Planting Trees For Answering The World Problems

By planting a variety of essential human problems in life can be overcome, namely food, energy and water. These problems currently faced by humans for a variety of environmental damage is also caused by the act of the hands of men themself. There are many types of plants created by Allah SWT  (God Almighty ) in this world, so choose the one most suitable is the thing we need to do. Revive dead land and making it productive so will productive for human life, of course is highly recommended especially when the world is plagued by crises such as food, energy, water supply, including clean air. Currently there are an estimated 1 billion people on this earth who are facing the problem of hunger.  Millions of hectares of land are still abandoned and not used, even globally each year there are approximately 6 million hectares of land or farmland into deserts (desertification) due to the barren and unused. Forest area continued to narrow so it is still very far from the standard minimum requirement for a region is a concern in itself.

When the soil has been damaged so it needs to be restored, the plant species of legumes (Leguminosae) is the most suitable in these conditions. This is because the plant species of legumes have characteristics: cool / moisten the surface of the soil, the root nodule being able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere means able to fertilize the soil damaged / barren, and capable of preventing erosion. Calliandra is the type of crop legumes (Leguminoceae) suitable for these conditions. The main results of wood for energy as for the production of wood pellets and byproducts in the form of leaves for farm goat or cow and flowers for honey bee breeding is to address the problem of food. Integration plantation / forest of calliandra with farm goat / cow will make the business optimally. Addition of new water sources is also very likely arise as a result of the plantation or the forest of calliandra. Calliandra plants that can be harvested relatively quick at an average of 1 year and still be productive until about 25 years into the future without having to plant every year because of the pattern coppice, has its own charm. Furthermore, on the sidelines of the Calliandra plants can be planted from other types that are tailored to local needs and conditions, for example caliandra with corn, Calliandra with bananas, Calliandra with pine, Calliandra with olives, Calliandra with dates palm and so on.

Calliandra age 1 week

Calliandra age of 2 weeks

Calliandra nursery for 1,200 hectares energy plantation

Another thing that should we acknowledge is the position we are in the tropics with beautiful nature, vast territory and fertile land (before it breaks). With the tropical climate of the sun will shine throughout the year so that the process photosintesa of the plant will run optimally it will accelerate the productivity of plants such as Calliandra.  With these conditions in Indonesia Calliandra timber productivity on average 4 times faster with plants poplar / willow in the sub-tropical or take 1 year in Indonesia, which is equal to 4 years in sub-tropical regions for the same amount of timber (wood). If all optimized then Indonesia is very likely going to be the largest biomass producer in the world capable of answering the problems of the world. Whereas in the energy sector are very suitable conditions when the world is also vying for loweringthe temperature of the earth with its biomass energy waves. 

Biomass Pelletisation Process and Maintain Stability Wood Pellets Production Plant

The characteristics of biomass will determine production processes including die shapes and characteristics of wood pellets product. Woody biomass is the most common and popular biomass of the biomass pelletisation. Die shape can not be common or generic for all types of biomass because it has its own characteristics. The efficient pelleting process will be produced pellets product with the amount of powder or fine which is very little, that is meaning almost all the particles of the material that is fed into the pelletiser converted into pellets. Judging sequence of processes that occur in the pelletiser, the biomass will have the following things before finally formed into pellets.

A number of materials from a particular timber, there is an expanding again when exiting from the pelletiser or in general the compaction equipmnent. This phenomenon is more easily seen in briquettes because it was bigger than pellets. This happens because these materials absorb more air from the atmosphere to add moisture to the pellets or briquettes, whereas when the particle material into the die in the presence of strong pressure and high temperature, the amount of water vapor in the particles of the material will come out and so is lignin serves as the glue will come out at this stage.

On the specifics of wood pellets also there is little difference of quality, logistics and consumer needs between Europe and the United States. The difference between the others, especially that on wood pellets for the European market generally use a die with a size of 6 mm, while for the US market generally use the die to the size of a quarter inch or 6.35 mm or it could be using equipment that is more suitable, for example, to adjust to the European, EN method while the Americans with ASTM method. But the different sectors also allows the use of different pellet sizes. Most retailers in Europe using a 6 mm pellet size, so that when using the US standard with the size of a quarter inch or 6.35 mm and after production also will typically expand to 6.5 mm making the European market less acceptable. In addition the European market also liked the wood pellets with a length of 1.5 to 2 cm, so it is not too short and not too long. Durability is also an important factor for the target market, the European issuing durability requirements limit is 97.5 primarily for industrial bulk market, but for the bulk of residential delivery majority of distributors are looking for products with a durability from 98.5 to 99.0. This is because the residential delivery typically use pneumatic conveyor and the strong desire to reduce fine (powder).

The market target aso will determine how the process of the production of wood pellets. Asian markets with relatively new age do not yet qualify as strict as Europe or America with the target users are also a number of differences. A large number of requests with strict quality also makes the need for reliable equipment or machinery becomes absolutely necessary. A number of manufacturers pelletiser for wood pellets has also been applying heat sensor technology at the pelletiser that they make as an option for the producers of wood pellets. This technology includes installation of high heat sensor directly on a roller to monitor in real time the critical temperature. The intended use of these technologies is to reduce downtime and accidents caused by overheating on the roller and the bearing shaft so that production targets can be achieved more easily.

As for supplies of raw material supply of wood pellets, wood sawmill wastes and wood processing wastes could be used but the energy plantations or forests  will be the best choice, especially for long-term orientation. Good forest management service that will produce a sustainable supply of raw materials. Optimizing the use of land in a number of locations, the selection of appropriate plant species and supported tropical climate conditions that support are some of the things that support the integration of energy plantation or forest with wood pellet business. Because of the availability of raw materials is one of the key success factors in the business of wood pellets, so it needs special attention of its own.

Enter the Global Wood Pellet Market

In fact the massive growth of wood pellets derived from the encouragement of a number of policies in Europe, more specifically the electricity business in the UK. In 2020 the world consumption of wood pellets is estimated at 22 million tonnes. Two power plants in the UK are 100% use wood pellets that Drax and Eggborough, requiring 10 million tons annually. Other major needs are wood pellets from Western European countries, especially Italy. While in Asia, Japan and Korea are the two countries most widely consumed wood pellets. Whereas in 2024 the production of wood pellets is predicted to reach 50 million tons globally.

Canada is one of the main producers of wood pellets which supply the needs of some countries above. The extent of the forest so abundant source of raw materials that make Canada one of the main producers of wood pellets. Russia is the other major country which began producing wood pellets. The extent of forests and abundance of raw material resources make Russia comparable to Canada in the production of wood pellets but mainly infrastructure problems is still a major barrier to the development of wood pellet industry in Russia. How about Indonesia? Indonesia also has a great opportunity to join in wood pellets business. Although the forest area which can be used as a source of raw materials is not as large as area of Canada and Russia, but the tropical climate in Indonesia that makes the sun shines all year round is a kind of blessing. Thank God, this is one of the pleasures of Allah that we should be. Energy forests or plantations with short rotation crops (SRC) as calliandra can be cultivated with productivity four-fold compared subtropical regions such as Canada or Russia for similar plants such as Willow or Poplar. In addition, users of wood pellets in Asia such as Korea and Japan also will be looking for wood pellets from Asia prior to Canada or Russia.

Natural or environmental sustainability issues are important things that must be considered, so that the business continuity and environmental sustainability are two things simultaneously maintained. The power plant is a major market wood pellets with large and long-term needs for environmental sustainability that needs to be a serious concern. Almost all the buyers of wood pellets for power generation will also require sustainable forest management practices and certification (FSC or SVLK) about the origin of the raw materials that could be accounted means that does not destroy the forest. Specifically for conditions in Indonesia, with an energy plantation or forest with integrated calliandra plantation with goat or cow farming activities will cycle sustainability and nature conservation will be maintained.

Steam power plant with coal fuel is one of the biggest contributors to CO2 in the atmosphere, so if it can be replaced up to 100% or full with wood pellets as a carbon-neutral fuels will reduce CO2 emissions significantly. Rodenhuize 240 MW power plant in Ghent, Belgium is one example. At first Rodenhuize is coal power plant then after that in 2011 using 100% wood pellets. Earlier in 2005 the power plant was modified so that it can work with co-firing of coal and wood pellets and in 2011 the plant switched to 100% of coal (coal) with wood pellets. The shift from coal to wood pellets has made Rodenhuize power generation reduce 1.6 million tons of CO2 emissions. Rodenhuize pattern seemed to be a reference and will be followed by coal power plants more especially in countries that have implemented environmental policies in the energy sector to compete lowering the temperature of the earth.