Electricity Production from Pyrolysis, Using a Gas Engine or ORC Generator?

The more efficient the equipment, the greater the benefits or profits that can be obtained. This includes equipment for biochar production, namely pyrolysis. The more efficient the pyrolysis equipment, the cheaper it will be to produce biochar but also produce development products. An example is the use of byproducts from the pyrolysis process such as syngas, biooil, pyroligneous acid and excess heat. Harvesting or utilizing energy from waste heat sources that would normally be wasted is also part of efficiency as well. A number of products that can be used for energy production can be used for electricity production, namely syngas, biooil and excess heat. But there are a number of technologies for producing electricity, so which one do you choose?

A. Gas Engine

Gas engines such as the GE Jenbacher are commonly used to produce electricity from biogas. Biogas, which is a product of bioprocess, has a very dominant methane gas content, while syngas from pyrolysis, which is a thermal process, contains only a small amount of methane and more hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), this means that gas engines are not suitable for producing electricity from syngas pyrolysis. Apart from being suitable for biogas, gas engines such as the GE Jenbacher are also suitable for natural gas, which also contains methane gas.

B. ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle)

The main difference between the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and the ordinary Rankine cycle lies in the working fluid and the temperature of the heat source used. ORC was specifically designed as a modification of the conventional Rankine cycle. The difference with the ordinary Rankine Cycle which uses steam from the boiler as the working fluid which is widely used in large capacity coal powerplants, the ORC uses a working fluid in the form of an organic fluid which has a low boiling point such as hydrocarbons or refrigerants. This low boiling point means that you can use a heat source whose temperature is not too high, such as waste heat or residual heat and so on.

And because there are many organic fluids available, selecting organic materials as suitable working fluids for ORC is no less important. In fact, the choice of working fluid for the ORC generator is very crucial because it affects thermodynamic efficiency, operational costs and safety aspects. The main factors considered are the thermophysical properties of the fluid, compatibility with the heat source, environmental impact, and commercial availability (economic aspects). So the selection of ORC fluid must balance energy efficiency, safety, environmental impact and cost.

Waste heat from pyrolysis can be recovered and used for electricity production with this ORC. Likewise, pyrolysis byproducts that can be used as energy sources are excess syngas and bio-oil. The excess syngas and bio-oil are used as fuel and the heat is used as an energy source for the ORC generator. Basically, the selection of an ORC power plant is based on electricity needs and available energy sources. 

For small electricity needs, namely in the range of 0.5 MW - 10 MW and low temperature energy sources, namely those whose temperature is below 350 C (low to medium temperature range (80 C - 350 C)), then the choice of ORC is suitable. As a comparison, steam turbines require temperatures well above 400 C and a power output of 10 MW to above 1,000 MW (as in coal-fired power plants or nuclear power plants). But why do almost all palm oil mills (CPO / crude palm oil mills), even though their electrical power production is small or an average of less than 5 MW, still use steam turbines? For an explanation, read here.

The application of an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) generator as waste heat to power (WHP) from the pyrolysis process is a very effective combination to increase the total energy efficiency of the system (co-generation). And modern pyrolysis units are widely used in continuous system biomass pyrolysis, namely for biochar production, which work autothermally or self-sustainably, so it is possible that the pyrolysis unit can also operate independently from the electricity generator from the ORC. This means it will reduce operational costs, because the electricity to run electric motors, pumps and so on comes from its own production. In other words, the pyrolysis unit operates independently without depending on the electricity network or PLN (Indonesia state owned company). From a climate perspective, these conditions are ideal, because the energy source comes from renewable sources (carbon neutral) and if biochar is used for carbon sequestration it means it is carbon negative. Optimizing the system so that it produces an optimal and profitable configuration is the task of engineers.

An American company, namely Quonset Soil Solutions, LLC in Rhode Island, has recently successfully installed an ORC unit to harvest waste heat from their pyrolysis unit with a capacity of 1.8 MW. Apart from that, several pyrolysis units in Europe are also reported to be using ORC with a smaller capacity. These successes will inspire and the installation of ORC units as part of biochar production with (slow) pyrolysis will continue to grow.

Conclusion:
-The ORC system is highly recommended for continuous scale pyrolysis plants (not small batch types) because it is able to convert heat pollution (waste heat) into valuable electrical energy assets constantly. ORC operations are environmentally friendly and support decarbonization targets.

-The ORC generator from waste heat pyrolysis is an efficient, safe and sustainable solution for generating electricity from waste heat energy (residual heat). This technology is also ideal for various industries that produce intermediate heat, so that energy is not wasted.

OPT Pellets for Biomass Power Plants and BECCS in Japan and Europe (Presentation Version)

One way to maintain or even increase the productivity of palm oil plantations is through replanting , which is absolutely necessary. Old palm oil trees will decline in productivity, becoming uneconomical. Just as palm oil planting is carried out in stages, replanting oil palm plantations is also carried out in stages and periodically.

Most palm oil companies affiliated with GAPKI have been replanting regularly, or annually, on an area of ​​4-5%. GAPKI currently has 731 members, while according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in 2023, the number of palm oil companies in Indonesia reached 2,446, spread across 26 provinces.

Of Indonesia's approximately 16.8 million hectares of oil palm plantations, 9 million hectares are managed by private companies, 550,000 hectares are owned by state-owned companies (PTPN), 6.1 million hectares are owned by smallholders, and the remainder has not been verified. Specifically for replanting, the government is targeting 180,000 hectares per year for smallholders, but by 2024, only 38,244 hectares had been realized, far short of the target.

With an average hectare of palm oil plantation containing 125 trees, each tree having an average dry weight of 0.4 tons, per hectare yields 50 tons of dry biomass. For an area of ​​10,000 hectares, this translates to 0.5 million tons of dry biomass, and for an area of ​​100,000 hectares, this translates to 5 million tons of dry biomass. Optimistically, Indonesia could achieve 5% replanting, or 820,000 hectares, which would yield 41 million tons of dry biomass per year. Malaysia, with 5% replanting, or 285,000 hectares, would produce 14.25 million tons of dry biomass per year.

To read and access the presentation, please download here. 

OPT Pellets for Biomass Power Plants and BECCS in Japan and Europe

As a tropical region known for biomass heaven, there are numerous sources that can be utilized for biomass pellet production, particularly OPT pellets or oil palm trunk pellets. This potential is certainly in line with global decarbonization efforts to save the earth from climate change and global warming. Indonesia is currently the world's largest palm oil producer, with approximately 17 million hectares of palm oil plantations. Of this area, 9 million hectares are managed by private companies, 550,000 hectares are owned by state-owned companies (PTPN), 6.1 million hectares are owned by smallholders, and the remainder remains unverified. Crude palm oil or CPO productivity has stagnated over the past five years due to the slow pace of replanting, which is around 45 million tons per year. Therefore, replanting, especially for smallholders, must be encouraged.

Most palm oil companies affiliated with GAPKI have conducted replanting periodically or once a year with an area of ​​4-5%. The palm oil companies that are members of GAPKI are 731, while according to BPS 2023 the number of palm oil companies in Indonesia reached 2,446 companies, spread across 26 provinces. Meanwhile, in smallholder palm oil plantations, replanting is very small, namely in 2024 alone with a target of 180,000 hectares (around 3% of smallholder palm oil plantations) but the realization is less than 40,000 hectares (0.7% of smallholder palm oil plantations) and even because it is so far from the target set in 2025 the government's target for replanting smallholder palm oil plantations was reduced to only 120,000 hectares (around 2% of smallholder palm oil plantations).

With an average of 125 trees per hectare of palm oil plantation, each tree yielding an average dry weight of 0.4 tons, this yields 50 tons of dry biomass per hectare. For an area of ​​10,000 hectares, this translates to 0.5 million tons of dry biomass, and for an area of ​​100,000 hectares, this translates to 5 million tons of dry biomass. Optimistically, Indonesia could achieve 5% replanting, or 820,000 hectares, which would yield 41 million tons of dry biomass per year. Malaysia, with 5% replanting, or 285,000 hectares, would produce 14.25 million tons of dry biomass per year.

For a more practical calculation, let's consider the average palm oil company group in Indonesia with five palm oil mills and 50,000 hectares of palm oil plantations. With annual replanting of 5% of the total plantations, 2,500 hectares are replanted annually. This replanting will produce 125,000 tons of dried oil palm trunks. This volume will then be used to produce oil palm trunk pellets, or OPT pellets, assuming 3% loss during the production process. This yields 121,250 tons of OPT pellets per year.

Using a Handymax vessel with a capacity of 25,000 tons per shipment, five shipments are required, or using a Panamax vessel with a capacity of 50,000 tons per shipment requires two shipments plus one Handymax vessel. Alternatively, using a vessel with a capacity of 10,000 tons per shipment requires approximately 12 shipments per year. Shipments with large capacity handymax and panamax vessels are suitable for the European market, while smaller vessels, namely 10,000 tons/shipment, are suitable for the Japanese market.

Japan, with around 290 biomass power plants, should technically be able to move towards BECCS more quickly, but it's just a matter of policy and regulation. Installing CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) units in biomass power plants makes the plant's operation carbon negative, or carbon (dioxide) removal (CDR) or Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGR). Furthermore, Europe has a successful example of BECCS implementation, namely the Stockholm Exergi BECCS project. This Stockholm project, based on sustainable biomass fuel, has secured one of the world's largest carbon sequestration agreements with Microsoft.

Furthermore, policy support for biomass power plants with CCS/BECCS or those capable of CDR/GGR is also increasing, as in the UK. This includes the indefinite extension of support for biomass power plants to allow time for plants to transition to BECCS. Modifications and retrofitting of existing power plants will eliminate millions of tons of CO2 annually while still generating electricity from renewable sources. This potential can only be maximized with government support for the transition to BECCS.

Export of PKS and Wood Pellets for Biomass Power Plants and BECCS in Japan

In Japan, with approximately 290 biomass power plants, the transition to BECCS should be faster, but it's just a matter of policy and regulation. Installing CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) units at biomass power plants makes the plant's operation carbon-negative, or carbon dioxide removal (CDR) mode. The amount of carbon captured and stored, separating it from the atmosphere, can earn carbon credits that can be used for CCS operations at biomass power plants. Decarbonization to achieve the 2050 Net Zero Emissions (NZE) climate targets and the Paris Agreement are the driving force.

And because biomass power plants always require biomass fuel for their operations, this presents an opportunity for Indonesia to supply wood pellets and palm kernel shells (PKS). Power plants in Japan, most or the majority of biomass fuel comes from imports, such as the Kanda Biomass Power Plant (Kanda Biomass Energy) in Kanda City, northeast of Chiyoda, Tokyo. Kanda Biomass Energy uses three types of biomass: wood pellets (60 percent), palm kernel shells (PKS) (30 percent), and wood chips (10 percent). Wood pellets are imported from British Columbia, Canada and Vietnam, palm kernel shells (PKS) from Indonesia, and wood chips are imported locally from northern Kyushu. This facility consumes approximately 170,000 tons of wood pellets, then 120,000 tons of palm kernel shells (PKS), and 60,000 tons of wood chips per year.

Biomass power plants in Japan generally use fluidized bed combustion (FBC) technology in their boilers. The reasons for using this technology are higher fuel flexibility, high efficiency due to good mixing, relatively low combustion temperatures, which minimize the problem of ash deposits due to melting and the use of excess air. It also further increases efficiency and reduces flue gas production. FBC technology is suitable for large capacities above 20 MW. Over time, this technology has been divided into two types: bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) and circulating fluidized bed (CFB). Generally, the differences between the two are not significant, such as fuel size, unit construction, and air-fuel ratio. Palm kernel shells (PKS) are more suitable for CFB power plants because they are less than 4 cm in size. Power plants in Japan, in particular, that use PKS or palm kernel shells as fuel because they use CFB technology.

With relatively low operating temperatures of 650-900°C, ash problems can be minimized. Certain biomass fuels sometimes have high ash content and ash chemistry that can potentially damage the generating unit. Furthermore, fuel cleanliness is also very important, this is because technically certain impurities such as metals can block the air pores in the perforated plate of the FBC unit, even though air, especially oxygen, is absolutely necessary for the combustion process and also maintains the fluidized fuel bed condition. These fuel cleanliness requirements must be met by the supplier or seller of the biomass fuel. Therefore, the buyer requires the amount of impurities (impurities/contaminants) that can be accepted is very small, namely around less than 1%. PKS cleaning is done by sieving either manually or mechanically. For more details on biomass fuel cleanliness issues can be read here.

The demand for biomass fuel is predicted to continue to increase. And biomass power plants continue to expand, with an estimated 6 GW of additional power plants projected to be installed in Japan by 2030, with an installed capacity of 7.3 GW by 2024. In fact, 11 new power plants are scheduled to come online by 2025, increasing annual biomass fuel demand by approximately 1.1 million tons. If Indonesia could also supply wood pellets to Japan by maximizing forest residue, sawmill waste, or other wood processing industry waste, that would be extraordinary.

As an estimate of forest waste utilization, for example, a production forest with an area of ​​200,000 hectares (approximately 2,000 km2) and because it is located in a tropical area with an average woody biomass growth rate of 20 tons/hectare/year, then the forest will produce 4,000,000 tons/year of wood every year from new growth. An area of ​​200,000 hectares may seem very large, but with Indonesia having almost 70 million hectares of production forest, an area of ​​200,000 hectares is only 0.29%.

For example, we set the default setting for wood utilization from production forests: 35% for building materials, furniture, flooring, etc., 30% for paper, tissue, and packaging, with 5% of the harvested wood remaining in the forest. Furthermore, 15% of sawmill waste (sawdust, chips, etc.) is used for wood pellet production, and the remaining sawmill waste is sent to pulp and paper mills and engineered wood industries.

And it is estimated that 35.3% of the 3.8 million tons/year of wood waste annually goes to wood pellet factories (approximately 1.34 million tons annually). In some locations the actual percentage is much lower because paper mills and engineered wood industries use more raw materials with the same raw materials as wood pellet factories. Therefore, in general, wood pellet factories are not located in locations that already have demand or existing use for pulp and paper and engineered wood industries. With the high water content, drying is necessary for wood pellet production, so the estimated wood pellet production is 650,000 tons/year. With the size of a handymax vessel that can carry 25,000 tons/shipment, this means 26 shipments are needed to Japan each year, or with a panamax vessel that can carry 50,000 tons/shipment, this means 13 shipments to Japan each year. 

Laboratory-Scale Pyrolysis Equipment for Biochar Production Trials and Research

The decarbonization trend continues to grow across all sectors of life as part of a global consensus to save the earth. Biomass plays a strategic role through biotransition, where biomass acts as a carbon-neutral fuel, thus preventing it from contributing to increased CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, and through carbon-negative programs with carbon sequestration. Substantively, decarbonization through carbon-negative programs (CDR/carbon dioxide removal) will be effective if biomass fuel, as a carbon-neutral fuel, or the use of other renewable energy sources, is also increased. In other words, efforts to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations cannot simply involve absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere (carbon capture and storage). In the context of biomass-based renewable energy, the practical application of wood chip and wood pellet production as carbon-neutral renewable fuels will complement biochar (carbon-negative). Read more details here.

Biochar, a product of biomass pyrolysis, or biocarbon products used as a medium for climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration/carbon sinks, is not yet as popular as the use of biomass as a renewable energy source, such as wood chips, wood pellets, or palm kernel shells (PKS). For comparison, global biochar production in 2023 was 350,000 tons, while wood pellet production was 47 million tons. With a conversion of biomass to biochar of approximately 30%, the amount of dry biomass processed into biochar in 2023 was 1.2 million tons, compared to 47 million tons of wood pellets in the same year, or only about 2.6% of the biomass used for wood pellets—a significant gap. However, biochar is predicted to gain momentum and be produced on a large scale globally. The application of biochar as part of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is currently experiencing the fastest growth compared to other CO2 reduction (CDR) efforts. Biochar leads in CDR credits in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), with over 90% globally by 2023 as per the cdr.fyi database.

Furthermore, carbon capture and storage (CCS) applications using absorber-stripper columns, where the captured carbon dioxide is stored in the Earth's crust, remain expensive. Pyrolysis technology for biochar production, meanwhile, is increasingly developing, making it easy to operate, efficient, and environmentally friendly, with the potential to produce various by-products that offer additional benefits. These pyrolysis units can even be integrated with processing plants, such as palm oil mills. For more details, read here.

Including the BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage) application which is overall a carbon negative program or CO2 removal from the atmosphere (CDR / Carbon Dioxide Removal) but building a bioenergy unit such as a biomass power plant itself is also not cheap, especially with the addition of carbon capture and storage (CCS) equipment. A number of countries that already have many biomass power plants, for example Japan with around 300 biomass power plants, to become carbon negative operations or part of CO2 removal from the atmosphere (CDR / Carbon Dioxide Removal) will be easier by upgrading them with the installation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) equipments. But in general, to absorb CO2 in the atmosphere and achieve climate targets, the application of biochar produced with pyrolysis units is easier, cheaper and strategic.

To anticipate and prepare for the growing era of CO2 removal from the atmosphere (CDR), biochar research must also be enhanced. Pyrolysis equipment that can cover or carry out comprehensive biochar production trials under all measurable production process operating conditions is crucial. Biochar product quality parameters are determined by three factors: the raw material or type of biomass, the production process, and the biomass pretreatment. For more details, read here. Important variables in the biochar production process in the pyrolysis unit, such as duration/residence time, temperature, and heating rate, must also be able to be handled with this equipment.

Furthermore, the issue of exhaust emissions is also crucial. This is because carbon standards organizations like Puro, Verra, and CSI require exhaust emissions to meet certain thresholds. Furthermore, excess heat from pyrolysis and/or liquid and gaseous products must be utilized. This means that laboratory-scale pyrolysis equipment must be sophisticated enough to meet these requirements. Following the methodologies developed by these standards organizations is essential for producing certified biochar to earn carbon credits. With each ton of CO2 equivalent removed from the atmosphere, or CO2 Removal Certificates (CORCs), worth over $150, this is certainly very attractive.

The diverse uses of biochar, such as in agriculture, animal husbandry, and even for concrete construction, further encourage its implementation in the future. Even if there is a question, for example, about the use of biochar in the agricultural sector: should biochar be prioritized for soil fertility or climate solutions first? This is certainly not a dichotomous question, but rather a driving force for its application, which is strongly influenced by factors that are problematic in the region or area. For more details, read here. To achieve the best performance while minimizing the risks of biochar production, increasing biochar production capacity is necessary, starting from the laboratory scale, pilot scale, demo scale, and finally commercial plants. By understanding the characteristics of the production process gradually and in depth, the hope is that the success rate of large-scale or commercial production will also be high. 

Competing in Goodness in Lowering the Earth's Temperature

Competing to lower the global temperature is a good thing. Competing in good deeds is highly encouraged in Islam. The negative impacts of global warming can be felt on land and at sea, and therefore must be minimized. This is why various parties involved in this effort should collaborate and synergize to achieve this goal. The business aspect of this activity should be a secondary priority, so that a spirit of good deeds, collaboration, and synergy will be fostered. Technically, strategic sectors that are the main causes of global warming are an important priority to address, although other, more pressing matters must also take precedence.

There is an excess concentration of carbon (CO2) in the atmosphere that causes the earth's temperature to rise due to the greenhouse gas effect, but on the other hand there are billions of hectares of land on earth that need carbon in the form of biochar to increase soil fertility as well as to absorb CO2 in the atmosphere with carbon sequestration / carbon sink. If these two things can be synchronized, it will be an effective solution to reduce the earth's temperature. In 2024, CO2 emissions from fossil fuels were recorded at around 36.3 giga tons (36.3 billion metric tons) and the latest CO2 concentration according to the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii reached 429.25 ppm (on June 24, 2025). Meanwhile, on the land side, globally an estimated 1.66 billion hectares of land have been degraded due to human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, mismanaged irrigation, and excessive use of chemicals. 

Biomass fuel, produced by producing wood chips and wood pellets, or biofuel, is a carbon-neutral renewable fuel or source, thus complementing biochar. Wood chips and wood pellets, or biofuel, do not increase CO2 emissions, and biochar absorbs CO2, acting as a carbon sink (carbon sequestration), or carbon-negative. 

Food Estate or Biochar? Indonesia becomes the Champion of Global Climate Solutions?

Currently, there are millions of hectares of land in Indonesia that are in dire need of biochar, namely dry land 122.1 million ha; post-mining land 8 million ha; critical land 24.3 million ha; total around 154.4 million ha. Meanwhile, the potential raw materials for biochar production are also abundant (agricultural, plantation and forestry waste) such as dry empty fruit bunch of palm oil around 30 million tons/year, baggase 2 million tons/year, corn cobs 5 million tons/year, cassava stems 3 million tons/year, waste wood 50 million tons/year, rice husks 15 million tons/year, cocoa shells and so on. With biochar, agricultural productivity will increase from an average of around 20% to even 100%.

If applied on a macro or national scale, say with a 20% increase in production, for example, rice production will increase to 36 million tons/year from the previous 30 million tons/year, corn will increase to 18 million tons/year from the previous 15 million tons/year, crude palm oil or CPO will increase to 60 million tons/year from the previous 50 million tons/year. This will save land use so that the opening of forest land for food crops and (bio)energy such as food estates may not be necessary or at least slow it down.

For example, Indonesia's current CPO production reaches around 50 million tons per year with a land area of ​​around 17.3 million hectares. This means that the average CPO production per hectare is only 2.9 tons or per million hectares produces 2.9 million tons. If biochar is used and there is a 20% increase, it means there is an increase of 10 million tons of CPO per year and this is equivalent to saving around 3.5 million hectares of land, or the use of biochar will slow down forest clearing for palm oil plantations.

There is a rough calculation that with an investment of 10 million US dollars, approximately 200,000 tons of biochar produced with more than 400,000 carbon credits will be produced over a period of 10 years. And for example, with a selling price of biochar of 200 dollars per ton and a carbon credit of 150 dollars per unit (per ton of CO2), then within 10 years, the income will be almost 10 times the investment or it is estimated that in less than 2 years the initial investment has been returned (payback period). Carbon credits sellers or biochar producers also try to get sales contracts for 5-10 years.

Of course when the price of biochar is higher and / or its carbon credit then of course the return on investment will be faster. And that does not include the utilization of liquid and gas products and excess heat from pyrolysis which also have economic potential that is no less interesting. 

Fastest Entry Point for Biochar Industry

When in the West, especially in Europe, biochar is seen primarily for climate mitigation, namely as carbon sequestration / carbon sink and compared with various similar efforts in carbon negative / negative emission technologies with compensation in the form of carbon credits or BCR (biochar carbon removal) credits, it is very different, especially in Asia and Africa. Biochar in both continents is mainly to increase soil fertility or repair damaged / degraded soils so that they can be more productive to produce agricultural food products. The different approaches are mainly motivated by the factors that influence it, namely especially in Europe when the problems of climate change, the environment, sustainability and global warming are more of their concern, then various efforts in line with that become important and relevant so that biochar is one of the solutions. While in Asia and Africa, the factor of meeting food needs is a more important concern.

Currently there are 6 NET (negative emission technologies) or carbon negative actions that can absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as in the diagram above. Basically, adequate scale or capacity is needed so that climate change mitigation efforts can run effectively and efficiently. The convenience, cost and additional benefits of the above technology applications will affect their implementation. Of the six NETs, ​​biochar has the fastest development, this is because biochar can meet the above factors. Scientific and public interest in Biochar began to grow in the early 2010s and has grown rapidly since then. The initial focus of biochar research was on terra preta (black earth) and soil improvement. And now it has expanded into various fields, including in the context of industry and construction.

The vast area of ​​degraded land reaching tens or even hundreds of millions of hectares in Indonesia can be improved by using biochar. Moreover, the potential for biomass waste that can be utilized is also very large, tens of millions of tons or even more and the need for food (even bioenergy) also continues to increase. Gradual and sustainable efforts to improve the land need to be started immediately. Soil improvement, as well as efforts to manage biomass waste, energy production and become a climate solution with NET are effective simultaneous efforts. This is the appeal of biochar so that it should be a leading program for various industries that are concerned with food and energy security, the environment, decarbonization, climate and sustainability. This is also so that forest clearing for food estates can be avoided if biochar is chosen as a solution. 

The question is how can this biochar immediately become a solution and be implemented massively? Increasing awareness of the benefits of biochar is the entry point. Furthermore, soil improvement as a real action is followed by carbon credit or can be done simultaneously to become the fastest entry point for the biochar industry in Indonesia. This is in addition to carbon credits with biochar or biochar carbon removal (BCR) credits that have been applied globally, carbon credits are also one of the main drivers of the growth of the biochar industry globally. Even globally, BCR credits are ranked first or more than 90% in Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) recorded in cdr.fyi.

If We Don’t Cut Emissions, Creating Carbon Sinks is Irrelevant

The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is already high so it must be reduced to save the earth. Efforts to reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere apparently cannot simply absorb CO2 from the atmosphere (carbon capture and storage). Maximizing the absorption of atmospheric CO2 but on the other hand CO2 emissions continue to increase, it will be very difficult (read: impossible) to reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, let alone to a certain target agreed upon by the global community. So what makes sense is that CO2 emissions are not increased again so that the concentration does not increase further and existing CO2 is reduced to a certain level as targeted.

In practice, the production of wood chips and wood pellets as carbon neutral renewable fuels will complement each other with biochar. Wood chips and wood pellets do not add CO2 emissions and biochar absorbs CO2 as a carbon sink (carbon sequestration) or carbon negative. The application of biochar as part of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is currently developing the fastest compared to other CO2 reduction efforts (CDR / Carbon Dioxide Removal). Biochar leads in CDR credits in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), namely with more than 90% globally in 2023 as stated in the cdr.fyi database. From this data, it is estimated that at least 350 thousand tons of biochar have been produced globally in 2023 with an estimated 600,000 units or more of CDR credits (Carbon Credit).

And as in Europe, namely in 2023 there are a total of 48 new biochar plants, installed and operating, although 7 plants are closed, but a total of 41 biochar plants or an estimated total of 171 biochar plants are operating. And in 2024 there are an estimated 51 new biochar plants in Europe or in 2024 the total number of biochar plants is estimated to grow to more than 220 units. In terms of biochar volume, there is an estimated increase of 75,000 tons in 2023 and in 2024 the increase in production to 115,000 tons. Electricity production with 100% biomass fuel and equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS) devices will also absorb CO2 or carbon negative, but this method is expensive and slow to develop. While biomass and coal cofiring because the cofiring ratio is small, efforts to reduce CO2 emissions are not too significant but cofiring is indeed the easiest entry point for using renewable energy in , especially in the energy or power generation sector (coal power plants). And in the end, creating a carbon sink, but the emission source is not reduced (cut), then it is the same as a lie or an irrelevant effort.

Biochar or Biocoal Production?

Biochar and biocoal production are basically one breath. Biochar production with full pyrolysis while biocoal with half/mild pyrolysis (torrefaction). The purpose of torrefaction/mild pyrolysis is to increase its energy content and make it hydrophobic so it is called biocoal. While the purpose of full pyrolysis is to produce stable biocarbon material so that it does not decompose in the soil for hundreds or even thousands of years and improve soil fertility so as to increase plant productivity (agriculture and forestry). 

Current biochar applications are mainly for agriculture and biochar production will produce excess heat, syngas and biooil as energy sources. While biocoal only focuses on energy. The benefits of biochar production are obtained from the sale of biochar, the sale of carbon credits and the utilization of by-products (full) pyrolysis. While the benefits of biocoal are only from the sale of biocoal itself.

The selection or development of a business will be related to business readiness (market, technology, investment, etc.) and other benefits, namely benefits in the social and environmental sectors. 

The Urgency of a Justice Energy Transition

A Muslim from the United States (US) who is also an environmental activist, Ibrahim Abdul Matin (2012), in his book Green Deen: What Islam Teaches about Protecting the Planet calls renewable energy as energy from heaven. According to him, energy from heaven is energy that comes from above, namely that energy is not extracted (dug up) from within the earth, and can be renewed (renewable). "Extraction causes imbalance (causes climate change), while energy from above is like from heaven."

And so in the carbon perspective when carbon as an energy source comes from (extraction) in the earth, namely fossil energy (petroleum, coal, natural gas) then it contributes to increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, or the term carbon positive, while if it comes from plants (biomass) which because it comes from the process of photosynthesis then it does not increase the concentration of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, or the term carbon neutral. Energy sources that come from the sun, wind and water are also included in the carbon neutral energy sources. Meanwhile, if the carbon source from plants (biomass) from photosynthesis, then it can be stored (carbon sequestration) for hundreds or even thousands of years then it will reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, or the term carbon negative.

Even more specifically related to coal mining, the fatwa of Muhammadiyah, one of the largest Islamic mass organizations in Indonesia, stated that the four main problems of coal mining in Indonesia are (a). environmental damage; (b). regulations that are not based on justice and welfare; (c) neglect of the rights of communities around the mine, and (d) mining business as a political tool. If the fatwa is used as a basis for policy and motivation in a just energy transition, environmental damage can be minimized.

Currently, to reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, decarbonization efforts are being carried out, namely reducing or replacing the use of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. The production of biomass fuels such as wood chips, wood pellets, wood briquettes and so on is in the context of decarbonization. Likewise, the production of biochar, then the carbon can be stored for a very long time (carbon sequestration) is starting to be widely carried out today. Even the application of biochar is also used to improve the condition of damaged or less fertile soils so that agricultural or plant productivity will increase. In this context, biochar can even be used to overcome the food shortage crisis, for more details read here.

Renewable energy sources come from plants (bio-energy) which is also in line with QS. Yaasin (36): 80. To produce these energy sources such as tree trunks, fruits, seeds or other parts of the plant, plants carry out photosynthesis. In addition to water and carbon dioxide (CO2), this photosynthesis process requires sunlight. The sun is very important as a source of energy for living things, especially for plants. The sun is a very abundant source of energy, free and will not run out except when the apocalypse arrives. The word sun is mentioned 25 times in the Qur'an and is one of the names of the chapters that Allah immortalized in the Qur'an. This shows that Allah wants to give a sign that there is something that needs to be explored by humans through asy-shams or the sun. Plants through the process of photosynthesis will store energy from the sun in the form of its biomass and this is likened to a battery. This green battery of plants can be used as a very large source of energy, for more details read here.

Regarding the action to mitigate climate change, the role of Islamic scholars can be very important. Even a survey conducted by Purpose and the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) said that the role of Islamic scholars in this action has the highest influence or level of trust compared to other groups (including environmental activists, government and scientists). And even the results of the National Climate survey also show that legislative members are in last place in terms of public trust. Efforts to prosper or manage the earth according to Allah's command, namely Q.S. Hud: 61 and this is indeed also the duty of humans as Allah's caliphs on earth or on this planet (Q.S. Al-Baqarah: 30) so that the management of the earth must be based on Islamic teachings or values. While the concept of western secularization has resulted in its perspective, namely that humans have dominance over the earth, not as its managers, which is the Islamic view. Muslims must be guardians or managers of the earth, for the sake of their environment and most importantly for the sake of Allah SWT's command.

Although Islam teaches its followers to maintain or manage the earth or caliphate on this planet. And that they will be held accountable by Allah for their actions, but the fact is that the world's inaction continues despite the declaration of Muslim countries in 2015 to play an active role in combating climate change. This certainly has a negative impact on the global climate problem. Concern and real action on this climate should be increased along with efforts to increase faith and piety and mastery of science and technology, especially coupled with a number of natural disasters due to climate change. Gradual energy transition or migration is one solution. Muslim countries should have an advantage in the climate race. They have a framework and belief system that mandates the protection of the earth and its natural resources.

From Carbon Neutral to Carbon Negative : Development of Batteries, Wood Pellets, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Biochar

Research to develop large capacity batteries continues to be carried out so that electricity produced from renewable energy power plants such as wind and solar can be stored and used at any time. Electricity generation that comes from wind and sun is intermittent, that is, at any time the wind may not blow or there will be thick clouds or at night so there is no sunlight and electricity cannot be produced. In this condition, it is necessary to use a large capacity battery that can store this electricity. It is predicted that the development of this battery will not only require large costs but will also take a long time. It is predicted that it will take several decades for this battery to become a reality.

The current electricity supply, the majority of which still uses fossil fuels, especially coal, which has been proven to be environmentally unfriendly (carbon positive), needs to continue to be reduced and the portion of renewable energy in the form of wood pellets (carbon neutral) added by cofiring. The portion or ratio of cofiring can continue to be increased and can even be 100% using wood pellets (fulfiring). If the coal power plant can be changed 100% to a biomass or wood pellet fueled power plant, the power plant will become environmentally friendly or carbon neutral. And at a time when renewable energy sources are abundant and the electrical energy products can be stored in large capacity batteries, it is possible that power plants using combustion technology could be closed or stopped.

The use of wood pellets can be said to be an intermediate solution before the battery era. Large capacity wood pellet production will ideally use energy plantations as a supplier or source of raw materials. Fast rotation crops and plantations from legume groups such as calliandra and gliricidae are the right choice for these energy plantationns. Energy plantations themselves can act as carbon sinks or absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. With good management so that the volume of biomass or wood harvested is smaller or maximum equal to the plant growth rate, the function of energy plantations as carbon sinks continues to be maintained. Using wood pellets as carbon neutral fuel while managing energy plantations as a carbon sink or negative carbon provides optimal environmental benefits.

 

The use of 100% biomass fuel in power plants is carbon neutral, the same as the use of renewable energy from wind, water and sun. However, the use of biomass energy, especially wood pellets, is not intermittent and is always available when needed. Using batteries will be a solution to the intermittent problem. This 100% biomass fueled power plant can become carbon negative when using CCS (carbon capture and storage) devices. And this is very good because it can return the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere back to the bowels of the earth (carbon negative). And when coal power plants are installed with CCS devices, they will become carbon neutral. However, the CCS device is still very expensive and its operation is also not cheap.

And when the battery era arrives so that electricity generation using combustion technology is closed or stopped, the wood from the energy plantations that have been created will be used as raw material for biochar. It is possible that the wood from these energy plantations is still made into wood pellets to save transportation costs and make handling easier and then taken to pyrolysis facilities for biochar production. Biochar used in agriculture has dual benefits, namely improving soil quality and as a carbon sink. Using biochar with fertilizer will create slow release fertilizer, thereby increasing NUE (nutrient use efficiency) for plants, thereby saving fertilizer costs and reducing environmental pollution. Biochar is able to last or not decompose for hundreds of years or is permanent in the soil. The more biochar used, the more benefits it will provide for soil fertility and climate. Biochar as a carbon sink or carbon sequestration is also carbon negative. Energy plantations with good management will become carbon sinks and the biochar is also a carbon sink in the form of carbon sequestration, of course this provides the most optimal climate benefits.