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.

Slow-Release Fertilizer: A New Trend in the Palm Oil Industry

Fertilizer is crucial for plant growth, especially for palm oils. Palm oil trees won't even bear fruit without fertilization. Fertilization is the highest cost component of palm oil plantation operations. Fertilizer efficiency is clearly a key consideration. This is why innovation in palm oil fertilization is rapidly developing.

Regarding innovations to increase fertilizer efficiency in palm oil plantations, the concept of slow-release fertilizer (SRF), or controlled-release fertilizer (CRF), is gaining increasing attention. By engineering the slow or controlled release of nutrients, the plant's nutrient use efficiency (NUE) increases. Fertilizer becomes more economical and environmental pollution is reduced. Indonesia's tropical climate, with its high rainfall, also results in high fertilizer leaching.

Several materials have been developed as SRF/CRF agents to achieve the desired nutrient release levels. These include polymers, sulfur, chemical compounds, and even compost. The characteristics of SRF/CRF agents vary depending on the material and product type. In addition to performance, the price of the SRF/CRF agent is also an important consideration.

Biochar is a renewable SRF/CRF agent and a climate solution. Biochar can persist for hundreds of years in the soil as a carbon sequestration. In addition to synthetic materials derived from non-renewable sources, biochar is an alternative SRF/CRF agent derived from renewable sources. Biomass from agricultural, plantation, and forestry waste is the main source of biochar production through the pyrolysis process. A number of SRF/CRFs with slow-release biochar agents have also begun production. This will increase biochar production, which has so far been less popular. It will also provide a solution to the biomass waste problem and be economically valuable. 

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. 

Biochar and Premium Compost Production from Organic Waste Processing

Biochar and compost production both use organic materials. The difference lies in their compatibility level. Wet, nutrient-rich organic materials with little lignin are more suitable for compost production. Dry, lignin-rich organic materials are more suitable for biochar production. Therefore, sorting these organic materials is necessary to achieve optimal results. With organic waste comprising up to 60% of municipal waste, the raw material requirements for both biochar and compost production are estimated to be substantial.

Biochar production is a thermal process, while compost production is a biological process. A biochar production unit, a pyrolysis unit, can be installed adjacent to and integrated with a compost production unit at municipal waste treatment facilities and similar facilities. The biochar product is then used to produce compost, improving the quality of the compost to premium compost and accelerating composting times. For more details, read here. Premium compost can also be sold at a higher price commensurate with its quality. Excess energy from biochar production or pyrolysis operations can be utilized in the waste processing of RDF fractions or others. 

The production potential of this premium compost is enormous. This makes it suitable for use on critical land from post-mining reclamation, which covers millions of hectares, or even hundreds of millions of hectares of degraded drylands. When premium compost is applied to unproductive or less productive land, it becomes fertile. For example, revegetation of post-mining reclaimed land will yield a variety of agricultural or plantation products that are economically, environmentally, and socially beneficial. Biochar, with its high carbon content, will persist in the soil for hundreds of years and, as a carbon sequestration measure, can be offset by earning carbon credits. 

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.

Biochar for Energy Plantations

The low productivity of wood from energy plantations is one of the obstacles to the development of energy plantations. Although energy plantation plants such as calliandra can grow on marginal or critical lands, the quality of the soil affects the productivity of the wood produced. This makes it important to improve the quality of the soil of these energy plantations so that they can produce optimal plant productivity. Biochar can be an effective solution for this. Biomass waste that pollutes the environment can be used for biochar production or wood products from these energy plantations can be partly used for biochar production.

Biochar and energy plantations are two positive things for climate solutions. Energy plantations for the production of carbon neutral biomass fuels such as wood pellets, while biochar is to improve soil quality, save fertilizer use and so on and as carbon sequestration / carbon sinks that are carbon negative. The biochar solution for energy plantations will maximize CO2 reduction and sustainability efforts. The vastness of energy plantations is because they are pursuing the target of producing biomass fuel quantities which are comparable to land use and also comparable to the use of biochar. This is so that industrial-scale biochar production is needed to support this, read more details here. The more damaged the land or critical lands are, the greater the need for biochar. And the production of large-capacity biochar has the opportunity to get carbon credit or BCR (Biochar Carbon Removal) credit which can be a driving force for the growth of biochar industries.

Critical and marginal lands should be prioritized as energy plantation lands. This will not only restore land quality but will also provide added value to land use and efforts to prevent disasters. Land legality is also an important concern. Land must be clear and clean, meaning free from disputes so that it does not cause problems in the future. Furthermore, industrial forest plantation land (HTI) which is indeed in accordance with its designation as a production forest can also be used for energy plantation land. How damaged or degraded the land is will determine how much biochar is used. Meanwhile, the creation of energy plantations from land conversion from protected forests / conservation forests to production forests should be prohibited, because instead of saving the environment, it will actually have a greater negative impact on the environment. So opening forest land (deforestation) for energy plantations is not recommended at all.

Urgency of Biochar Production Industrial Capacity

The provision or application of biochar to agricultural land follows the 4Rs rule, namely the right source (appropriate biochar raw material), right place (appropriate application area), right rate (appropriate dosage) and right timing (appropriate time). The physical and chemical properties of biochar differ depending on the raw material and production process. By following the 4R rules, biochar performance can be maximized. The effect of biochar on plants will be clearly visible (significant) when the 4R rules are met. With a dose / rate reaching 20 tons / ha (depending on the influencing condition factors), the need for biochar is also large. This is why biochar products are rarely sold online, namely because of the large volume.

Unlike soil amendments such as compost, the effects of biochar can be felt for quite a long time or for several types of agricultural crops, namely not only in one planting season, but repeatedly. This also makes the provision or application of biochar not as frequent as compost. And in the end, of course, the economic aspect is a determining parameter whether biochar makes agricultural businesses more profitable or not. The price of biochar on the market is an important concern for users or farmers.

The lack of biochar production in Indonesia is currently a barrier to biochar application in large agricultural lands, even when farmers' awareness of biochar is also increasing. This is the driving force for the importance of adequate biochar production, especially industrial capacity. Only with adequate biochar production can biochar application in agricultural lands or degraded lands be carried out optimally. The urgency of industrial capacity biochar production is even greater, especially when the biochar production also gets carbon credit, of course this will be even more interesting.

Biochar and Food & Energy Security

As the population increases, so does the need for food and energy. This is why food and energy production must also be increased. Increasing food production is closely related to the quality and quantity of land. However, although the quantity of land is very large, its quality tends to decline so that plant productivity automatically also decreases. The decline in land quality or land damage occurs on very large areas of land up to millions of hectares. With the area of ​​sub-optimal and degraded lands reaching hundreds of millions of hectares consisting of 122.1 million hectares of dry land; 8 million hectares of post-mining land; 24.3 million hectares of critical land; a total of around 154.4 million ha, it can be said that the potential loss of food products also reaches millions of tons. Meanwhile, damaged land will be further damaged if no repair efforts are made. Efforts to upgrade or improve the quality of this land should be an important priority in efforts to achieve food and energy security.

Biochar application is a solution for improving these lands. Raw materials for biochar production are also very abundant, including dry palm oil EFB of around 30 million tons/year, bagasse of 2 million tons/year, corn cobs of 5 million tons/year, cassava stalks of 3 million tons/year, waste wood of 50 million tons/year, rice husks of 15 million tons/year, cocoa shells and so on. With the application of biochar, agricultural productivity can increase by an average of 20% or even up to 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 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. But why until now has biochar not received attention and been used as a solution?

In addition, biochar production with pyrolysis will also produce a number of by-products that can be used for energy applications or others, as in the diagram above. Many agro-industries require drying in their production processes, so this is an additional advantage of using pyrolysis technology for biochar production. While from the environmental aspect, biochar is also a carbon sequestration so that it is a climate solution and can get carbon credit. Likewise in waste management, because the raw material for biochar is biomass waste from agriculture, plantations and forestry, even from organic waste, the pyrolysis and biochar business is also a solution to this problem.

Optimizing Pyrolysis and Biochar in the Palm Oil Industry

Indonesia's CPO production currently 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 (deforestation) for palm oil plantations.

The average speed of Indonesian palm oil plantation area is 6.5% per year or equivalent to about 1 million hectares per year for the last 5 years, while the increase in palm oil fruit production or FFB (fresh fruit bunches) is only 11% on average. Even the largest expansion of palm oil land occurred in 2017, which increased by 2.8 million hectares. By opening 1 million hectares of forest, national CPO production only increased by 11%, while without the need to open forests, namely with the application of biochar, there could be a 20% increase in productivity. And the 20% increase in FFB yield (fresh fruit bunches) using biochar is a low estimate.

With the number of palm oil mills in Indonesia reaching more than 1000 units and tens of millions of tons of biomass waste, especially empty palm fruit bunches (EFB), the volume of biochar production produced is certainly very large. In addition, pyrolysis technology can replace combustion technology which is generally used in palm oil mills to produce steam for electricity production and sterilization of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) in CPO production. With pyrolysis raw materials using palm oil tankos and being able to replace palm kernel shells, 100% of palm kernel shells (PKS) can be sold or exported. The sale of palm kernel shells or PKS (palm kernel shells) will certainly provide additional attractive benefits for the palm oil company. Palm kernel shells or PKS are the main competitors of wood pellets in the global biomass market.

In addition, the use of biochar also saves fertilizer use and the highest operational cost on oil palm plantations is fertilizer so this is very relevant. Tens of billions of costs spent on fertilizer can be reduced by using biochar, especially since the biochar comes from its own waste so that it will automatically become a solution for biomass waste management. Including biopesticides and liquid organic fertilizers can also be produced from the pyrolysis process. Carbon credit is the next business potential. This is because the application of biochar to the soil for agriculture or plantations is an effort for carbon sequestration / carbon sink.

The benefits that can be obtained from this biochar carbon credit are also large, even globally biochar carbon credit ranks first or more than 90% in Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) recorded in cdr.fyi. However, there are indeed many large biochar producers who do not sell their carbon credits because of the methodological requirements of standard carbon companies such as Puro Earth and Verra, and these biochar producers are comfortable with their biochar sales business, especially since these producers have existed (established) since before carbon credits were available for biochar. 

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.

Maximizing the Rate of CO2 Absorption from the Atmosphere Based on Biomass

Maximizing the rate of CO2 absorption from the atmosphere is very important considering the rate of addition of CO2 concentration to the atmosphere is not comparable to the rate of CO2 absorption. This is what makes the CO2 concentration continue to increase. To balance this speed, a strategy is needed to increase the rate of CO2 absorption. The use of biomass will be very effective and provide multiple benefits for human life. 

CO2 from the atmosphere needs to be captured through biomass production through the process of photosynthesis in plants. Fast-growing species of plants that have high photosynthesis rates are needed for this. Furthermore, biomass, especially wood from fast-growing species of plants, is used as raw material for biochar. Furthermore, biochar is used to improve soil fertility (soil amendment) in various types of agricultural and forestry plants.

Biochar production with slow pyrolysis will also produce excess heat, syngas and biooil that can be used as energy sources. The benefits of biochar production will be obtained from the sale of biochar, the sale of carbon credits and the use of slow pyrolysis by-products. With conditions like this, efforts to increase the speed of CO2 absorption from the atmosphere should be increased. How fast and how much CO2 volume can be absorbed will depend on the type of fast growing species used, the area of ​​planting and the capacity of biochar production. 

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.

Upgrading the Palm Oil Industry in Indonesia

With Indonesia's palm oil plantation area reaching around 15 million hectares and palm oil mills reaching 1000 units, efforts to upgrade the palm oil industry are important and strategic. Indonesia's palm oil or CPO production per year is around 46 million tons (while Malaysia is in second place at around 19 million tons/year). Efforts to upgrade the palm oil industry will increase productivity/efficiency, sustainability and encourage the creation of new products/markets as well as added value for palm oil. Things that can be upgraded include a number of key areas including bioenergy, biomaterials and oleochemicals, food and feed, soil fertility (land, soil and cultivation), post-harvest and processing, waste processing and the environment as well as socio-economics, management and business.

One concrete thing that can be done is the production of biochar from palm oil mill waste, especially empty fruit bunches (EFB) and palm fiber (mesocarp fiber). Biochar production by pyrolysis will produce excess energy (syngas & biooil) which can be used as boiler fuel in palm oil mills. Furthermore, the application of biochar with fertilizer on palm oil plantations will become slow release fertilizer (SRF), thereby increasing nutrient use efficiency (NUE). The condition of many oil palm plantations on acidic soil will also increase in pH when biochar is applied.

In palm oil plantation operations, fertilizer is the highest cost component so that if you can increase fertilizer efficiency it will provide significant benefits. The use of biochar is the solution, namely SRF. SRF also minimizes environmental pollution due to the use of fertilizer. Meanwhile, in palm oil mill operations, energy is a vital component, and if this can maximize the use of waste that has no economic value, it will certainly be very economical apart from of course overcoming environmental problems caused by this waste. Currently, palm oil mills use palm fiber (mesocarp fiber) and some palm kernel shells (PKS/palm kernel shell) for boiler materials, while generally the empty fruit bunches (EFB) have not been used, even though these palm kernel shells (PKS) can be sold directly and sell well. This means that if the energy source only comes from palm fiber (mesocarp fiber) and empty fruit bunches (EFB), 100% of the palm kernel shells (PKS) can be sold. This can be done by pyrolysis.

Biochar in the soil can last hundreds or even thousands of years. Biochar which comes from agricultural waste such as empty fruit bunches (EFB) and palm fiber (mesocarp fiber) will become a carbon sink through carbon sequestration, so that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is reduced as long as the biochar is not decomposed. From a climate perspective, this is very beneficial and later you can get compensation in the form of carbon credits. A number of standards and verification methods to facilitate monetization are currently being developed.

Empty fruit bunches (EFB) and palm fiber (mesocarp fiber) are waste from palm oil mills, whereas biochar is applied in palm oil plantations. Management in the palm oil industry generally separates the mill division and the plantation division, so new management methods are needed if biochar production using pyrolysis is carried out. Apart from using biochar for core plantations (managed by palm oil company), it can also be used for plasma plantations (managed by farmer).