PKS (Palm Kernel Shell) Export Business and New Varieties of Superior Palm Oil Seeds

PKS loading for export

The demand for biomass fuels as renewable energy, including PKS (palm kernel shells), is growing in line with the global decarbonization trend. Likewise, the use of biofuels such as biodiesel is also increasing. Biomass fuels like PKS and biofuels like biodiesel are both carbon-neutral bioenergy products. Both can be produced from palm oil trees. Biofuels like biodiesel are primarily used in the transportation sector, while biomass fuels like PKS are used for power generation or industrial boiler fuel. Palm oil produces its primary product namely crude palm oil and crude palm kernel oil (CPO and CPKO), while the PKS are byproducts or waste, such as EFB (empty fruit bunches) and mesocarp fiber.

Over time, the demand for palm oil has also increased, commensurate with population growth, and its use in the energy sector (biofuel) is even greater than in the food sector. To stabilize prices and avoid sharp fluctuations in palm oil prices, the Indonesian government launched the B-50 program, which uses 50% biodiesel from palm oil and 50% diesel from petroleum. With the B-50 program, palm oil demand has increased by approximately 20% over current average production.

This necessitates increasing palm oil productivity. One such effort is the use of superior seeds. By maximizing CPO production from mesocarp fiber, these superior seeds have thick fiber, thin shells (even shellless), and small kernels. The Psifera variety, with its various unique names by seed producers, is an option for this purpose. These superior seeds are even certified to assure consumers of their quality.

The initially thick PKS of the dura variety, which are favored and most sought after by PKS exporters for use in power plants, will gradually decline. However, considering the slow pace of replanting programs and minimal extensification efforts, the transition from dura to psifera PKS will be lengthy. PKS exporters can still safely export thick dura PKS. The less thin tenera PKS, as a transition to psifera, will likely become more common.

If very thin psifera PKS become commonplace, their calorific value will be low and they will be less desirable for energy applications. If this occurs, special treatment is required to make the psifera PKS more technically and economically viable for energy use. This can be achieved through compaction/densification or processing through torrefaction or pyrolysis to produce higher fixed carbon and calorific value. Furthermore, they can be compacted/densified into pellets or briquettes. 

The Role of Biochar in Increasing Palm Oil Productivity, Among the Use of Superior Seeds and Replanting

Palm oil productivity continues to be pushed to its most optimal point. This is because it is to meet the increasing needs, especially the mandatory B-50 biodiesel program. Of course, efforts to optimize productivity are not easy and instant. Although the key points for its realization have also been mapped, namely by replanting old palm oils, using superior seeds and intensification, the practice also requires the right method or approach and takes time. Replanting old palm oils is still very slow and has many obstacles, while the use of superior seeds has received more attention and continues to be encouraged. The analogy of using superior seeds is like comparing local cattle and superior breeds. So no matter how well the Javanese cow is cared for, its weight will not match that of the Limousin cow. Likewise with palm oil seeds.

Land intensification efforts through optimizing inputs, technology and modern cultivation methods also still need to be developed. Meanwhile, extensification or land expansion should be avoided or slowed down as much as possible, for more details, read here. Biochar can have an important role in this area of ​​intensification. Apart from the application of biochar it will improve soil health, which is an important prerequisite for plants to be able to produce optimally, it is also very environmentally friendly because the raw material for biochar is from renewable sources, namely biomass and increases fertilization efficiency (NUE = Nutrient Use Efficiency). And even the application of biochar is also a climate solution, namely as carbon sequestration. Optimizing productivity can be done by applying biochar plus using superior seeds using modern and environmentally friendly agricultural methods. So basically optimization is a comprehensive and measurable effort.

Indonesia contributes 25% to the world's vegetable oil supply, making it a key actor in the stability of the world's vegetable oil supply. With this position, any changes in production, export policies and Indonesia's domestic dynamics will directly impact prices and international market balance. Indonesia is currently the largest or number one producer of palm oil in the world, but it is not the best or most productive because its productivity is not yet optimal. Compared to neighboring countries, namely Malaysia, it is still inferior and slightly superior to Thailand, even though geographical factors, namely the climate in Indonesia, are much more supportive. Currently, Indonesia's CPO productivity is around 3.3 tons/hectare, while Malaysia's is around 3.8 tons/hectare, while Thailand's is around 3 tons/hectare.

Yield gap, namely the difference or gap between actual production and maximum production potential, is sometimes quite large. Several main factors that trigger yield gaps include non-optimal environmental factors such as drought conditions, to errors in cultivation practices such as errors in land clearing and planting, as well as inaccuracies in diagnosis and fertilizer recommendations. This yield gap must be minimized so that palm oil productivity can be maximized.

Sometimes the role of biochar cannot be found or seen directly in various efforts to increase palm oil productivity, but the application of biochar is very much in line with this goal. For example, the success of an palm oil replanting program depends, among other things, on the quality of seeds, fertilization, plant population and soil health. Soil health and fertilization factors can be closely related to biochar. And related to biofungicides to treat ganoderma fungus disorders, biochar can be used as a carrier formulated with other elements such as humus, amino acids, humates, hormones and so on. And because the only effective way to control the ganoderma fungus is to introduce its natural enemies in the form of biofungicides based on Trichoderma spp and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi into the soil. However, there are still many parties who do not have adequate knowledge regarding the application of biochar.

Apart from boosting production, implementing best management practices is also important to meet sustainability standards amidst increasing pressure from environmental issues. And the application of biochar is very much in line with that point. In fact, regarding low carbon palm oil technology in the application of biochar, it is very relevant to the CECC (Controlled Emission Composting Chamber) and for more details on the application of biochar for composting, read here. Meanwhile, the trend of fertilization in palm oil plantations with the application of slow release fertilizer is also very relevant to biochar, for more details, read here. 

AI for Palm Oil Mills or New Product Development with New Process Design?

AI applications have penetrated various sectors, including palm oil mills or CPO mills. AI applications for palm oil mills are still relatively new, so few, if any, have implemented them. One palm oil mill that has implemented AI is Minsawi Industries in Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia, with a capacity of 45 tons of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) per hour. The use of AI has resulted in annual savings of RM 1.6 million (Rp 6.24 billion) due to reduced oil loss, reduced maintenance costs, and a 33% reduction in labor. However, there are concerns that using AI for palm oil mills could potentially lead to job losses. Even with fewer workers, incomes are higher.

The cost-to-benefit ratio is certainly a crucial consideration for any new technology, including the use of AI. The amount of money spent must yield equivalent or greater benefits. In the case of the AI ​​application in the palm oil mill, the cost of the AI ​​was RM 5 million (~Rp 19.5 billion), meaning that with savings of RM 1.6 million per year, the investment in the AI ​​equipment would be recovered in approximately three years. This is a reasonable return on investment. However, investing that much to improve efficiency in an existing mill, or for example, 15% of the main mill, requires comprehensive consideration.

Several devices, such as sensors, predictive tools, and AI applications, are integrated to improve the efficiency of palm oil (CPO) production. More specifically, the key components of an AI-based palm oil mill include: first, advanced sensors. These sensors are installed throughout the palm oil mill to obtain real-time data on critical parameters such as temperature, pressure, amperage, and machine performance. Second, AI-enabled CCTV cameras. Several cameras are installed at strategic locations to monitor key areas, such as detecting the volume of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) and their quality, and providing this information to control the production process. Third, an AI-driven control system. These systems automatically optimize processes, manage equipment operations, and utilize resources based on real-time data analysis.

Meanwhile, developing new products means increasing the added value of existing materials. This increased added value can be far greater than that gained from increasing factory efficiency through AI applications. Raw materials that were previously underutilized or even discarded, polluting the environment, can generate significant benefits from developing new products. While optimizing factory performance is crucial for achieving high efficiency, innovation in new product development is equally crucial.

In the palm oil industry, new product development can be achieved by creating various derivatives from crude palm oil (CPO) and processing various biomass waste from palm oil operations, both from mills and plantations. Numerous products can be produced from these processes. For example, CPO derivatives produce biofuels such as biodiesel, cooking oil, stearin, olein, and so on. Biomass waste can be processed into bioenergy, biocarbons, biofuels, biomaterials, and biochemicals.

 

Designing efficient production processes is crucial for producing competitive products. Likewise, low-emission production, minimizing waste, or even zero waste, is also a key focus. Integrating various production processes, particularly for energy savings, including waste heat recovery, is highly feasible, enabling efficiency and lower production costs. The significant benefits of AI applications in palm oil mills or CPO production include the potential for further use in new product development, including designing the most efficient production processes possible.

Ultimately, if the development of these new products can be carried out and AI is integrated, the need for labor will increase in these business units, even if each business unit is operating efficiently. The production of various derivative products, including specialty chemicals, is highly possible with the development of new products that keep pace with the times. Furthermore, on the plantation side, AI and mechanization can also be utilized to reduce 3D (dirty, dangerous, demeaning) jobs, resulting in more efficient work and increased income. Even mechanization in oil palm plantations is still low, making it more urgent than AI applications. 

Energy Plantations Energy Sources for All Time

 "Allah who makes fire for you from green wood, then you kindle (fire) from it." (QS. Yaasin (36): 80)

The sun was created by Allah SWT as the main source of energy for humans and living things on earth. It takes about 8 minutes for sunlight to reach the earth and is converted by plants into a food source so that it can be consumed by animals and humans. Humans also get food from animal sources. The more sunlight, the more can be converted by plants through the process of photosynthesis. Without the sun, plants die, animals die, humans die so that there will be no life on earth. Fossil fuels are essentially a source of energy from plants and animals in the past. Mining and use of fossil fuels will release a number of greenhouse gases (GHG) which increase the earth's temperature which at a certain level is dangerous for the earth's population itself. Efforts to overcome this are by using non-fossil energy and renewable energy so as not to contribute to increasing the concentration of GHG in the atmosphere which increases the earth's temperature.

From plants or trees can be directly used as a source of energy or fuel, namely firewood. Derivatives or energy products from plants are also very diverse and can meet all human needs, both energy in the form of solid fuels, liquid fuels and gas fuels. The production of firewood, wood chips, wood briquettes, sawdust, torrified biomass to charcoal are a number of solid fuel products. While the production of biooil, bioethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel / green diesel, and bioavtur / bio jet fuel are a number of liquid fuels. And biogas and bio-syngas are gas fuels that can be produced from the original material in the form of plants.

A number of conversion techniques based on physics, chemistry and biology are needed for the conversion. The use of appropriate plant species is also needed to facilitate the conversion, for example for the production of solid fuels, biomass sources such as wood are needed, while if the target is liquid fuel, then the type of oil-producing plants that need to be pursued. Conversion from solid fuels to liquid or gas fuels can also be done but in general the longer and more complicated the process, the more expensive the production costs will be. But still, energy plantations are the basis for all of that.

Popular and fairly easy biomass processing is to make wood chips with size reduction then wood pellets and wood briquettes through biomass densification. Furthermore, to convert sugary biomass into ethanol with fermentation and azeotropic distillation, convert lignin biomass (lignocellulosic biomass) into ethanol with enzymatic hydrolysis reactions followed by fermentation and azeotropic distillation. Converting woody biomass into fuel with a thermal process can be burned directly or if you want to make charcoal, concentrate the fixed carbon, namely by pyrolysis or carbonization, and if you want to maximize liquid products / bio-oil / pyro-oil, namely by fast pyrolysis and if you want to maximize gas products, namely by gasification. And so that the characteristics of the biomass are like hydrophobic coal, the torrefaction or mild-pyrolysis process can be carried out. Torrefaction and densification are usually carried out together to optimize the biomass fuel product.

With gas to liquid (GTL) namely the gasification process and followed by the Fisher - Tropsch process, bio-ethanol, biodiesel and bioavtur / bio jet fuel can be produced. While from groups of plants that produce oil such as palm oil, biodiesel can be made especially with the transesterification or estran (esterification plus transesterification) process. Even used oil or used cooking oil / used cooking oil and miko (minyak kotor) / dirty oil or PAO (palm acid oil) can also be used for biodiesel / green diesel or further processed into bio-jet fuel / bio-avtur with the HVO / HEFA - SPK (Hydro-processed Esters and Fatty Acids-Synthesized Paraffinic Kerosene) process.

So basically, biomass from trees can be processed into various forms of energy or fuel needed by humans. In addition to being used directly as a heat source, this energy can also be converted into mechanical energy or electrical energy, for example biofuel-fueled vehicles to biomass power plants. So the source of energy throughout the ages stored in plants is this biomass as stated by Allah SWT in the verse above and there is no doubt whatsoever about it. Indonesia as a tropical country is a "heaven" for the production of biomass because of the rays of sunlight throughout the year and adequate rainfall and extensive land. The storage of energy in plants from sunlight is also likened to a battery that can be used anytime and anywhere for more details read here.

Another important thing to note for the creation of energy plantations or biomass plantations is the status of the land used. The land must not be from deforestation or land conversion (land use change) that damages the environment. Industrial plantation forests (HTI) that are in accordance with their designation can be used as energy plantations. In addition, biomass for producing energy can also be cultivated on critical land, or referred to as 'unproductive' land. The Indonesia Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) estimates that critical land in Indonesia in 2016 was 24.3 million hectares (Times Indonesia, 2017). This is a very large area, and overall Indonesia's territory is large enough to provide biomass for renewable energy production.

SBE Pyrolysis: A Profitable Waste Management Solution

Spent Bleaching Earth (SBE) which is solid waste produced from the bleaching process in the CPO processing industry into cooking oil and oleochemicals is increasing along with the production of palm oil derivative products or downstream palm oil industries such as cooking oil and oleochemicals. The amount of bleaching earth used generally ranges from 0.5-2.0% of the total CPO refined, depending on the quality of the CPO to be processed in the refining process. SBE is included in category 2 hazardous toxic material (B3) waste from specific sources with waste code B413. SBE is categorized as hazardous toxic material (B3) waste because it contains high oil and has characteristics that are flammable and corrosive. SBE can be categorized as non-B3 waste if its oil content is below 3%.

The classification of SBE status as hazardous toxic material (B3) waste in Indonesia is different from the status of SBE in Malaysia, which is also the second largest palm oil producer in the world. SBE waste produced by the Malaysian refinery industry is not classified as B3 waste but is still categorized as solid waste from refinery factories whose processing is regulated in the Solid Waste Regulation (SWR) so that the waste can be reused into products with high economic value.

According to the Indonesian Vegetable Oil Industry Association (GIMNI, 2021), with a refinery capacity of palm oil/CPO between 600 tons to 2,500 tons per day, and assuming the use of bleaching earth (BE) of 1%-2%, the average will produce 6-50 tons of SBE per day. And according to the Directorate General of Waste Management, Toxic and Hazardous Materials (PSLB3) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the SBE produced from the vegetable oil refining process in Indonesia in 2019 reached 779 thousand tons. Of that amount, 51.47% (401 thousand tons) of SBE was processed, while the remaining 48.39% (378 thousand tons) was stored or stockpiled. A very large amount and has the potential to pollute the environment.

SBE has an oil content of around 20-40%, so it has the potential to be utilized. In addition, SBE also contains color, gum, metals namely Silica, Aluminum oxide, Ferrioxide, Magnesia, other metals and water. Basically, SBE processing is done by separating oil from its solids. The separated oil can then be used as raw material for biodiesel and even aircraft fuel (bio-jet fuel) such as POME / PAO and UCO. With the amount of unprocessed SBE reaching around 378 thousand tons per year, the potential oil that can be extracted reaches around 115 thousand tons per year.

With pyrolysis, the process of separating solid and liquid fractions from SBE is easy to do, as well as oil recovery can be maximized, as well as SBE becomes non-hazardous toxic material (non-B3) waste because its oil content is below 3%. More specifically, with continuous pyrolysis, the volume of SBE waste reaching 50 tons per day in the CPO refinery unit can be easily done. The large potential economic value that can be obtained from the utilization of SBE is a shame if it is not optimized. The market opportunity for processed products from SBE waste is also expected to be bright in the future, along with the development of market preferences that demand the availability of eco-friendly and sustainable products.
 

Biofuel or Electric Vehicle First?

The decarbonization trend continues and has penetrated almost all lines, including the transportation sector. In the transportation sector, there are 2 things that can be done, namely the use of fuel from renewable energy or biofuel and the use of emission-free vehicles such as electric vehicles. In vehicles with 100% renewable energy or biofuel, the emissions produced are carbon neutral (even though the emissions contain CO2) while electric vehicles produce no emissions at all because there is no combustion process in the operation of the electric vehicle.

Currently, the majority of vehicles are vehicles with internal combustion engine technology, so they use fuel for their operations and the most widely used fuel is fossil fuel, especially in liquid form or liquid fuel. To achieve carbon neutral conditions, this fuel must be replaced with 100% biofuel. But currently, even though the use of biofuel has been carried out, the portion is not yet 100%. Indeed, technically there are restrictions on the use of biofuel so that it cannot be 100% like bioethanol, so this is also a concern. However, of course efforts to use 100% biofuel will also be the main target, apart from the emissions factor to achieve carbon neutral conditions, internal combustion engine technology is also the majority so it only needs minor modifications or even no modifications at all.

Another fact is that currently most electric vehicles still use electrical energy sources from fossil fuel power plants, especially coal. Even though these electric vehicles are non-emissions, basically the energy source is fossil energy, only the locations are far apart. Electric cars as a new product are also generally more expensive, even double or more than cars in general. This condition also affects the amount of use of the cars or electric vehicles themselves.

Indonesia as a tropical country has enormous potential as a biofuel producer because various plants or trees can grow well. Even though palm oil is currently the largest vegetable oil producing crop and Indonesia is ranked first in the world with an area of palm oil plantations reaching around 15 million hectares, the oil from palm oil competes with edible oil and the maintenance costs are high. not cheap. Meanwhile, vegetable oil from energy trees such as nyamplung (calophyllum inophyllum), apart from its oil productivity, is not inferior to palm oil, and the oil does not compete with edible oil, read more details here. Apart from that, the nyamplung tree, which grows well in areas near the coast, also provides its own advantages, namely because Indonesia has the second longest coastline in the world after Canada, namely 99,093 km and the nyamplung tree is also a multi-purpose tree. Meanwhile, biofuel from biomass waste can also be done, but because production costs are still expensive, it still requires a number of stages for implementation.

Under these conditions, the development of biofuel, especially from trees such as nyamplung, should be prioritized. Meanwhile, even though electric vehicles are emission free, their electricity source still uses fossil fuels. Efforts to reduce fossil fuels in power plants by cofiring have been carried out but the portion is still very small, so the climate benefits are not yet significant. If the source of electrical energy can be 100% renewable energy, then the use of electric vehicles can also be said to be like the use of 100% biofuel in internal combustion engines.

2nd Generation Biofuel with Biodiesel Production from Calophyllum Inophyllum and the Like

Biodiesel production from CPO is a 1st generation biofuel where the raw material competes with food products, which of course is not good. Biodiesel production from oils that do not compete with food products will be much better. The image of producers and even their country will also be improved if the program can be carried out on a massive scale. There are a number of trees that produce oil for biodiesel production. The selectivity of plant types related to productivity, climatic conditions and so on is certainly a serious consideration if production is on an industrial scale. Nyamplung oil (calophyllum inophyllum oil) is one of the best solutions because apart from high oil productivity, the productive period is long, and the logs after the productive period are also economical or have high selling value.

The productivity of calophyllum inophyllum oil competes with palm oil, whose productivity is around 6 tons/hectare/year, but caring for calophyllum inophyllum trees is easier and cheaper. Meanwhile, jathropha has lower productivity so it is less attractive and profitable to develop. Calophyllum inophyllum trees that grow well in the lowlands or on the coast will be very suitable for Indonesia as an archipelagic country. Indonesia has a coastline of 99,093 km or the second longest in the world after Canada. And it would be even better if the calophyllum inophyllum plantations on the coast also coincided with coconut planting. Indonesia is famous for its land of coconut islands, which generally grow well in coastal areas. Coconut trees also have many benefits from almost all their parts. If this happens, optimization of renewable energy production, namely biofuel in the form of biodiesel from calophyllum inophyllum oil and food products, especially those based on coconuts.

The transportation sector itself contributes 14% of CO2 emissions globally or 27% in Indonesia. Biodiesel produced by transesterfication reaction (C6-C22 chain) has very similar properties to diesel oil so it can be used 100% in diesel engines without the need for modification or mixing/blending with certain portions. Biodiesel contains 10% oxygen and zero sulfur, which makes engine combustion more complete and efficient. Liquid fuel also has its own advantages over gas fuel, including easy use and storage, and most existing vehicles use liquid fuel, so they can be used straight away. The development of biofuel as a carbon neutral fuel needs to be prioritized as part of decarbonization, especially for 2nd Generation Biofuel because it does not conflict or compete with food.

For 2nd generation biofuel from biomass or lignocelullosic biomass (such as wood waste), biodiesel production is still high cost. There are two process routes for biodiesel production from lignocelullosic biomass, namely gasification for syngas production followed by the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process and fast pyrolysis for biooil production followed by hydrotreating and catalytic cracking processes. This is what makes biodiesel production in this way not possible even though it is technically possible. The raw materials for lignocellulosic biomass are much cheaper because they are generally categorized as biomass waste. However, the complexity of the production process makes production costs expensive, so it is not yet an option.

Meanwhile, for 3rd generation biofuel, namely from microalgae, even though the potential is huge, the productivity can even be more than 16 times the productivity of palm oil or calophyllum inophyllum oil (6 tons/hectare/year for palm oil and calophyllum inophyllum, while oil from microalgae reaches 100 tons/hectare/year ) but it seems that it still takes time to enter the commercialization stage. Problems related to cultivation, harvesting and oil extraction also still require extensive research. By producing biodiesel from calophyllum inophyllum oil, biodiesel production from CPO can be gradually reduced. The larger the calophyllum inophyllum plantation, the greater the biodiesel product produced, so that palm oil or CPO can be specialized as edible oil or specifically a food product. Likewise, it is hoped that oil from coconut will increase along with the growth and development of biodiesel production from calophyllum inophyllum oil.

Palm Oil Mill Redesign for IVO Production: Using Pyrolysis, Gasification or Biogas?

The production of biodiesel / green diesel using raw material of RBD PO is too good (overspec) and too expensive, so it needs to be replaced with a cheaper raw material, namely IVO (industrial vegetable oil). For this purpose, it is necessary to redesign the palm oil mill so that a number of FFB extraction production into CPO carried out at the palm oil mill need to modify the process flow. The sterilization process can be eliminated so that there is no need for water for steam production as well as boilers and steam turbines for electricity production. Water treatment units may also be no longer needed or may still be needed but for different processes.

Another important thing is the supply of energy, especially electricity, for this new type of palm oil mill. This is because most of the equipments used in the palm oil mill are mechanical equipments that work by consuming electricity. As the mill that has a lot of biomass waste, it's certainly not a difficult thing to do, even so far, palm oil mills produce their own electricity by burning palm mesocarp fiber and palm kernel shell in the boiler. But in a new type of palm oil mill with a different configuration, the boiler may not be needed or it is still needed but there are differences from before. Basically, of course, how to achieve the highest level of efficiency with the new process.

Another factor is how the new production process also provides greater benefits for the palm oil industry, for example biochar products are also produced. The biochar product will later be used in palm oil plantations to improve soil fertility and also as a carbon sink and absorb N2O gas, which is a greenhouse gas. Carbon credits from the application of biochar as a carbon sink will also provide additional income for the palm oil industry, which is also not a small amount. Currently, many palm oil plantations are located on acid soils or with low pH, which results in low productivity of palm oil yield, so it needs to be increased. Also, in the operation of palm oil plantations, the cost of fertilizer is the highest cost component, and for this reason, biochar is the solution to this problem. With the high productivity of FFB with this treatment, the clearing of palm oil land is no longer needed, so that the focus on palm oil plantations which causes deforestation is also reduced, more info read here.

For electricity production, apart from burning palm nesocarp fiber and palm kernel shell in the boiler, then the resulting steam drives a steam turbine, another way is pyrolysis and gasification of biomass. With pyrolysis (slow pyrolysis) more biochar production or as the main product. Whereas with gasification the product of biochar is less with more main gas product. Biogas from liquid waste (POME) is another energy source that can be used. Basically it depends on the goals and needs, how much electricity is needed, how much biochar is needed and so on. But with the area of palm oil plantations reaching tens of thousands of hectares, the need for biochar will be very large, so pyrolysis will be more suitable to be applied. And if the demand for electricity is large enough, then electricity from biogas can also be used as an addition to electricity from pyrolysis. 

Even with this pyrolysis, other useful products for palm oil plantations will also be produced, such as liquid smoke. This liquid smoke can be used as a biopesticide whose application can use agricultural drones at speeds of 16 hectares/hour or more. Biooil products from pyrolysis can also be used for direct fuel using a burner or further refined to become vehicle fuel. Burning gas or liquid fuels will give cleaner emissions to palm oil mills compared to burning solid fuel that has been done so far.

Digestate from biogas can be used together with biochar so that it can provide maximum results in palm oil plantations. With a porous biochar structure, digestate plus biochar will become a slow release organic fertilizer so that fertilizer use will be more efficient. Apart from that, with the large amount of potential for biomass waste in the palm oil industry, it also allows for a number of business developments, especially if there is an adequate supply of energy. An example is the production of activated carbon from palm kernel shells (PKS) or the processing of kernels into kernel oil (crude palm kernel oil). By optimizing all the potential, especially biomass waste so that it can provide economic and environmental benefits, the palm oil industry will be even more attractive.

Calophyllum Tree and Coconut Tree

Calophyllum trees and coconut trees have something in common, namely that they can grow well in coastal areas, all parts of the tree can be used and bear fruit throughout the year. With the length of the coastline of Indonesia reaching 99,093 km, it is very potential to develop these two plants. The calophyllum tree has non-edible oil but its productivity is almost the same as palm oil or crude palm oil (CPO), so it is very potential for biodiesel production. Whereas palm oil trees are the largest producer of vegetable oil. Why not biodiesel production from Jatropha ? For more detailed answers, read here. Meanwhile, coconut trees which are well known as multi-benefit plants are certainly very strategic and have the potential to be developed, especially now that the coconut tree population continues to decline due to the lack of replanting of old coconut plantations. Unlike the calophyllum tree, all the results are not food products, many processed coconut products are in the form of food products. The need for processed coconut food products continues to increase along with the increasing population. Issues of food and energy can also be overcome at the same time with these two plants.

The productivity of calophyllum is around 30 years, while coconut is longer, reaching around 80 years. Calophyllum tree wood has a high economic value as well as coconut trees. When the productive period of the two plants continues to produce fruit and when productivity decreases or stops, the wood becomes the ultimate product of high economic value. When compared to palm oil trees when their productive age runs out, the wood or trunk in general is still a problem, not even a few are just left in the plantation because it is not economical to process further, more details can be read here. Meanwhile, other forestry woods usually take decades before they can be harvested and there are no other products besides the wood. Of course, this is quite economically difficult and sometimes even not feasible.

Photo is taken from here

Calophyllum trees and coconut trees are also easy and inexpensive to care for, unlike palm oil trees which require a lot of water and fertilizer. Both also support agroforestry on the coast, as well as being a wind breaker. This encourages faster economic growth in coastal areas, and even becomes a tourist destination. Furthermore, for agroforestry systems, one of them can be distinguished based on its function, namely into a production function and a protection function. Production functions such as food production, feed, fuel such as biodiesel, fiber, wood and others. Meanwhile, protection functions such as prevention from damage to environmental resources as well as maintenance of production system such as hedges, water retention, fire prevention, soil and water conservation. 

The choice of plant species is very important in making agroforestry patterns, because mistakes that occur will have a long and detrimental impact. Species that are suitable not only in terms of growth, economic value and adaptability to a particular environment, but also their ability to form an ideal growth structure when growing together with other species on the same land. The choice of this type is very dependent on the wishes of the land owner, the conditions of the place to grow, the economic value and the ease of cultivation.

Calophyllum Inophyllum Plantation Don't Lose With Palm Oil Plantation

Calophyllum inophyllum has high commercial value wood. Forests in Indonesia contain around 4000 species of trees, with 267 of them being traded. Wood from trees of the family Dipterocarpaceae is the most important group such as meranti, keruing, kapur and mersawa. In addition, a number of tree species are also quite important, namely koompasia, palaquium, dyera, callophyllum inophyllum, octomeles sumatrana and gonystylus bancanus (ramin). Callophyllum inophyllum wood is rather light to medium and soft, but dense, wrinkled, to the point of not being able to split. Callophyllum inophyllum wood has two colors, namely gray or pseudo-yellow and brick red with finer veins and straighter fibers. Callophyllum inophyllum wood is classified as durable class II and very durable in sea water. Callophyllum inophyllum wood including commercial wood is often used as boards, beams, poles, flooring, boats, canoes, crates and tables, shipbuilding, railway sleepers, household furniture and so on. Fishing communities on the coast usually use the wood to make boats.

Until now, the potential for callophyllum inophyllum in Indonesia is still not known with certainty, but from the interpretation of Landsat7 ETM satellite imagery in 2003 on all coasts in Indonesia it is estimated that the natural stands of callophyllum inophyllum reach a total area of 480,000 hectares and most of it (about 60%) is in forest areas. Callophyllum inophyllum stands generally grow in mixed forest types, in natural forests with types of ketapang, malapari, waru laut, keben, pandan laut and others. While in planted forests, callophyllum inophyllum grows with acacia, mahogany, eucalyptus, melinjo, jackfruit, duku, durian and others. Callophyllum inophyllum grows closest at a position of 50-1000 meters from the shoreline with very variable tree densities. Nyamplung tree height can reach 25 meters and a trunk diameter of 1.5 meters.

Calophyllum inophyllum oil production, especially for biofuel production, can be done while waiting for wood production. This biofuel production has even become the main activity of this callophyllum inophyllum cultivation because it can be done for decades until finally the productivity of plants decreases, trees are cut down and replaced by new plants. The yield of calophyllum inophyllum oil, which is almost the same as crude palm oil or CPO, which is 5 tons/hectare and does not compete with edible oil, makes calophyllum inophyllum oil very potential to be developed. Biodiesel from calophyllum inophyllum oil also provides an answer to the failure of the jatropha biodiesel program some time ago, for more details read here. With Indonesia's coastline reaching 99,093 km, the production of biofuel from calophyllum inophyllum will be very large as will wood and its processed products. If we compare it with palm oil plantation, when their productive period is over, logging and utilization of palm oil trunks cause many problems, even many are just left in the plantation. Leaving oil palm trunks in the plantation until they are rotten turns out to also cause its own problems, namely as a place for growing larvae that damage coconut trees, read in more detail here. This is of course very different from the calophyllum inophyllum tree, which when the tree is old, the quality of the wood gets better, as well as the selling price. 

In addition, various agroforestry practices can be carried out on the calophyllum inophyllum plantation because it can be mixed-culture and other functions as wind breaker so that other plants will also be protected. The practice of mixed plantation or mixed culture can hardly be done on palm oil plantations so that the output is only one kind, namely fresh fruit bunches (FFB). Meanwhile, with mixed plantations, the output can also vary from food crops such as fruits, tubers and so on. The maintenance costs, especially fertilization, are also very large in palm oil plantations and this is the highest cost component in palm oil plantation operations. To continue to maintain its level of performance, of course, the need for fertilizer for oil palm plantations is very large, while in calophyllum inophyllum plantations it is smaller. The need for water for palm oil plantations is also very large, while in calophyllum inophyllum plantations it can even remain productive on dry soils. 

Of course all efforts depend on the goals to be achieved. Likewise with this calophyllum inophyllum cultivation. In addition to having many advantages compared to palm oil plantations as described above, the calophyllum inophyllum tree also has a number of advantages compared to other wood-producing trees. For wood-producing trees, such as teak, it takes a minimum of 20 years and during that time there is almost no income, so it is economically difficult. While in calophyllum inophyllum seeds are produced throughout the year as the raw material for the biofuel. Palm oil plantations are currently estimated to have reached around 15 million hectares with one of the oil being allocated for biofuel or especially biodiesel, so that if the calophyllum inophyllum plantation is developed, all biodiesel from calophyllum inophyllum oil can be made so that the palm oil plantation does not need to be expanded anymore. The existing calophyllum inophyllum plantations were developed and intensified so that they were sufficient for the required biodiesel production. In addition, the need for wood for various purposes can also be met from the calophyllum inophyllum plantation.

The Failure of Jatropha Biodiesel and the Opportunity of Calophyllum

Experience is the best teacher as the saying goes. And this also applies to biofuels. Don't let failures in the past happen again, because only fools fall into the same hole twice. The production of biodiesel from Jatropha (jatropha curcas) has been widely campaigned to become a national trending topic at that time, but in fact biodiesel from Jatropha is not economical or is still too expensive so the program stops automatically. One of these factors is the low oil yield from Jatropha seeds which is only around 25%, while calophyllum (Calophyllum inophyllum L) reaches an average of 50%. Moreover, the average productivity per hectare of Jatropha curcas is on average less than 10 tons/hectare, while calophyllum averages 10 tons/hectare. With the 50% yield with a productivity per hectare of more than 10 tons/hectare, the resulting calophyllum oil 5 tons of oil per hectare is more or less the same as crude palm oil CPO, making it more economical to produce. With a yield of about 25% with an average productivity of 20 tons/hectare of fresh fruit bunches (FFB), 5 tons of CPO will be produced, the same as calophyllum. Whereas palm oil is also the largest vegetable oil producing plant, so calophyllum oil is also not far from this condition.

 

Biofuel and especially biofuel from vegetable oils are classified as carbon neutral fuels, because they come from plants as a product of photosynthesis that requires CO2, so when burned it will also return the same amount of CO2 to the atmosphere. The use of carbon neutral fuels is very beneficial for the earth's atmosphere, thereby increasing greenhouse gases that increase the earth's temperature. Judging from the oil composition between jatropha oil, calophyllum oil and palm oil, it is also almost the same as the table above. Indeed, the two sources of biodiesel, both Jatropha and calophyllum, will both be carbon neutral fuels or more correctly carbon neutral liquid fuels, but the economic factor will ultimately determine the commercial production. Meanwhile, from the carbon neutral solid fuel group, we can find for example in wood chips, wood pellets, and palm kernel shells (PKS).

The advantages of calophyllum specifically as biodiesel raw material are first, calophyllum oil does not compete with food oil, secondly, this calophyllum plant grows and spreads evenly naturally in Indonesia, regenerates easily, bears fruit throughout the year and shows high survival power to the environment including with high-salinity soils along the coast. Third, the plant are relatively easy to cultivate, either monoculture or mixed culture, this makes a number of agroforestry practices possible. In palm oil plantation this is very difficult to do, so that we find today almost all palm oil plantations are monoculture or plantation of similar plant. Fourth, almost all parts of the plant can be utilized and have economic value, and fifth, the calophyllum plant stand can be useful as a wind breaker and conservation along the coast. Under these conditions, the opportunity for the development of calophyllum for biofuel is getting bigger.