There's Always a Market For Every Type of Pellet Fuel

The marketing aspect has always been a scourge for potential producers. When production activities have been carried out including large costs have been incurred to purchase equipment or production machineries, land for factories, factory buildings and so forth, for example the production of large capacity wood pellets from energy plantations, but not yet mastered the market aspect, will then face the big problem. Assessing, analyzing and exploring aspects of the market with its characteristics prior to production activities is very important, especially for large capacity production that also requires such huge cost. This also applies to pellet fuel from biomass as a solid fuel that gets a lot of attention today and also started to be developed by many parties. And of course the fear of potential producers can be avoided if they have mastered the intricacies of the business that they will run it.

Biomass pellets or pellets fuel and more particularly in wood pellets can be made from a variety of biomass feedstocks, whether woody biomass, agricultural wastes or grasses. More specifically wood pellets are pellets that are made from woody biomass. While biomass pellet is pellet fuel made from all kinds of biomass including woods, agricultural wastes and grasses. Pellets fuel made from agricultural waste is called agro-waste pellets. The wood pellet group has characteristics of high calorific value and low ash content while agro-waste pellets have lower calorific value characteristics and higher ash content. Wood pellets can also be made from hardwoods and softwoods, each of which has little difference to its properties. So is the pellets fuel group from agricultural wastes whose raw materials can also be as diverse as rice husk, coffee husk, peanut shell, empty fruit bunches (EFB) and so on. The properties of pellet fuel from various agricultural wastes are also different although the difference is a little.

Ash content and ash chemistry are two important variables related to the use or utilization of the pellets fuel. In general, the higher the ash content, the smaller the calorific value of the pellets fuel. While the ash chemistry of various pellets fuel groups in general can also be distinguished as follows:

1. The content of silica ash (Si) and potassium / potassium (K) are low with high calcium (Ca), with high fusion temperature derived from almost all woody biomass group. And this is the best specification for combustion and gasification.

2. The content of silica ash (Si) and potassium / potassium (K) high with low calcium (Ca) comes from agriculture biomass waste group.

Furthermore, since the chemical elements of the biomass constituents in pellet fuel are numerous, they determine the specific properties of pellet fuel. For example: wood pellets of hardwoods such as meranti, merbau, ulin, halaban and so on differ a number of chemical constituents with wood pellets from softwoods such as sengon / albasia. Similarly, agro-waste pellets such as rice husk pellets (ricehusk pellets) with empty palm bunches pellets (EFB Pellet). Even both groups of hardwoods and softwoods, too, differences in the amount of ash chemical elements between different species of wood also occur and it affects the level of technology tolerance used. Scientifically ultimate analysis in the laboratory can be used to determine the content of ash and chemical elements in detail / detail. It is important to know for the specific use or use of pellet fuel.

Basically the utilization of the pellet is as fuel or energy source. Combustion technology, gasification and pyrolysis are thermal routes that can use pellets as fuel. The most widely used combustion technology, the later gasification and the last pyrolysis. Combustion technology with medium temperature to high temperature can be done. The industrial sector generally uses medium temperatures and power plants use high temperatures. Burning in the industrial sector using combustor, namely grate stoker (chain grate) and stoker (static grate). While the power plant using pulverized system, additional explanations can also be read here.

To be able to use the pellets fuel from various raw materials because no problem with a number of chemical in pellet ash is then gasification technology widely used. With its operational temperature gasification also relatively low (800 C) compared to pulverized on combustion, so a number of ash chemical elements also do not cause problems. The use of gasification technology has also begun much in power generation. Gasification technology by maximizing gas products has a higher efficiency level than combustion, but the price or investment for large capacity is expensive so that in large capacity power plants generally still use the above mentioned pulverized technology. With this gasification technology, not only wood pellet types can be used but agro-waste pellets can also be used as fuel.

What about pyrolysis? In contrast to combustion and gasification that produce ash as residue, whereas in pyrolysis is not produced ash because of low operating conditions compared to combustion and gasification namely 400-600 C and limited/absence of oxygen. Wood pellets or biomass pellets are rarely used for fuel or raw materials in pyrolysis. Pyrolysis that is widely used today is slow pyrolysis or carbonization for charcoal production, while fast pyrolysis for the production of liquid fuels (bio-oil) is also still rarely used. In charcoal production with (slow) pyrolysis or carbonization it usually uses wood or briquette (sawdust briquette / wood briquette) as its raw material to produce lump charcoal and sawdust charcoal briquette, to sharpen the information can be read here .

Torrefaction or mild pyrolysis can produce half carbonization product which can be compacted into torrified pellet fuel. The raw material of the torrefaction process is wood chip then after going through the torrefaction process  then crushing with hammer mill so that the size becomes powder which then compacted into torrified pellet fuel. With torrefaction process the energy content of biomass becomes higher by about 20% so that after compacted the energy content of torrified pellet fuel is also automatically higher than wood pellet. Torrefaction with the final product of torrified pellet fuel is predicted to be a trend of future biomass solid fuels. The wood pellet or biomass pellet factory can upgrade its product to torrefied pellet fuel by adding a torrefier or torrefaction device in its production. Not many modifications to the factory if it will add a torrifier or torrefaction equipment to become a final product torrified pellet fuel later. So here the use of torrefaction technology (mild-pyrolysis) for the production process of biomass fuel that is torrified fuel, while gasification and combustion technology is used to extract energy from biomass fuel in the form of pellet fuel into heat and electricity.

By examining in detail the characteristics of pellet fuel and its utilization technology, no pellet fuel is useless or no market. Energy demand also continues to increase as the population grows. The characteristics or specific properties of pellet fuel will also determine the price of the pellet. Wood pellets generally have higher prices than agro-waste pellets. In many ways wood pellets have many advantages over coal, especially in the industrial sector, of course also the problem of economy. It also encourages some industries to switch to using wood pellets. Performance or boiler performance in the industry can also compete with the use of wood pellets. For industries that want to test and want to switch using wood pellet for boiler can contact us at eko.sbs@gmail.com

Designing Large Capacity Wood Pellet Production From Energy Plantation

In anticipation of global wood pellet demand reaching 50 million tonnes / year 2024 with Korea and Japan reaching 20 million tonnes / year in 2020 or with a business value of  9 billion US dollars in 2020 and to become a major player in the business, so designing a large capacity and sustainable can only be done with energy plantations. The scheme below describes the stages in more detail and informative:

Container Still Become the Main Choice of Wood Pellet Export in Indonesia?

Buyers' satisfaction for getting goods on demand, undamaged and defective, is an important factor in the sustainability of a business so buyers continue to repurchase and repeat orders, by making or renewing existing contracts, even by increasing their purchasing capacity. This also applies to the wood pellets business. Attempts to get goods that order for the buyer one of them by keeping the goods along the journey from various damage is important one by choosing the packaging or the appropriate wood pellet delivery or the type of delivery. Almost all Indonesian wood pellet exports today use containers with wood pellets in jumbo bags and then arranged inside the container. Some use sack packs then place them in containers as well. There is also a way of bulk or not packed in jumbo bag or sack but still in containers. The use of containers is chosen because, firstly the export wood pellet volume is not large yet, second are not yet available adequate supporting facilities for large quantity wood pellets export with bulk shipment.

Wood pellets is a very sensitive product with water, so protection or keeping it out of water should be done to maintain the quality of the wood pellet. By placing the wood pellet in a container then protection from water such as rain water can be done, so it is still used as the main choice. Then how to export wood pellets in large quantity routinely done every month? Need extra effort at this time if want to use bulk shipment, especially for protection from water. Especially in the rainy season. Rainfall intensity in Indonesia is quite high compared to other countries in general, namely, an average of 2700 mm / year or three times higher than the world average of only 900 mm / year. Indonesia's rainfall is higher than India (1,080 mm), America (715 mm), China (645 mm), Brazil (1,750 mm), Argentina (591 mm) and even Thailand (1,625 mm). Only two of our neighbors are able to surpass the Indonesian rainfall of Malaysia (2,875 mm) and Papua New Guinea (3,140). While countries in the Middle East in general have only a small rainfall such as Jordan (111 mm), Qatar (74 mm), Saudi Arabia (59 mm) and Egypt who only get 51 mm rainfall per year. So if bulk shipment of wood pellets will be done then in the dry season will be easier because water protection is easier to do. In comparison we will see shipping of palm kernel shell (pks) which is also biomass fuel has been exported abroad especially with bulk shipment.

Palm kernel shells are not as sensitive as wood pellets or pellets fuel to water, so the handling is also not as difficult as wood pellets. There are three main things that become the main parameters of palm kernel shells that is water content, calorific value and impurity. Related to the moisture content because the palm kernel shells is not damaged by water but only keep it from getting too wet, while wood pellet which is an industrial product of woody biomass compaction (biomass densification) will be damaged and even destroyed by the presence of water in certain quantities. Mechanical interlocking that occurs during the compaction will decompose and loose due to the presence of a lot of water so the wood pellets destroyed. In shipment of palm kernel shells from stockpile locations to export ports, the use of trucks or barges is common and sometimes only sealed with less dense plastic. In wood pellet closure with plastic when heading to the carrier vessel can also be done but if not tight enough will be prone to water especially in the rainy season, plus if loading to the ship is done in the middle of the sea (transhipment) because the ship can not lean on the port like usually done in Kalimantan.

The difference in the tolerance level of water avaibility between the palm kernel shell and wood pellets, has implications for handling and even the equipment used. Weather factors (such as storms) and density loading traffic port add to the difficulty of loading wood pellets onto the vessel. This makes shipping large quantities of wood pellets with bulk shipment still difficult to be done, so shipping with containers are still the main choice in Indonesia. 

Wood pellet terminal in Canada

Wood pellet loading from silos into the ship

Cement terminal at seaport

Cement loading from silos into the ship

Another reference that we can refer to is the bulk cement shipments. Cement is a product that is also very sensitive to water, in the presence of water then the cement will clot so it becomes unusable, so protection against water is absolutely necessary. Cement distribution lines to their bulk shipment are all protected from the entry of water. In the highways we can easily find large trucks carrying bulk cement pass through, then in a number of ports are also built cement terminals in the form of silos or bin like high towers. When wood pellets production reach massive scale, the infrastructure or supporting equipment is also almost the same as cement and it is now also we can see in wood pellets producing countries like America and Canada. On the receiving port side or port of destination the shipment of adequate equipment is also required to handle the unloading of the wood pellets. For comparison, large quantities of feed pellets will also require almost the same equipment for bulk shipment. So whether the biomass fuel such as wood pellets become waterproof (hydrophobic) like coal? The answer can be with torrefaction technology so the product become torrefied wood pellet. Torrefaction will be discussed in more detail next writing. Insha Allah.

Liquid Fuels From Biomass In The Era Of Bioeconomy

Biomass solid fuels, especially wood pellets, have gained great attention so that their use continues to increase, as a means of lowering the temperature of the earth. The estimated use of world wood pellets will reach 50 million tonnes / year by2024 while Korea and Japan alone will reach 20 million tonnes / year in the next 3-4 years. Why is the biomass-fuel solid getting so much attention? This is due to the large coal-fired power plants that have been able to gradually use the wood pellets, even new plants are also built specifically using wood pellets or other biomass fuels such as palm kernel shells or wood chips. What about liquid fuels from biomass? Liquid fuel has a large portion as a vehicle fuel or industry, both derived from fossil and from biomass. Bioenergy (energy from biomass which includes solid, liquid and gas) currently accounts for about 10% of total global energy use, or equivalent about 53 EJ / year (about 6 minutes of solar radiation to the earth). Petroleum consumption accounts for one third of global energy followed by coal and natural gas. Bioenergy supplies the most energy compared to non-fossil energy sources, such as the table below. Liquid fuels from the bioenergy group alone reach about 6% or 3 EJ / year (radiant solar energy to the earth for half a minute). The liquid fuel is mainly used in the transportation sector. Liquid fuels from biomass are vegetable oils (fatty acids), biomethanol, bioethanol, biodiesel and biooil. Among them are bioethanol and biodiesel most attention, as most of the good engines and vehicles use the fuel.

Source : Biomass in the energy industry, BP & Energy Biosciences Institute

Brazil and the United States are the two major producing countries of liquid fuels from biomass in the form of bioethanol from sugarcane and corn. Brazil'ssugarcane plantation area of ​​9 million hectares and corn farming in America 39 million hectares. In addition to the production of fuel, sugarcane and corn partially processed into food products. Indonesia's largest producer of palm oil or CPO with production of 23 million tons / year with a current land area of ​​9 million hectares and is still growing. CPO in addition to biodiesel raw material, can also be as direct fuel, is also an important edible oil. Currently we are witnessing many liquid fuel stations in Indonesia selling Bio-Solar or B-20 for diesel-engined fuel vehicles with 80% petroleum diesel and 20% biodiesel from CPO. For the production of liquid fuels from biomass in Indonesia other than palm  oil trees proclaimed among others with sugar cane, cassava, shorghum, and jatropha. In general, the production of liquid fuels from biomass in Indonesia has not been encouraging. Even jatropha curcas have failed as biodiesel feedstock because the price is still expensive, so its biodiesel products can not compete with diesel oil from petroleum, plus jatropha oil is not a food product. It still needs a lot of effort to achieve the expected conditions in this sector. Moreover, the lands needed for agriculture of the above commodities generally require fertile soils and high maintenance costs. This is in contrast to the energy plantations of theleguminoceae plant for the production of wood pellets that can survive on marginal, critical and abandoned land.

The Qur'an also discusses renewable energy from this biomass, ie from trees in QS Yaasiin: 80, QS Al Waqi'ah: 71-72, and QS An Nuur: 35. In surah Yassiin and Al Waqi'ah the indication of such energy source from the tree, while in the surah An Nuur the indication of the fruit. Details of renewable energy development based on the Qur'an in more detail can be read here. Based on the above information that almost all of the liquid fuel from the biomass turns out to be also food for humans. So how should we respond to such conditions? Moreover, there has been Tortilla riot in Mexico in 2007 ago. The riot occurred because the United States cultivate corn to bio-ethanol fuel, while Mexico as a neighboring country is dependent imports of corn from America as food so that as a result there was food crisis. The two hadiths of Prophet Muhammad became the solution and guide for food and energy issues, for us as followers:

From Aisha she said: "Once the family of Abu Bakr (his father) sent (soup) goat legs to us, then I did not eat, and he (Prophet Muhammad SAW) also did not eat because we have no lights. If  we have some oil at that time, of course we are prioritized to be eaten. " (HR Ahmad).

Another story from Abu Hurairah: "There are times when for months gone by, but the houses of the Messenger of Allah do not have a single day of light, nor the kitchen nor smoke, if there is any oil to use for food."

Finally, with the guidance of the Qur'an and the example of the life of Prophet Muhammad SAW, uswatun hasanah, the people should be able to overcome food and energy conflicts, as well as develop innovative ability to explore the sources of renewable energy.

Search for cheap and abundant energy sources continue to be done to race down theearth's temperature. Liquid waste from CPO factories which still contain oil despite its high free fatty acid (FFA) of up to 60%, provided the moisture content and its impurities (M & I) is less than 2%, or the total oil is at least 98% sought by many countries for biodiesel production. Oil from CPO factory waste that was originally waste or so-called dirty oil or PAO (Palm Acid Oil) has now become a selling commodity for biodiesel raw materials. It basically indeed that all fatty acids can be processed or converted into biodiesel. Indonesia's potential for PAO is also very big considering about 600 CPO factories in Indonesia and not conflict with human food. PAO processing into cheap biodiesel so that it can be used as a power plant or vehicle fuel or industrial machineries in the country should also be a concern and can be implemented in not too distant future. Other PAO utilization can be as direct fuel for various heaters. Processing of empty palm bunches (EFB) and palm trunks into EFB pellets and OPT pellets has a lot of problems because of its very wet raw materials, resulting in expensive drying costs. The use of PAO can be one solution to the problem.

Go Biomass, Go Bioeconomy!

"Verily in the creation of the heaven and the earth, and the alternation of night and day there are signs for the intelligent (ulil albab). Those who remember Allah while standing or sitting or lying down and they are thinking about the creation of the heaven and the earth - (then say) 'Our God, you have not created this in vain, Glory to You, so guard us from the torment of hell ". (Qur'an Surah 3: 190-191)

Energy is at the foundation of various economic activities. To heat, cool, illuminate, communication and various computer systems, transportation, mechanical work always requires energy. Currently most of the energy comes from fossil fuels that are bad for the environment in the form of rising carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration which causes climate change and global warming problems. In addition, the fossil fuel in value is also unsustainable because of its limited resources, so the key words of energy development for the present and future is sustainability. In the Qur'an Surah An Naba '(78): 13, Allah SWT makes the sun a light or source of energy for the universe, then makes rain from the cloud (QS 78: 14) and And with that rain water God cultivates grains and plants (QS 78: 15) as well as shady gardens (QS 78: 16).

Mauna Loa Observatory: 1959 recorded CO2 concentration of 316 ppm, and in 2013 has reached 400 ppm or increased 27% in the period of half a century. It also means 50% higher before the industrial revolution era

Sunlight as a source of energy for the universe so that the temperature of the earth can be maintained and various life processes can run. Including fossil energy is also derived from various plants that photosynthetic in the past. Extracting solar energy as energy has become a human concern nowadays. In what way should humans extract the sun's energy? It is by using trees through its photosynthetic process for biomass production. In fossil energy, geological processes have made it concentrated and become a rich deposit, while in renewable energy the presence of sunlight becomes very vital. Even from the existence of various trees then the springs will appear and then into rivers. The question is where on earth the location can get abundant sunflow and continuously throughout the year? Tropical areas like Indonesia is the location so that the photosynthetic process can run with the optimal nature and for more details can be read here. Then why is the Muslim-majority Indonesia with a vast land area with abundant sunfloods not also have a meaningful role in the era of bioeconomy with renewable energy, especially biomass as its main commodity? Does not Allah SWT also command us to prosper the earth (Qur'an Surah 11:61)? Let's reflect together.

In the midst of energy efficiency, the projected global energy consumption continues to increase, with an increase of 1.5% annually from 2012 to 2035. Renewable energy, especially biomass, is significantly increased, ie, twice the growth of nuclear energy and more than three times the growth of hydro energy. While the growth of fossil energy consumption is only about 1/6 of this. This shows the era of bioeconomy increasingly open. The woody biomass of the trees has been a source of energy for society since ancient times and in the era of bioeconomy turned history over. The United States currently uses 1% of wood biomass for electricity production and 2% in the industrial sector. Even recently America through its energy department (The US Department of Energy) proclaimed a dry biomass production of at least 1 billion tonnes by 2040 and the mission has also encouraged its neighbor Canada to develop a similar program. While Finland and Sweden have even reached almost 1/5 of the energy sector using wood biomass that is for the production of electricity and heat sources. In contrast to Italy, known as the largest wooden biomass user for the household sector on space heating, for more detail can be read here. While in Asia, Japan and Korea are the two countries that pioneered massive wood biomass. Korea with RPS (Renewable Portfolio standard) proclaimed since 2012 has targeted the use of 20% wood biomass by 2020. Japan after the Fukushima nuclear plant tragedy in 2011 has also encouraged the use of wood biomass for its energy source. In general large countries have included biomass as its energy policy or commonly known as bioeconomy. How about Indonesia? Despite having a strategic position on the equator and wide available land but the vision of biomass energy in Indonesia has not been encouraging, because it only occupies 3% portion in its energy mix. Wood pellets are a very popular form of wood biomass energy today because they are efficient and easy to use and store. Wood pellet production process technology can be read here.

Basically there is a lot of energy that can be generated from biomass and all the energy from fossils can also be generated from biomass because of the similarity of the constituent chemical elements. Why are biomass constituent chemical elements the same as fossils? Back again because of the origin of the fossil from biomass and as described in the verses of Allah SWT in the series QS 78 above. Only in practice not all the biomass is currently processed into energy such as fossil diverse including various chemicals, this is because in general is still constrained technical and economical. In terms of shape of energy include solid, liquid and gas types, such as wood chips, wood pellets, wood briquette, torrified wood, charcoal in solid form, and bioethanol and biodiesel in liquid form and biogas and syngas on gas form. And more important that the use of trees as a source of biomass for energy in accordance with the Qur'an and for more details please read here. By remembering Allah SWT by standing or sitting or lying down and they are thinking about the creation of the heaven and the earth (QS 3: 190-191) is certainly not just a winner in the bioeconomy era but further increasing iman and taqwa to Him that gives the world and akhirat (hereafter). For those interested in discussing and facilitating this opportunity so that it is implemented please write email: eko.sbs@gmail.com

Catching Up the Great Opportunity of OPT Pellet

Most of the palm oil plantations have entered the old age and need to be rejuvenated by replanting. The number of palm oil trunks so much that it needs to be processed so as not to pollute the environment while providing benefits. Production of oil palm trunk pellets (OPT pellets) is the best way of processing these oil palm trunks. Potency of oil palm trunk pellets (OPT Pellet) which can be produced as much as 12 million tons. While the need for wood pellets is also very large, ie globally 50 million tons/year, while for Asia, especially Korea and Japan alone ranges 20 million tons / year, while for the domestic market needs are also quite big which currently have reaches hundreds of thousands of tons/year with a tendency to keep increasing.

After the palm trunks are collected from the plantation then the OPT pellet production process can be done. The high moisture content of the palm trunks becomes a challenge for the production of OPT pellet. Pre-treatment to reduce the moisture content should be done so that the trunks can then be processed into wood pellets. Many ways can be done to dry the trunks of palm oil both naturally, mechanically and physically.

The selection of OPT pellet plant/factory site needs to be considered in such a way that they can be economical as they are adjacent to a palm oil mill so there is a good chance of getting an adequate supply of electricity and even a heat source to help dry the trunks. Since the waste of these palm trunks is not available all the time, the wood pellet manufacturer should consider this including whenever the factory has to move because out of raw materials or prepare the other raw materials for the long term such as making energy plantations.

Wood Lump Charcoal and Sawdust Charcoal Briquette For Export Markets

Wood lump charcoal and sawdust charcoal briquette are two types of wood charcoal products. Wood lump charcoal comes from pieces of wood, while sawdust charcoal briquette comes from sawdust. Sawdust charcoal briquette is more in demand by the export market than lump charcoal because of its advantages, which is more solid, ie twice the density of wood so that the flame or burning time is longer and also saves transportation costs, uniform size and shape making it easier in use and packaging. Sawdust charcoal briquette is usually hexagonal and octagonal with a hole in the middle for easy burning. While lump charcoal has irregular shape like the raw material. Middle East countries and especially Saudi Arabia are the countries that use the sawdust charcoal briquette in large numbers that is mainly to grill the sheep as favorite dishes there. And Turkey is a country in Europe that also uses a huge sawdust charcoal briquette to cook their various meat dishes.

In the development of the greater market need for the product sawdust charcoal briquette so that the required supply from producers is also getting bigger. Raw materials from sawdust are also increasingly limited so that raw materials are needed from various kinds of other wood waste. Wood waste from the forestry sector or any wood processing industry that has so far not been utilized can be used for raw materials for the production of sawdust charcoal briquette. The size of large wood waste also needs to be size reduction to be the size of sawdust to be processed into sawdust charcoal briquette.

The need for wood lump charcoal is not as much as sawdust charcoal briquette and generally only wood of a certain type (species) is of interest. Certain types of wood are also generally difficult to obtain. The use of charcoal lump is also almost the same as sawdust charcoal briquette. To maintain its long-term sustainability, the provision of raw woody biomass for both sawdust charcoal briquette and lump charcoal should be sought through the planting of wood producing trees for charcoal lump and sawdust charcoal briquette raw materials.