which supporting machines can use from other manufacturers. The main machines that have a vital role in wood pellet production such as pelletizers should use high-quality machines while other supporting machines can be of lower quality or functional only so as to maintain the performance of the wood pellet factory's production target. So that in the end, the composition or configuration of the mixed line could be 20% European machines and 80% Asian machines and so on.

In fact, it is not easy to find other compatible machine manufacturers, especially in terms of design factors, and machine quality including performance and durability. This is why it is necessary to consider the track record or success story of the supporting machine manufacturer. If the supporting machine manufacturer has had similar experience before, this will be better, but if not, the risk factor for failure will be greater.

In some real cases in wood pellet production, namely pelletizers have used European brands that have proven their performance quality but the supporting machines are not compatible so that the production target is not achieved, for example, a pelletizer requires 3 tons/hour of dry sawdust input/feeding but the output of the drying machine (rotary dryer) which is the input/feeding to the pelletizer is less than that or only about half. So to be able to get the price of a large capacity production machine with the expected performance so that the production target can be achieved with a "cheap" investment (CAPEX) is indeed not easy but it is possible to try and there have been several success stories that prove it.

Biochar from Wood Waste and Forestry Waste

The era of decarbonization and bioeconomy continues and continues to grow over time. While some people focus on the carbon neutral sector such as the production of biomass fuels such as wood pellets, wood briquettes or wood chips, people who focus on negative carbon seem to be fewer, including the use of CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) and biochar production. Compared to CCS, biochar production with pyrolysis is easier and cheaper so it is projected to become a future trend. Logically, the negative carbon scenario is actually much better because in addition to reducing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, while the neutral carbon scenario only does not increase CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, but does not reduce or absorb CO2 in the atmosphere. CO2 sequestration or biochar carbon removal (BCR) is currently also the most industrially relevant carbon removal technology. BCR is a key solution for real climate change mitigation today and its development is very rapid. BCR also has a vital role in the carbon removal technology portfolio. 

Woody biomass, especially from wood industrial waste and forestry waste, is a potential raw material for biochar production, even this type of wood biomass is the best raw material because it can produce high quality biochar, namely fixed carbon of more than 80%. The potential for wood biomass raw materials in Indonesia is very large, estimated at 29 million m3/year from forest harvesting waste, and 2 million m3/year from wood processing industry waste including 0.78 million m3 in the form of sawdust (the yield of the sawmill industry ranges from 50-60% and as much as 15-20% consists of sawdust). And that does not include if there is a biomass plantation or energy plantation dedicated to biochar production.

With the condition of agricultural land, plantations and forestry which are experiencing a lot of degradation, the need for biochar is also very large. Among the factors causing the decline in land fertility is the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for decades continuously and tends to be excessive. This causes a decline in soil quality which has an impact on crop production because it makes the land more acidic and hard which is estimated to reach millions of hectares. In addition, the price of chemical fertilizers is increasingly expensive and difficult to obtain, which results in low agricultural production, so the government is forced to import several agricultural commodities to meet the needs of the community. This actually does not need to happen considering the potential land in Indonesia is very large, it only needs to improve the condition of the land so that it can be optimal again. Making damaged land fertile is not difficult, it only takes perseverance to repair and care for the land so that it continues to be fertile.

Meanwhile, dry land consists of ultisol soil of 47.5 million ha and oxisol of 18 million ha. Indonesia has a coastline of 106,000 km with a potential land area of ​​1,060,000 ha, generally including marginal land. Millions of hectares of marginal land are spread across several islands, have good prospects for agricultural development but are currently not well managed. The land has a low fertility rate, so technological innovation is needed to improve and increase its productivity. Not to mention post-mining land which is almost all very damaged and also covers millions of hectares. And biochar is the right solution that can restore the condition of the land to be fertile again. 

Slow pyrolysis is the best technology for biochar production. But the technology used must be efficient and emissions meet the threshold standards of the country concerned. In addition, excess heat and/or liquid products and gas products from pyrolysis should also be utilized. With the criteria for pyrolysis technology as above, in addition to the quality and quantity of products, namely biochar, can be maximized, the production process also does not cause new problems in the form of environmental pollution. This is very much in line with biochar business activities so that it becomes a solution to the problem of industrial biomass waste from wood and forestry waste as well as a solution to climate problems. Even the utilization of by-products (excess heat and/or liquid products and gas products from pyrolysis) can also encourage the emergence of other environmentally friendly and renewable products.

In economic terms, the outline can be as follows, namely with an investment of 10 million US dollars, approximately 200,000 tons of biochar with more than 400,000 carbon credits will be produced over a period of 10 years. Or if with an investment of 100 million US dollars, almost 2 million tons of biochar and more than 4 million carbon credits will be produced over a period of 10 years. And for example, with a selling price of biochar of 100 dollars per ton and also a carbon credit of 100 dollars per unit (per ton of CO2), then within 10 years the investment has increased 6 times or it only takes about 1.7 years for the initial investment to return (payback period). Of course, when the price of biochar is higher and / or its carbon credits, of course the return on capital will be faster. And that does not include the utilization of liquid and gas products from pyrolysis and excess heat which also have economic potential that is no less interesting. The trend of the future business era will not only focus on financial profit but also provide solutions to environmental problems and climate problems, and of course solutions to social problems by creating jobs.

Increasing Food Agriculture Productivity: Biochar Application or Forest Clearing for Food Estate?

Indonesia currently ranks 69th out of 113 countries in 2022 in food security and this is lower than Malaysia and Vietnam with indicator points below the global average. This condition is concerning considering that Indonesia was once self-sufficient in food before and even the price of rice in Indonesia is the most expensive in ASEAN. Efforts to maintain food productivity are indeed a challenge, let alone increasing it. Along with increasing population growth, the need for food automatically increases. The condition of declining food production and productivity is related to a number of factors including land conversion to non-agricultural land, and soil / land damage. A number of regulations have been made to stem the rate of decline in food productivity due to these two things.

Regarding land damage, repair efforts need to be made so that agricultural productivity increases. It is estimated that the area of ​​land damage that occurs is very large with a high level of severity. This requires gradual and sustainable repair efforts with various strategies including improving farming patterns and even a number of incentives. Only with these efforts can the agricultural sector as a source of food be repaired or if not, the damage to agricultural land will get worse so that repair efforts will be more difficult.

Biochar application or forest clearing for food estate ?
Biochar application will be able to repair damaged lands. In addition to being a slow-release fertilizer agent so that fertilizer use becomes efficient and does not pollute the environment, increasing soil pH, increasing soil organic carbon and increasing agricultural productivity, biochar will also help overcome the management of agricultural waste that has so far polluted the environment. The increase in agricultural productivity from the use of biochar is on average around 20%. If Indonesia's current rice production is around 31 million tons per year, then the application of biochar will increase total rice production to 37.2 million tons (an increase of 6.2 million tons). With an average rice production per hectare of 6 tons, the increase of 6.2 million tons is equivalent to increasing the area of ​​agricultural land by 1.03 million hectares. Even damaged land from post-mining can be reclaimed and rehabilitated with the application of biochar, with the land area also reaching millions of hectares. This is certainly better than clearing new forest land for food estates because of its environmental impact. 

As the human population grows, the need for food and energy will continue to increase. Indonesia's population in 2045 is estimated to reach 319 million people and the world's population in 2050 is approaching 10 billion people. The need and urgency of biochar to improve soil quality is increasing. Tens of millions of hectares of all Indonesian acidic soils, which are classified as dry land acidic soils, need to be improved with biochar. This means that the business potential reaches billions of dollars or trillions of rupiah. Meanwhile, rice imports in 2024 are targeted to reach 3.6 million tons (as a buffer), a large amount. With an annual rice requirement of around 31 million tons, the contribution of imported rice reaches more than 10%.

Biochar in addition to repairing soil damage so that it increases its fertility which ultimately increases agricultural productivity is also part of the climate solution, namely by means of carbon sequestration. Biochar applied to the soil will last hundreds or even thousands years, and does not decompose. This is another advantageous factor for biochar producers, namely getting carbon credits. The quality of biochar will determine the acquisition or price of the carbon credit, so that the raw materials of biochar and its production process are affected. The price of carbon credits is increasing so that it is increasingly attractive and also the carbon credit market continues to grow.

Damage to land or agricultural land that occurs is mostly caused by excessive use of chemical fertilizers. If the use of chemical fertilizers can be reduced in dosage or with sufficient use, there will be improvements in land quality. Even if chemical fertilizers are gradually reduced in dosage and organic fertilizers / compost are increasingly added so that in the end chemical fertilizers are not used at all, soil fertility will be optimal as well as agricultural productivity.

The photo from here

Of course, this requires time and continuous effort. Livestock must also be encouraged so that compost / organic fertilizer can also be produced sufficiently from the processing of livestock manure. Integrated farming with livestock is the best solution for improving agricultural land with biochar, especially increasing the efficiency of fertilization. If the above can be implemented properly, then forest clearing for food estate land can also be slowed down / held back by considering all aspects comprehensively so that it is not a short-term solution that tends to be forced, and rushed because of the regime's image efforts even at a cost of hundreds of trillions.

Encouraging the Machinery Industry to Support the Bioenergy Industry

When realizing that Indonesia is a biomass “heaven” so that it has the potential to become a world leader in bioenergy, then a number of efforts should be made to support this. Production equipment or machines are one of the components that support this. For example, large-capacity wood pellet production usually relies on European machines that have proven to be reliable so that the wood pellet business goals can be achieved. Cost to benefits ratio analysis is used in selecting these European machines. However, because buying European machines with complete production lines is expensive, the use of combination machines is an alternative. The complexity and heart of a production process usually lies only in the main equipment and this is still imported, while supporting equipment should be able to use local production equipment.

When production equipment can work according to its capacity and function, the production target (quantity and quality) can be achieved. Choosing a number of supporting equipments that is appropriate and able to operate according to the needs of the main equipment is not easy. Getting a local machine manufacturer partner to get a match between the characteristics of the main machine and the supporting machine does take time and process. But to be able to play a role and reduce risk in the decarbonization era, it can be started by supporting some equipment at a small capacity or limited to certain equipments only. Engineering and design factors are the main important factors before fabricating the supporting equipments.

Of course, if a number of supporting factors are met, such as mastery of science and technology, experience, good company organization and so on, then 100% production of production equipment or complete lines can be done. Of course, it takes time and effort that is not simple, such as maintaining the performance of the quality of the machine product so as to provide satisfaction to users with the hope that business performance will also increase and research is ongoing. And by gradually becoming part of actively participating in various bioenergy projects, mastery of technology through technology transfer is also possible. Being part of the solution and playing a role in it is an important thing to do, including in the machinery industry that supports the bioenergy industry.
 

Industrial Wood Briquette Becomes an Alternative Between Wood Chips and Wood Pellets

Biomass fuel is a renewable fuel or renewable energy that is currently positioned as one of the alternative fuel. However, along with awareness of various climate problems, the use of alternative energy from biomass has increased over time. The decarbonization trend as a response to climate problems has penetrated all lines of life including the industrial sector. As a profit-oriented industry, of course, efforts to maximize are a major concern, including in the use of alternative fuels. There are various types of fuels that can be produced from biomass and especially for solid fuels, including wood chips, wood pellets and wood briquettes. The characteristics of these fuels are slightly different from one another, including their production costs. It is necessary to look more carefully and deeply so that you can get the best biomass fuel according to the goals of the industry.

Industrial briquette can be produced in large quantities at a lower cost than briquette produced with hydraulics or extruders. And when compared to wood pellets, industrial wood briquette is also cheaper to produce. But of course the production cost is more expensive than wood chips. Wood chips can be said to be the easiest and cheapest biomass fuel to produce.

This places industrial wood briquette in a position between wood chips and wood pellets or hydraulic and extruder type briquettes. As a biomass densification product, industrial wood briquette is also more economical for long-distance transport. In addition, a number of industrial boilers have also been specially designed to be able to use industrial wood briquette fuel, even with automatic feeding. Other factors such as uniformity of shape, size can vary and low water content are other advantages of industrial wood briquette.

Boiler users in industry and even coal power plants can consider using industrial wood briquette. Especially for companies engaged in industrial utilities such as steam providers for processing industries so that the operation and maintenance of the boiler including the use of biomass fuel is the responsibility of the company. With a long-term steam supply contract, for example around 5-10 years, the provision of biomass fuel in the form of industrial wood briquette within that period is also very important. In addition to the availability of sufficient, legal and sustainable raw materials, the reliability aspect of industrial wood briquette production machines cannot be ignored.

 

Learning from the Success of Wood Pellet Industry in Asia (Vietnam) and Europe (Latvia)

The trend of using wood pellets globally has not been long, it only started around the early 2010s and a number of countries responded quickly so that their wood pellet industry grew rapidly as part of their economic engine in line with the global trend for decarbonization and green economy or bioeconomy. The readiness of a number of countries to respond to this opportunity is also not without reason but indeed their insight and knowledge have supported them to do so. Indonesia as a tropical country with vast land and abundant human resources should also be able to boost the opportunities of this wood pellet industry so that it becomes one of the world's main players.

Vietnam and Latvia are two countries in the world that are currently leading the wood pellet industry, there is even the largest wood pellet factory in the world there, for more details read here. Initially, both countries also started this industry from a small capacity. For Vietnam, Vietnam's wood pellet production began in 2012 with a very small capacity of around 175 tons/year and currently in 2021 or around 9 years later, production has reached around 4.5 million tons/year, placing Vietnam in second place as a world wood pellet producer, after the United States. The total production of 4.5 million tons/year is supplied from 74 wood pellet factories in Vietnam. In 2020, 3.2 million tons of wood pellets were exported to Japan and Korea for power plants with an export value of nearly USD 351 million. In addition to Korea and Japan, Vietnam's wood pellet production is also exported to Europe.

Initially, Vietnam's wood pellet production used waste from the furniture industry. Furniture waste in the form of sawdust from the industry was dry and its particle size was suitable for wood pellet production, so equipments such as hammer mills and dryers were not needed. Many Vietnamese wood pellet factories at that time did not have hammer mills or dryers. With raw materials ready to be pelletized, the cost of producing wood pellets was very cheap, plus the cost of labor was also cheap. However, as the demand for furniture industry waste for wood pellet production increased, the availability of these raw materials became increasingly scarce, so that new wood pellet factories could no longer use these wastes. Waste from other wood processing industries such as sawmills and veneer factories also became raw materials. Furthermore, with the increasing production of wood pellets, forest wood waste and other round wood became the next source of raw materials. This also increased production costs because tools such as hammer mills and dryers were needed so that the raw materials were ready to be pelletized.

Meanwhile, Latvia, as a small country in northern Europe, saw an opportunity to lead in this growing industry. With almost half of its territory covered by forest, Latvia had the natural resources to produce wood pellets. In the early 2000s, with government support for responsible forest management, sustainable wood production was introduced, including support for entrepreneurs who wanted to start producing wood pellets. It wasn’t long before the world caught on. Countries across Europe, including the UK, Denmark and Italy, began relying on Latvian wood pellets for their heating and power plants.

Despite being a small country, Latvia has become a major player in the wood pellet industry, competing with larger countries such as Germany and Sweden. Latvia is now one of the largest exporters of wood pellets in the world. Latvia's success story teaches us that even a small country with strong will, focus on quality, innovation and sustainability, natural resources can lead to global success. Latvia's success shows that when there is government support, technology investment and dedicated people, even a small country can lead in a competitive global market. And as the world increasingly looks for clean and sustainable energy solutions, the success of Latvia's wood pellet industry is an inspiring example of what can be achieved with vision, hard work and a commitment to sustainability.

Tropical countries like Indonesia are a "heaven" for biomass energy, this biomass energy is like a green battery that must be developed, for more details read here. When small countries like Vietnam and Latvia can boost their wood pellet industry, then Indonesia should not want to be left behind. When great potential is wasted, then besides being an ungrateful attitude that will have an impact on poverty and environmental damage, it is also stupidity. The large amount of land available, even millions of hectares becoming critical land and multi-benefit from energy plantations should motivate the wood pellet industry. When Vietnam and Latvia can do it, Indonesia should do the same.

EUDR and Is It Time for the Palm Oil Industry to Consider Biochar ?

Malaysian smallholders cultivate around 27% of the total oil palm plantations or equivalent to 1.54 million hectares, while in Indonesia it reaches 41% or equivalent to 6.72 million hectares. Malaysia chose to increase the yield or productivity of FFB as an effort to increase CPO production, namely by being fostered by large companies with a target increase of 600,000 tons/year without increasing the land area. For Malaysia, opening new plantations is something that is very difficult, even impossible, especially with the implementation of the EUDR on December 30, 2024. Consolidation between palm oil farmers is expected to increase efficiency so that it ultimately increases yield and income. The area of ​​Malaysian palm oil plantations is around 5.7 million hectares or around 1/3 of the area of ​​Indonesian palm oil plantations (currently reaching around 17 million hectares). This is also the main reason why Malaysia chose to intensify its palm oil plantations while Indonesia tends to expand palm oil land, even though both countries face two main issues, namely increasing production and climate resilience.

Biochar application is a solution to overcome the two important issues above. Related to the increasing pressure of environmental issues, climate and sustainability, even renewable energy, it seems that biochar will receive more attention. There are many aspects of land and the environment that can be improved with biochar application which ultimately is a solution to the two main issues. For small plantations, biochar application can be easier to do, but for large plantations managed by various palm oil companies, biochar application requires more complex considerations, especially because of the risk factor of the vast area of ​​palm oil plantations, but this biochar option is still attractive. The use of IoT (Internet of Things) can be used to monitor biochar performance on the land, for more details, read here.

The operational efforts of the palm oil industry to be more environmentally friendly and efficient are a driving force and a challenge in themselves. With the large profits from the palm oil industry business, of course the palm oil industry will not simply ignore demands related to the environment and sustainability, especially the EUDR. Palm oil producers, especially Indonesia and Malaysia, are faced with a standard guideline that applies to countries producing 'edible oil', namely that palm oil to be exported must come from land that has been reforested before 2020. Otherwise, the producing country will be considered a country that does not pay attention to the issue of deforestation and hinders the export of palm oil abroad. Various lobbying and negotiation efforts by Indonesia and Malaysia as the two largest palm oil producing countries in the world to the European Union to be more relaxed in implementing the EUDR include great suspicion as to why rapeseed oil is not treated the same as palm oil. The production of rapeseed oil as a raw material for biofuel in Europe is protected and ignores its environmental impact.

Indonesia as a coconut island seduction country has an experience of coconut oil commodities in the past that can also be a reference for this. The era of the glory of copra or coconut oil was around the transitional decade of the 19th century to the 20th century or more precisely between the 1870s and 1950s and its peak in the 1920s. Why are copra and coconut oil in particular currently slumping and losing out to other vegetable oils? The long history of trade competition is the answer. Several parties, especially the American Soybean Association (ASA) accused coconut oil of being an evil oil containing cholesterol and saturated fat that clogs coronary arteries. The accusation was never proven true, in fact it was proven otherwise, but it became one of the main causes of the destruction of the global copra and coconut trade. The tropical oil campaign and war took about 30 years or in the 1950s to the late 1980s in the United States and so finally the Indonesian coconut industry slumped.

Climate factors in the form of efforts to reject deforestation with its EUDR and economic factors in the form of palm oil production will be a fierce feud but sooner or later it will definitely reach a meeting point that can be accepted by both parties because they need each other. Diverting CPO products to markets that do not require environmental requirements such as the EUDR also seems to be untimely. Furthermore, in the form of addressing two important issues in the palm oil industry, namely increasing production and climate resilience and in line with the EUDR, biochar is the right solution. The question is, will this biochar be an important consideration and even find its momentum to be applied in oil palm plantations, especially for Indonesia and Malaysia? And the implementation of the EUDR as its driving force. Let’s see.

Energy Plantations: Why Calliandra (Calliandra Calothyrsus) or Gliricidia (Gliricidia Sepium)?

Since 1937, calliandra has been planted in Perhutani and wider areas along with reforestation programs and supporting firewood and animal feed. And also since 1974, Perhutani has distributed calliandra seedlings to forest farmers and used them as boundary plants between forest areas and rural areas or agricultural land. Calliandra cultivation at that time was mainly aimed at providing firewood and animal feed for people living in the forest, and reducing dependence on kerosene for cooking. Calliandra is used as a terrace plant (erosion control) with high slopes to strengthen the main plantation, for example with teak plantations, and also for soil protection purposes, because it can increase soil fertility through the ability of its roots to absorb nitrogen in the form of root nodules.

While the type of gliricidia plant is widely used as an edge plant or hedge plant to prevent large livestock from entering the forest. The wood is used as firewood and the leaves are used as animal feed. The wood can be harvested quickly, and pruning is also done with a fast process. So it can be said that, it is not recommended to plant new species that have unknown characteristics until there is adequate research activity on the species.

For example, acacia species are relatively fast-growing species but it is not widely known whether they can be used and managed with a sustainable coppice system. And also these types are not like calliandra and gliricidia plants, although easy to cultivate and harvest, but have not proven to be suitable for the application of short rotation coppice systems, and are also rarely planted on a larger scale.

Although calliandra and gliricidia are not native tree species in Indonesia, they have long been introduced, and can be found almost throughout the island of Java. Calliandra and Gliricidia are very popular in agricultural areas in most parts of Java. In addition, there have not been many reports describing the presence of pests and / or diseases associated with either species. Wood produced from calliandra and gliricidia plants has relatively good physical and chemical characteristics to be used as firewood or as raw material for wood pellets. Its calorific value is high and its ash content is low.

Indonesia as a tropical country even with the largest land area in Southeast Asia will have great potential to develop the energy plantation. Energy plantations are essentially energy sources or likened to batteries, which store solar energy in plants, the energy plantation, for more details can be read here. Although the development of various types of renewable energy continues to be accelerated, to store energy in large capacities will require a very large battery. The battery research is also estimated to take a long time and high costs, so that in the context of decarbonization, biomass energy can be used for cofiring and even fulfiring until the time the large battery can be applied.