Firelog Igniter Briquette, a Unique and Specific Product for Wood Briquette Users

The use of biomass fuels for space heating has been around for a long time, from simple open fireplaces to automated stoves equipped with IoT (Internet of Things). From firewood collected from forests to the use of wood pellets and (on a smaller scale) wood briquettes. The driving forces related to decarbonization, climate change, and the environment also play a strong role in the use of biomass fuels, especially wood pellets. Premium-grade wood pellets are an option for space heating with a very low ash content of less than 1%, known as A1/A2 pellets. For more details, read here, as well as for wood briquettes (consumer briquettes). The main difference between wood pellets and wood briquettes is their size, and sometimes their shape, and their production technology is also more diverse than wood pellets. For more details, read here.

For wood briquette (consumer briquette), there are various stoves that can use it, but generally, any stove or oven that uses firewood can use it. Because firewood is no longer readily available in Europe, many people purchase wood briquette from vendors who typically also sell stoves or ovens. In Europe, wood briquette is sold directly to buyers on pallets or through supermarkets.

The size of briquettes makes it difficult to light them directly with a match. Typically, they are lit in a separate place (firestarter), using small twigs or breaking the briquettes to make them ignite more easily. However, this is considered difficult and impractical. This is why innovations have emerged in the form of briquettes enriched with paraffin, making them easy to ignite as starters for briquette stoves. These briquettes (igniter briquettes) can be easily lit with a match and are more practical. Currently, paraffin is generally derived from petroleum, making it a fossil fuel. To be more in line with the aforementioned decarbonization and climate change initiatives, paraffin sources should also be renewable, such as from plants. HRBDPS, or hydrogenated RBD palm stearin, derived from or derived from palm oil, can be a substitute for paraffin from this fossil source.

Greening the Desert with Bamboo

Beautifying the city or public facilities is increasingly prevalent today. In addition to adding beauty so that residents or the community increasingly like it, beautifying the city and public facilities is also designed to function to add freshness to the air and shade, namely by greening it with suitable plants. Cities or public facilities that are hot and arid because there are no leafy plants are certainly not attractive. Moreover, a city that will be built in a desert area, greening is absolutely necessary.

Bamboo is an adaptive plant that can even be planted in marginal lands including desert lands. And because of the need to beautify the city, ornamental bamboo species are more suitable. There are a number of ornamental bamboo species that can be an option. The beauty factor related to plant design and the city layout concept is a consideration for the selection of these ornamental bamboo species. And this bamboo planting can be done massively, especially for large desert areas so that it is green and beautiful. It is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia that will make a futuristic city in desert land costing around $ 500 billion even with the Saudi Green Initiave (SGI) program which intends to fight climate change targeting planting 10 billion trees throughout Saudi Arabia so that the use of bamboo can be an option interesting. Saudi Arabia is currently economically dependent on the oil and gas sector 56% with a vision of 2030 also reducing dependence on its oil and gas sector and pursuing the success of the UAE which is only 34%.

Compared to ASEAN countries, namely trade and investment cooperation with Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, the three countries in ASEAN surpass Indonesia and these Middle Eastern countries. The performance of Indonesia's investment and trade cooperation relations is indeed concerning compared to the three countries in ASEAN. Indonesia still fails to identify opportunities with a country that has the purchasing power and economic capability that has the highest income in the world. The oil and gas and non-oil and gas trade deficit between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia reached 60%. Supplying the need for bamboo seeds as well as creating plantations can be one of the efforts to reduce the trade deficit.

Meanwhile, if the goal is to green the desert or barren areas for the production of biomass as industrial raw material, then the choice of bamboo species is also different for the purpose of beauty of the city. Specific bamboo species can be selected for this purpose. The factors of altitude, the type of industry to be made are several things for selecting the type of bamboo to be planted or used for example for bioenergy or biomaterials. Wood-based industries in general can be replaced with bamboo.

Biochar to Improve Soil Fertility, Fuel, Industrial Raw Materials or Climate Solutions?

Currently there are still a lot of agricultural wastes (corn stalks, soybean plants, soybean shells and so on) that have not been utilized so that they pollute the environment. Utilizing these wastes so that they become useful products that provide added value is the best solution. What kind of utilization or processing is the best solution for utilizing these wastes? This of course depends on a number of influencing factors such as market readiness, availability and continuity of supply of biomass waste, especially agricultural wastes, technological readiness including technology investment, profits and business continuity, infrastructure and human resources (HR). Production of biochar or charcoal from biomass waste could be the best option. But indeed biochar or charcoal is multifunctional or can be used for a number of uses. Then the question is the use of biochar for what field gives the best results or benefits?

The biochar production is carried out using slow pyrolysis technology. With this technology biochar production can be optimal both in quality and quantity. It is different when using fast pyrolysis technology which produces biooil product or liquid product as the main product, with much less biochar product. Or if you use gasification technology where the main product is gas, so that the proportion of biochar is smaller or it can be considered as a side product, then this will also be less than optimal. These things make choosing the right technology an important thing to be able to give optimal results.

The production of biochar for agriculture has also not become a trend among farmers in Indonesia, so that much of their agricultural waste is not utilized and even pollutes the environment. Another influencing factor is the condition of the agricultural land itself. Dominant and excessive use of chemical fertilizers has damaged agricultural lands so that agricultural productivity continues to decline. And efforts to improve the soil require effort that is not easy and quick so that the fertility of the soil can be restored (recovery) and continues to be maintained for the long term. The combination of using organic materials with certain techniques needs to be done to achieve this. Biochar can also be used to make the use of organic matter more efficient, such as reducing leaching and increasing soil microbial activity. With the increased efficiency of this technique due to the use of biochar, it also minimizes input so that production costs can be further reduced. The integration of agriculture and animal husbandry is a must in order to obtain an adequate supply of organic matter, the quality is maintained and sustainable. Whereas in acid and dry soils, the use of biochar will have a more significant effect.

The use of biochar as an ingredient, especially for bbq and cooking as well as other uses, namely as a reducing agent in steel making. There are not too many uses for BBQ, this is processing or cooking food on a BBQ basis only as a hobby or only for special community segments. And there isn't much biochar for cooking either, or this is more common in Africa, while in Indonesia the option of using firewood or LPG is more common. Likewise, the need for biochar as a reducing agent in steel making is also not much. Meanwhile, the use of biochar for industrial fuels such as boiler fuel and electricity generation is almost non-existent. This is because the production process takes longer (requires a carbonization process), the conversion from biomass to biochar is small (~25%), and the price of biochar is more expensive. Wood pellets and palm kernel shells (PKS) are more of an option for these industrial fuels.

Biochar can also be used as a raw material for various industrial goods for human needs or for the substitution of materials derived from fossils (such as oil and gas) into more environmentally friendly and renewable materials. Materials such as plastic can be replaced with biochar. Particle board, which usually still uses wood waste, can also be replaced with biochar. This trend has not yet occurred, but it is predicted that soon it will become a concern and even a new trend in the industry.

Biochar for climate solutions is likely to become a trend soon. CO2 from the atmosphere is converted into biomass by plants, converted into biochar and stored (sequestration), especially in the soil. The carbon stored in the biochar will not be released into the atmosphere because biochar does not decompose for hundreds or even thousands of years or can be stored permanently. In principle, this is like storing carbon (CO2) with a conservation forest so that it becomes a carbon sink. Trees or plants will absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and be maintained in such a way as to achieve the desired CO2 uptake target then compensated with carbon credits, as well as biochar, how much carbon can be stored (sequestration) then also compensated with these carbon credits. In practice, the use of biochar will be optimal with efforts to enrich the soil on damaged or problematic soils such as post-mining soil, acid soil and diseased soil due to an overdose of chemical fertilizers. Carbon sinks with biochar are easier and cheaper than the carbon capture and storage (CCS) method with CO2 stored beneath in the earth's layers.

To reduce the temperature of the earth by reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases. To reduce 1 ppm of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is equivalent to absorbing about 15 gigatonnes of CO2. Meanwhile, the costs needed to mitigate major climate change disasters are estimated at USD 1.6 trillion to USD 3.8 trillion each year. To reach the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere to 350 ppm, around 70,000 biochar the size of the Giza pyramids is needed, assuming that fossil fuels are discontinued. With a volume of the Giza pyramids of 2.6 million m3 and an average biochar density of 200 kg/m3, biochar the size of the Giza pyramids weighs 520 million kg or 520 thousand tons. Huge job of course. Biochar production must grow 5000 times from its current production capacity. With biochar the size of a unit of the pyramids of Giza we need to build 4 pyramids per day (about 2 million tonnes of biochar per day) for the next 100 years and starting now.

Bioeconomy in Ex-Coal Mining Land

Bioeconomy is defined as knowledge-based production and uses biological resources or living things to produce products, processes, and services in the economic sector within the framework of a sustainable economic system.

Coal which is a fossil energy with bioeconomy seems to be two contradictory thing. In practice, however, this may not be the case. After the coal deposit is extracted from the bowels of the earth, the land should be reclaimed so that it can be used for bioeconomy. Moreover, in the future era or era of decarbonization, the use of coal will also begin to be reduced due to its bad influence on climate change and global warming. A number of countries have prepared systematic plans for reducing the use of coal and in the future to not use it at all. Indonesia itself is a coal producing country with the third rank in the world (after China and India) with more than 550 million tons of production, which is the largest source of state revenue from the mining sector as well as many environmental problems due to the exploitation of the coal. The ex-coal land should be reclaimed so that it can be used again for productive activities such as agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry. Soil conditions after exploitation should be at least the same as before the coal exploitation. With its tropical climate, the bioeconomic programs should also be easier to carry out.

We are required to continue to learn so that we understand the changing circumstances, then understand the core of the problem so that we can do the best, including providing solutions. Sometimes a problem can be solved quickly, but on the other hand a problem needs a long and continuous solution. Factors of religion, politics, economy and natural conditions are a number of things that influence these changes. The problems of climate change and demographics are examples of problems facing humanity globally today and require gradual and long-term solutions. For the problem of climate change, in particular, a number of efforts have been made and seem to be getting more intensive lately.

In the future era, the combination of economic activities that are environmentally sound, but also capable of providing good economic growth or bioeconomy, with its premise on the safety of the earth, will greatly color human life. The high awareness of environmental problems distinguishes it from the exploitative economy of the past that left massive environmental damage. The financial economy or the financial sector but does not have an impact on the real sector, clearly does not provide benefits, even has repeatedly caused crises or has been proven to damage the economy itself. In more practical terms, the financial sector economy does not create new jobs. The food, energy and human goods sectors must be produced in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. For example, bioenergy as the best energy source must be continuously encouraged and improved, for a detailed explanation, read here.

Post-coal mining land is very minimal in nutrients and even acidic, so it needs preparation in the form of special treatment before being used for various purposes. This process can't be fast but also not too long, in a matter of 2-3 years the land should have been able to be used with the condition of the land or soil in good condition even better than before the coal mining activity. In addition to improving the physical and chemical structure of the soil, it is also necessary to add nutrients from organic matter. The use of biochar with its characteristics will be able to improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, even with the addition of organic matter it will also fertilize the soil better. The biochar will also be able to last for hundreds of years, unlike organic materials that may need to be added periodically to maintain soil fertility. The best organic material for post-coal mining is livestock manure. This makes livestock ideally suited to be integrated into the post-mining reclamation program.

With a land area of ​​​​millions of hectares, the recovery of the post-coal land will provide environmental, economic and social benefits. Of course this is very strategic considering the environmental hazards due to environmental damage can bring much greater natural disasters. Livestock especially ruminants will be the best entry point or “weapon” to start the reclamation by using biochar as a multi-benefit material. After the soil is fertile, any activities related to agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry can be carried out optimally. Biochar in addition to soil improvement also absorbs CO2 gas in the atmosphere so that it is very good for productivity and the environment, especially the climate. Climate change has now become a central and global issue in environmental issues and even the existence of the earth so that the policies of countries in the world take it into account. Raw materials for biochar production are also very abundant, both from plantation industrial waste such as palm oil and from forestry.

One of the tasks of human life according to Q.S. Adz Dzariyat 56 that must be carried out is 'Abdullah (a servant of Allah who is always submissive and obedient to His rules and will and only serves Him). The task of human life is also as the caliph of Allah on earth. This can be understood from the word of Allah in Q.S. Al-Baqarah: 30. Man is the noblest creature among other creatures (Surah al-Isra ': 70) and he/she was made by Allah in the best form/event, both physically and psychologically (Surat at-Tin: 5), and equipped with various potential tools and basic potentials (fitrah) that can be developed and actualized as optimally as possible through the educational process. Because of that, it is proper for humans to carry out the task of being the caliph of Allah on earth. The task of man as the caliph of Allah on earth, among others, involves the task of realizing prosperity on earth (Q.S. Hud: 61). Therefore, the task of caliphate is a sacred duty and a mandate from Allah from the first human to humans at the end of the age to come, and is a manifestation of the implementation of devotion to Him ('abdullah).

Furthermore, Allah SWT also mandates humans to re-establish balance in the universe that has been disturbed by justice (Surah 55:8-9). Currently, when the concentration of greenhouse gases continues to increase in the atmosphere so that the earth's temperature increases, it will cause icebergs at the two poles of the earth to melt, raise sea levels, climate change, to change the concentration of the earth's mass point and shift the earth's north pole. The shift in the earth's poles will affect the circulation of the earth to the earth and so will affect the position of the earth in the universe. What happens if these changes continue or even accelerate? The balance of nature is disturbed, the sun rises from the west and at the end there will be a collision between planets and stars in the solar system and the universe, there will be doomsday. Carbon trading is one of the efforts to reduce these greenhouse gases, and as human awareness continues to increase, the price of carbon or the cost of compensating for CO2 gas has increased recently.

To reduce the earth's temperature, namely by reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases. To reduce 1 ppm concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is equivalent to absorbing about 15 gigatons of CO2. Meanwhile, the costs required for mitigating major climate change disasters are estimated at USD 1.6 trillion to USD 3.8 trillion annually. To reach the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere to 350 ppm, it takes about 70,000 biochar the size of the Giza pyramid, assuming that fossil fuels are discontinued. With a Giza pyramid volume of 2.6 million m3 and an average biochar density of 200 kg/m3, the Giza pyramid-sized biochar weighs 520 million kg or 520 thousand tons. Great job of course. Biochar production should grow 5000 times from its current production capacity. With biochar the size of the Giza pyramid unit we need to build 4 pyramids per day (about 2 million tons of biochar per day) for the next 100 years and starting now. And the post-coal mining land is likened to a dead earth, while humans as caliphs on earth are ordered to prosper this earth by fertilizing the soil.

Bioenergy is The Best Energy Source

The best energy source is an energy source that are environmentally friendly, sustainable, non-intermittent, available in almost all locations on earth, easy to use, can meet energy needs for both small and large capacities and support other essential needs of life. This can only be met by bioenergy or energy sources that come from living things, especially plants. Most of the land on earth inhabited by humans is overgrown with plants such as trees as a source of this bioenergy. This certainly does not mean that energy sources must come from bioenergy because if only using bioenergy it is likely that energy shortages will occur, so they must complement each other with other energy sources. Bioenergy itself is only a carbon neutral fuel if managed properly, i.e. the amount used for energy sources is at least the same as the growth of the bioenergy plant. In order to reduce the concentration of CO2 or greenhouse gases or decarbonize the use of bioenergy, especially solid fuels such as wood pellets, wood chips and PKS (palm kernel shell) is very important.

White pellets or Pellets 1.0

A number of countries have gradually and systematically reduced the use of coal to zero for power generations. Countries that still prioritize coal will be isolated from the world arena and could face more pressure to stop this activity. Countries that already have a reduction program to replace coal for power generation, namely Germany announced not to use coal in 2038, the UK even targets to no longer use coal for electricity production starting October 2024. Europe with the Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) renewable energy is targeted to reach 32% by 2030, biomass fuels are predicted to account for around 75% of the share of renewable energy and the target is that coal is not used in total by 2050. North America, namely the United States and Canada as members of the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, and the United States) are also committed to reducing coal consumption, even Canada in 2018 announced regulations to no longer use coal for electricity generation by 2030.

Palm Kernel Shell

The characteristics of each energy source are different from one another. More specifically, renewable energy sources to reduce CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere or decarbonization programs and the position of bioenergy can be explained as follows. The paradigm used to analyze mainly on decarbonization or reduction of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and electricity production as a supporter or second priority. When this paradigm or mindset is used, in a power plant the thing to be analyzed is the reduction in CO2 that occurs as main priority and then the characteristics of the energy source. To complement or fulfill a number of other energy sources such as wind, solar, water and nuclear are used. Among these energy sources, nuclear is not a renewable energy but its use does not produce CO2 emissions or carbon neutral.

Black Pellets or Pellets 2.0

Wind and solar power plants are intermittent (sometimes the wind does not blow or it is cloudy) making it difficult to rely on a stable electricity supply. Indonesia's condition which is in the tropics makes the sun shine all year round, but also as an archipelagic country it makes a lot of cloudiness and high rainfall so that solar power plants are constrained, for more details read here. Meanwhile, hydroelectric power plants that use dams or river flows also have unstable water discharge conditions, during the dry season it will decrease. In addition, environmental damage factors such as deforestation and so on will affect the water discharge. Forests can be a source of bioenergy so that apart from being a conservation forest, it is also a production forest whose management should improve environmental conditions, including water absorption.

Nuclear is one of the most efficient energy sources but has a high risk factor. CO2 emissions are not produced by this nuclear power plant because the energy produced comes from fission and fusion reactions in the reactor. Until now, Indonesia does not have a nuclear power plant, although studies have been carried out for a long time. The idea of ​​a nuclear power plant has actually been around since 1956 in the form of statements in seminars held in several locations in Bandung and Yogyakarta. Determination of the location along with feasibility studies and a number of supporting studies have been carried out until the late 1990s but have not yet been implemented. Meanwhile in Japan after the Fukushima reactor accident in 2011, nuclear power plants were limited. The current nuclear power plant in Japan, in addition to having a smaller capacity, also has a small generating capacity located far from each other to reduce or avoid this risk. In addition, the construction of a nuclear power plant also takes a long time, which is about 10 years. In its application, nuclear as a generator is functioned to support the base load, which can work well when the output power is constant and cannot be used for peak loads.

Electricity from geothermal is a carbon-neutral energy source as well as wind, nuclear, solar and hydro power plants. The development of electricity from geothermal has great potential for the current decarbonization program. Indonesia in particular can be a user of geothermal electricity because it has great potential, even the largest in the world. Indonesia has a series of 6,000 km of volcanoes that are a source of geothermal energy. According to data from the Geology Agency, KESDM, the potential of geothermal resources in Indonesia reaches 28.5 Giga Watt (GW) spread over 265 geothermal fields and is the largest in the world, while only about 5% has been utilized. Unlike hydroelectric power plants that are affected by annual climates such as a decrease in water flow due to drought, geothermal electricity does not experience it. However, geothermal well fields also require water catchment areas around them such as well-managed forests to maintain the stability of electricity production. The production of electricity from geothermal is base-load, i.e. it produces a constant supply as in nuclear. Currently, the main obstacle to the development of geothermal electricity in Indonesia is the need for large investments with high financial risks, especially on the exploration and development side of geothermal fields. In addition to the selling price of electricity to PLN (as the sole buyer) which must be competitive, carbon credit from carbon offsets from geothermal electricity production should also be the main attraction of this geothermal electricity development.

Natural gas although it is a fossil energy so it is carbon positive but is often used because of its cleaner emission factor and lower CO2 emissions than coal. In general, the combustion of gas fuel will be much more efficient than solid fuel. Natural gas emissions are about 50% of coal emissions. Construction for natural gas-fired power plants is relatively fast and cheaper than coal-fired power plants. Power plants with natural gas are often positioned as a compromise between coal and renewable energy, but natural gas is still a fossil fuel, namely as a carbon positive fuel that increases CO2 in the atmosphere thereby increasing the earth's temperature, so natural gas should not be used as fuel or as a fuel. energy sources as a solution to this climate problem.

To overcome intermittent in wind and solar power plants, it is necessary to back up a stable energy source that can be done by bioenergy, especially with solid fuels (wood chips, wood pellets and palm kernel shells). Other problems such as buffering against variability and peak load are other issues that must be addressed. In addition, battery constraints are also a big problem for wind and solar power plants, and to produce as much power as a conventional power plant or coal power plant, a giant battery is needed. The need for giant batteries is still very expensive, and it is estimated that it will take decades of research to realize it. In addition to production forests that can produce bioenergy sources by utilizing their wood wastes, energy plantations will specifically produce wood whose main purpose is as a source of bioenergy. Plants for the energy plantation are fast growing species and short rotation coppice from legume group such as gliricidia and calliandra. In addition to the wood for bioenergy production such as wood chips and wood pellets, the leaves from the tree are also very good for animal feed, especially ruminants, for more details read here. Strong and deep roots also make better water absorption and prevent erosion. In addition, root nodules in legumes due to their symbiosis with azetobacter also fertilize the soil. So, apart from the energy sector and the food sector, environmental issues such as water conservation and erosion prevention can also be carried out simultaneously. In the Qur'an, bioenergy is mentioned in the letter Yaasiin (36): 80 and the letter Waqi'ah (56): 71-72 that energy comes from green trees. From here it gives direction on the development of the energy including the priorities to be taken.

40-megawatt (MW) gas turbine Mitsubishi fueled with 100% ammonia (NH₃)

In an effort to continue to eliminate CO2 (decarbonization) from the atmosphere to a concentration of 350 ppm (currently (7/8/2021) 415 ppm or an increase of about 2 ppm from last year), environmentally friendly energy sources such as hydrogen (H2) and ammonia ( NH3) (blue or green ammonia) continues to be developed. The two energy sources can then be transported long distances like energy commodities commonly. But what is no less important is that the production of energy sources must also minimize and even eliminate (zero carbon) fossil fuels. Hydrogen production through electrolysis of water, the hydrogen produced can be directly stored or reacted with nitrogen to become ammonia (NH3) using a metal catalyst under high temperature and pressure (Haber-Bosch process). The production process with high temperature and pressure is certainly not easy and simple, not to mention providing a source of energy for the production process. Bioenergy is the best energy source.

Energy Plantation in Coal Mine Reclamation, Wood Pellet Factory and Coal Powerplant Cofiring in Indonesia

The extent of ex-coal mining area which reaches around 8 million hectares is an environmental problem itself that needs to be addressed. Energy plantations are an effective solution for the reclamation of the former coal mine land for more details, you can read here. Reclamation of ex-coal mining land is a form of responsibility of the coal mining company. Reclamation should be carried out as well as possible, not only symbolic and ceremonial, so that the effects of environmental damage can be minimized. Efforts to reclaim ex-coal mining land is not an easy thing and requires a lot of time and money, so it is not surprising that many avoid this responsibility. The best solution is to tackle the problem while generating both economic and environmental benefits. The production of wood pellets with wood raw materials from the energy plantation is a surefire solution to overcome this environmental damage as well as economic benefits.

Recently, the government launched a cofiring program for a number of coal powerplants in Indonesia. In 2020 the cofiring program has been initiated with a target of 37 coal powerplants and by the end of 2020 it has been reported that 20 coal powerplants have been implemented. While in total there are 114 units of coal powerplans owned by PLN (Indonesia state owned electricity company) that have the potential for cofiring spread over 52 locations with a total capacity of 18,154 megawatts (MW) with a target completion of 2024. Consisting of 13 coal powerplant locations in Sumatra, 16 coal powerplants locations in Java, Kalimantan (10 locations), Bali and Nusa Tenggara (4 coal powerplants unit), Sulawesi (6 locations) and Maluku and Papua (3 coal powerplant locations). Meanwhile, the cofiring ratio ranges from 1-5% of biomass with an estimated biomass requirement of 9-12 million tons per year. Cofiring is the easiest and cheapest effort for coal powerplant to gradually use renewable energy, especially biomass with main purpose of CO2 reduction. Currently, there is also a national standard for wood pellets (SNI wood pellets) for the purposes of cofiring and for more details, please read here. The use of biomass fuels, especially wood pellets, is a carbon neutral scenario that needs to be continuously improved. The biomass fuel will save the environment and not increase the earth's temperature, for more details read here.

Policies to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, especially coal, also continue to be carried out globally. For Asia, for example, Japan and Korea with their leading Feed in Tariff and Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) in the use of renewable energy, especially wood pellets. While in Europe with the Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) renewable energy is targeted to reach 32% by 2030, biomass fuel is predicted to account for around 75% of the portion of renewable energy and the target is that coal is not used in total by 2050. Germany announced not to use coal in 2038, the UK even targets to no longer use coal for electricity production starting in October 2024. North America, namely the United States and Canada as members of the G7 are also committed to reducing coal consumption, even Canada in 2018 announced regulations to no longer use coal for electricity generation by 2030. On the other hand, the construction of coal power plants financed by China in various countries has failed. In addition, the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the United States) have been aggressively blocking the use of coal. Countries that still support coal use, such as China and Indonesia, are increasingly isolated and could face more pressure to stop the activity.

Leaves as a by-product of the energy plantations have the potential to be used as animal feed. The leaves of this type of legume have a fairly high protein content. The quantity of leaves produced is also large, proportional to the area of ​​the energy plantation. Ideally, the development of energy plantation will support the livestock industry, so that not only energy needs are met but also food needs. As a comparison, the European animal feed producer association, FEFAC, prioritizes protein sources for animal feed from rapeseed energy plantations from a number of efforts to obtain protein sources for animal feed, for more details please read here. The main products of rapeseed energy plantations are oil which is used for biodiesel production, and meal as a by-product of the oil production which is used as a source of animal feed protein. The need for protein sources for animal feed has an important role as nutrition for livestock, especially ruminants. Europe is still very shortage of these protein sources so that imports cannot be avoided. It is estimated that around 48 million tons of feed protein sources are needed by Europe, so there is a chance that leaves from energy plantations can be exported to Europe for this. When the domestic feed industry has not been able to absorb it, export is the best choice.

Water Crisis, Bioeconomy and Climate Change

The water crisis is part of an environmental disaster that greatly affects the lives of all living things including humans. Environmental disasters such as the water crisis also have a cause. The main cause of this is due to environmental damage caused by human hands. If the environment is not maintained, a number of such disasters occur. Victims of the disaster not only affected the perpetrators of environmental destruction but also other communities. Deforestation so that the land becomes barren and arid is the main cause of the water crisis. In the dry season it results in a water crisis and in the rainy season has the potential for floods and landslides. Deforestation and illegal logging in general are closely related to economic interests and ignore environmental aspects.

During the dry season as it is today, many of us encounter areas that are drought and even some areas of forest fires occur. More technically and in detail the drought causes the decrease in the supply of clean water from water sources to decrease, the level of lake water or reservoirs to hold water, the wells to dry up as well as the rivers. A number of regions have even experienced a marked decline in water supply and levels. There is no living creature that can live without water, because water is a vital need for living things, even in the Qur'an it is explained that Allah SWT created living things from water (QS Al-Anbiya, verse 30), the human body itself 70% is water.

So many critical lands, marginal lands, up to idle lands that are not utilized, and these lands will be increasingly damaged such as desertification and the potential to cause various disasters. This should be utilized so that potential disasters can be minimized. Furthermore, these lands should also be able to provide economic benefits so that forest destruction can also be minimized. When the community has been able to be economically independent by utilizing these lands, the protected forest can be well preserved. The solution to environmental problems as well as economic aspects is the right solution and below there are 2 scenarios that can be done, namely first,bamboo plantation for biomaterials and energy plantations for biomass  energy supplies. Aside from deforestation, water crisis is also a result of climate change. The high concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere affects the climate change and the solution of making these plantations as well as a medium to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.

Bamboo as Biomaterial
Bamboo trees are very familiar to almost all people and many people still use bamboo until now. But the use of bamboo is mostly still on a variety of products that have low added value so that it is economically less attractive. Bamboo trees also have great potential for large plantations with a top priority for environmental improvement and a second priority as a source of biomass feedstocks for biomaterials. Bamboo plantations are for environmental improvement because the plantations are able to prevent erosion, absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, O2 sources and are able to lift groundwater so that it helps the availability of water. Although basically all trees are able to absorb and retain water, but bamboo trees have the ability above average that can lift the surface of ground water an average of 10 meters in 20 years or 0.5 meters annually. The water crisis that occurs can be reduced or eliminated by making bamboo plantations.

Bamboo plantations are also very effective for the supply of biomass  for biomaterials. When the bamboo tree is 5 years old, every month from its clump, bamboo stems can be harvested every month until the productive period reaches 60 years without replanting. As for wood from other trees, it generally takes 10 years or even more to be harvested once and replanting it for the next cycle. Furthermore, the use of bamboo so as to produce high economic value products is an important thing to do. Products such as bamboo composites, bamboo textiles, and flooring, are a number of uses of bamboo with high economic value. The quality of bamboo composites is special as well as bamboo textiles. Imports of textile raw materials that are still dominant today can also be reduced with bamboo textiles. Bamboo plantation and processing can be a model of bioeconomy and for more details can be read here, as well as further bamboo as a biomaterial can be read here.

Energy Plantation to Supply Biomass Energy
Although currently almost all energy producers from biomass are limited to utilizing waste wood from wood working industries, sawmill and agricultural waste, but because the supply of these wastes is limited and fluctuating, it is difficult to be relie upon to supply for large capacity and sustainable. In the near future it is estimated that the energy plantation will replace it. Energy plantations with fast rotation plants are the ideal solution for supplying large amounts of energy and sustainability. Wood pellets are one of the products that can be made from these energy plantation. The demand for wood pellets in the international market is increasing along with the awareness onenvironmental problems. Wood chips as a simpler product can also be made if the user of the biomass fuel is close enough to the energy plantation.

On a smaller scale, wood from energy plantations can also be used for briquette and charcoal briquette production. Briquette needs are not as much as pellets and charcoal briquettes, especially only for barbecue. Charcoal briquette or more popularly known as sawdust charcoal briquette has a large market especially in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Leaves from the energy plantation can also be used for animal feed, such as sheep, goats, cows and buffalo. The leaves also have a high protein content so that it becomes nutritious feed for these animals. Pasture can also be made in the energy plantation area so that the livestock business becomes effective and efficient, for more details, please read here. In terms of environmental aspects the energy plantation also plays a role in CO2 absorption, preventing erosion and water conservation. Even the roots of energy plantation plants that can absorb N2 from the atmosphere will increasingly fertilize the soil.

 If humans can make optimal use of the land to meet their daily needs by maintaining balance, caring for and not damaging it, then disasters such as water crises and landslides, InsyaAllah, will not occur. Utilize while maintaining the environment wisely so that it can continue to grow and be sustainable as well as a form of gratitude for the blessings of Allah SWT so that these favors are added by Him.
"If the inhabitants of the countries of faith and god fear, surely We will bestow upon them blessings from heaven and earth, but they deny (Our verses), then We torture them for their actions." (QS, Al A'raf: 96).

Biomass : The Sexy Savior

In terms of environmental aspects biomass is a carbon neutral energy source, this is different from fossil fuels, especially coal, which is a carbon positive energy source. The more coal is consumed (burned) for energy sources, the higher the concentration of greenhouse gases, namely CO2 in the atmosphere. The higher concentration of CO2 gas in the atmosphere means increasing the temperature of the earth which causes the phenomenon of climate change and global warming. According to data from the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has reached more than 400 ppm and it is in a state of danger to the environment. As a global problem, of course, the global approach taken to solve the problem is like the annual climate conference, which in 2018 yesterday or the 25th was held in Katowice, Poland.

Indonesia as a tropical country is more suitable to develop biomass as its energy source than solar energy. Why is that? For more details, please read here. In addition, the position on the equator also has great potential as the largest producer of biomass, more details can be read here. Agricultural, livestock and forestry wastes are one of the sources of the biomass. Agricultural wastes such as rice husks, palm oil empty bunches, coconut fiber, corn cobs and so on are also very large in number. But it can also be cultivated specifically by making energy plantation. There are millions of hectares of land available that can be used for the energy plantations. Coal mine holes that reach 8 million hectares if reclaimed are also potential for the development of these energy plantation, for more details can be read here. With the development of energy plantations, besides getting energy, it can also be used as a means of water conservation and meat production by integrating with livestock such as sheep or cattle. Not only that honey production with bee farms that use flowers from energy plantation is also very potential. For more details can also be read here. The potential for biomass energy in Indonesia is also very large, according to ESDM when it is converted to electricity reaching approximately 50 GW but only 3% is used.

Technically, biomass fuels also have many advantages, such as there is no problem with fly ash, the sulfur content is very small and the ash is not hazard / poisonous material but can even be used for fertilizer crops. Utilization of biomass as an energy source is also nothing new, even before coal is used massively, the biomass fuels is the main energy source, for more details can be read here and here. Not only that, even the European Union has implemented various policies to encourage the use of renewable energy massively such as the 20-20-20 target or RED (Renewable Energy Directive) I, namely increasing the efficiency of energy use by 20%, using renewable energy reaching 20% ​​and the target has been applied in 2020. Of the 20% of renewable energy 80% of them are biomass energy. And because the target is almost over, they are preparing a replacement for RED II with a portion of renewable energy increasing by almost 1/3 with a target time of 2030 and a portion of biomass energy still reaching around 80%. Another example is Japan, which since the accident occurred with the Fukhushima nuclear power plant in 2011, then biomass energy is one of the main energy sources in the country. Biomass energy does have an advantage in its utilization because it is not affected by weather as well as wind and water energy. And more importantly the development of biomass energy in line with the Qur'an for more details can be read here.

History Repeated Back In The Field of Biomass Part 2

Post-industrial revolution human racing to exploit coal mines, oil and gas for the fuel of various production machines and factories. With the "scientific prejudice"  man assumes and argues that only with the fuel so the production machines in various industries can be operated and humans can feel the prosperity with various facilities of his life. Fuel consumption is encouraged, so the reserves depleted. In addition, currently within a range that is not too long, it turns out the impact of the "scientific prejudice" of human is already felt, the various environmental problems caused, which can even threaten human life itself.

It was for this reason that humans came to the conclusion that fossil fuel consumption should be limited and even discontinued, because it is not environmentally friendly and unsustainable. The phenomenon is similar to the use of chemical fertilizers for agriculture. Chemical fertilizers began to bloom in use around the world after World War II, because it also uses the materials of the rest of the war. Less than 70 years old, chemical fertilizers are now widely contested for various reasons such as health effects as well as the impact on the environment.

Another thing that is similar  is genetic engineering that produces genetically modified crops (Genetically Modified Crops). In its first appearance in 1994 it was seen as a food solution for the world - it is now still not two decades old now opposed everywhere, as new "prejudice" suggest that GM Crops brings huge potential risks to human health in the long run.

Various attempts were made to let go of the fossil fuel trap, which of course was also not easy and faced various problems, so it needs to make a systematic and realistic stages. No less than 24 climate conferences have been conducted and followed by almost all countries in the world. The practice of various countries has different strategies adapted to local conditions. Renewable energy or clean energy has also become a UN target to be realized along with 17 other targets in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Whereas Allah has said in the Qur'an about 14 centuries ago, about the use of fuel from trees as a source of energy.QS Yaasiin: 80, QS Al Waqi'ah: 71-72, and QS An Nuur: 35 and for more explanation detailed can be read here. Only by returning to His instructions and believing in the Qur'an as the answer to all problems (QS 16: 89) then surely man will be safe and happy the this world and akhirat. Trees will be a source of energy for the future. Planataions or energy forests become one of the scenarios for the supply of biomass fuels, especially for the production of wood pellets. Fuel consumption from trees but ignoring the environmental aspect itself will also cause environmental catastrophe. Do not get because human greed with excessive exploitation beyond the carrying capacity of the environment itself then the natural damage even more severe. In addition to providing guidance on the use of trees as an energy source, Allah SWT also commands us as the prosperous of His earth (Qur'an 11:61). How complete and beautiful the guidance from Allah SWT.

Wood Pellet For Green…Green World!

The growth of human consciousness as a result of environmental degradation in the form of climate change and global warming fostered efforts to reduce the magnitude of the environmental damage. Sources cause damage to the environment due to human greed through economic activity to exploit nature excessively. Humans should be the manager of this nature wisely instead of vice versa due to short-term interests and lust. The growing awareness of the need to be maintained and are arranged so that led to concrete efforts. Without clear rules and binding activity of all human beings on earth, the impossible nature of the improvement will be done well.

We are witnessing today a variety of companies that the state wants to be recognized as a company or a country most concerned in environmental issues and  no exception, Indonesia . That way they compete with its Go Green program such as CO2 Reduction and the like. With such recognition generally they wanted a special place among consumers or their partners so that the products or programs they will also readily accepted  these  circles. These activities also generate new economic activity that is the Green Economy. How big is the Green Economy or Green Business this? The answer of course depends on how big the mitigation of climate change and the environment in corporate entities or countries concerned to the global scope.

Wood pellets are a popular solution for mitigation of environmental and climate change issues. Wood pellets from wood biomass is carbon-neutral fuels and renewable energy sources with the requirements of wood biomass as a source of raw material of wood pellets to be undertaken on an ongoing basis and do not damage the environment. Continuous availability of raw materials is one of the key factors of business success of the production of wood pellets, so because of the current limitations of wood pellets is not only but also from agricultural wastes or biomass plantations could be called pellets or agri-wastepellet. Energy planatations with SRC (short rotation  species) is one way to produce wood biomass as a source of raw material of wood pellets faster and be sustainable. Indonesia is huge potential for energy planatation and will be better when integrated with other sectors.

Indonesia Can Develop Biomass Energy

Lack of non-renewable energy sources and an increasing need for renewable energy sources has forced Indonesia to shift gears and refocus its attention, it was revealed during the UN Framework Conference on Climate Change.

“Indonesia has tremendous potential to produce biomass, the market is there, we just need a policy to move forward,” Yetti Rusli, the special staffer for climate change at the Forestry Ministry told the Jakarta Globe during the side event of the conference.

“It’s no longer enough to have our full attention to anticipating climate change or emission reduction, it’s time for us to think about added values” she said.

Yetti said Indonesia could be one of the biggest biomass producers worldwide with its massive potential.

“We are very fortunate to have sunshine 11 hours a day, not to mention we are only second to Brazil when it comes to richness of biodiversity,” she said.

Unlike Brazil, Yetti said, Indonesia has the upper hand with most land being owned by the state.

“The private sector only has the licence to manage the land, they didn’t own it, unlike in Brazil where most land is owned by corporations.”

With the system, she said, it would be easier for the government to introduce a new policy, including prioritizing the production of new energy sources aside from emission reduction.

Unfortunately, feasibility studies about the potential of biomass production in Indonesia are still scarce.

However, she said, Indonesia could use studies that have been done by developed countries and make adjustments to suit domestic needs.

“Studies are conducted to obtain details and to determine the direction of the policy, to create a policy we can simply use best practices from developed countries.

“Even though we have different climate conditions, the need for a new source of energy is the same” Yetti said.

“Energy security in Indonesia is very fragile because we still have to subsidize it, even though the government has gradually reduced subsidies we still need to catch up with the oil prices, which have been very unstable. To answer this insecurity we need to come up with a renewable source of energy,” the Forestry Ministry staffer said. “Earlier there used to be a focus on developing nuclear energy as the new source of energy.”

She added that since the Fukushima incident, everybody started to look for something else, something more environmentally friendly, such as wind, solar, or biomass.

Producing biomass energy, Yetti said, would not be a totally foreign concept in Indonesia as a country which has been using firewood for centuries.

The experience could easily be translated into a more modern technique after thorough research, she said.

“It’s no longer enough to talk about stopping forest fires or encroachment, we need more.”

Moving forward

The Forestry Ministry has started a pilot project to see the feasibility of producing wood pellets, the material used to produce bio-methanol — believed to be carbon neutral — by planting red calliandra ( Calliandra Calothyrsus ) in Bangkalan, Madura.

“Calliandra is a nitrogen-fixing tree that helps in fixing the soil condition, and is very easy to prune,” Yeti said.

“The trees are quite large and are a good source of nutrition for livestock,” she added.

The government has allocated 170 hectares of land for the Calliandra plantation in Madura, but the community managed to add more and now has 200 hectares of land to cultivate. The construction of a wood pellet factory is now underway in Bangkalan and it is estimated the factory will be able to produce 4,000 metric tons of wood pellets every year.

“It’s not much, but this is a start and people will learn how to cultivate calliandra and produce wood pellets,” she said.

Local success

State plantation firm, Inhutani has managed to secure a business deal with a South Korean consortium consisting of several large companies who have pledged their commitment to build a wood pellet factory in Indonesia, which will be able to produce up to 100,000 tons of wood pellets every year.

“After South Korea, our next target is Sweden, the biggest user of wood pellets in Europe, and then the Netherlands and Italy,” she said.

According to Yetti, biomass production is the most feasible option for Indonesia in the near future because other green products, such as carbon credits are still being negotiated and will take a very long time.

“At the same time the developed countries have been asked to reduce emissions so the need for environmentally friendly energy is very high, which is why the transition product like biomass is in high demand,” she said.

The scheme to reduce emissions, Yetti said, can be combined with agro-forestry,

“As we know the agriculture sector has been accused as one of the main contributors of the emission,” she said.

Trees can retain water and regulate the water cycle, preventing damage to crops and help in the recovery of the agricultural area,” she added.

Head of Indonesian Agricultural Environment Research Insitute at the Ministry of Agriculture (IAERI), Prihasto Setyanto said climate change has a direct impact on the Indonesian agriculture sector.

“People think climate change will impact their lives in the future — in the next few decades — but it’s not true, it’s happening now, it’s affecting our daily lives,” he said.

Prihasto said the agriculture sector has a lot of potential and can be used as a very powerful tool to help reducing carbon emissions.

One of the programs is the sustainable food reserve garden where people are encouraged and educated to make the best use of their own back- or front yards to cultivate some basic commodity.

“In 2010, because of climate change, it rained practically all year long, the farmers could not plant chillies. As a result, in 2011, the price of chillies soared to Rp 120,000 ($10.35) per kilogram. We even had to hold a special cabinet meeting because people were demonstrating across the country, it was that serious,” he said.

With the sustainable food reserve garden, Prihasto said, people would be able to fulfill their domestic needs by a simple farming method.

“And please don’t think the threat of climate change is not real, every 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature raise will cause a 10 percent drop of our rice harvest. If the prediction was correct that Indonesia will suffer from 4 to 5 degree Celsius temperature increase, our crop will drop by half, we can’t let that happen,” he said.

Source : http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesia-can-develop-biomass-energy/