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Palm EFB Biochar Experiment and Analysis

By:Mr Darren Chen
Position:Project Sales Director
May 16, 2024
Palm EFB (Empty Fruit Bunch) is one of the main by-products generated during the production of crude palm oil. It accounts for approximately 22%-23% of the total by-products, which is significantly higher than the percentages of other by-products such as palm kernel cake 6%-7%, mesocarp fiber 13%-15%, and palm kernel shell 5.5%-7%.
 
The mesocarp fiber and PKS (palm kernel shells) are used as fuel for boilers in CPO (crude palm oil) mills, and are also sold as fuel in the market. In contrast, only a small quantity of palm empty fruit bunches are used for mulching and fertilizer composition, rather than being combusted in industrial boilers. This is due to the high moisture content and alkali metal composition of the EFB. As a result, large piles of unused palm EFB often accumulate at palm oil mills, posing challenging problems of environmental pollution and threats to local ecological balance.
Oil Palm Residues
 
Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch
 
Although there is challenge in utilizing the palm EFB as fuel, the biomass can be converted into high value-added biochar. Production of biochar from palm EFB and its application are attracting significant attention globally due to its great potential to improve soil nutrient retention capacity, water holding capacity and act as stable carbon sink to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Biochar is a porous, carbonaceous material produced by pyrolysis of biomass and is applied so that the contained carbon remains stored as a carbon sink or replaces fossil carbon in industrial manufacturing. It is not made to be burnt for energy generation. Biochar is produced by biomass pyrolysis, a thermal conversion whereby organic substances are broken at a certain temperature range in a low-to no-oxygen atmosphere.
Biochar Fertilizer
 
Biochar for Soil
 
As the world's largest producer of palm oil, palm oil industry in Indonesia generates an abundance of oil palm empty fruit bunches each year. How to recycle such fibrous biomass with high moisture content in an environmental friendly manner is one of the main challenges that CPO mills must address.
 
SIMEC was entrusted to conduct a trial production of palm EFB biochar, using 20 kgs of palm EFB delivered from Indonesia. The biochar production process was carried out in an oxygen-depleted environment at a specific temperature and for an appropriate duration.
 
Then, palm EFB biochar was sent to an accredited third-party laboratory for comprehensive analysis. The analytics indicate that palm EFB biochar meets the standard of EBC-Feed class I and EBC-AgroBio class II. Very low PAHs content and low molar H/Corg ratio. This means palm EFB biochar can offer long-term carbon storage in soil. Making palm EFB biochar is an efficient waste management solution, meanwhile it also promotes atmospheric carbon removal. The positive characteristics of palm EFB biochar have been verified by experiments and analysis.
Palm EFB Sample
 
Palm EFB Biochar
 
SIMEC has extensive expertise and experience in innovative and advanced technology for converting various biomass feedstock into high quality biochar. We can provide clients with customized trial production services, which greatly benefit them in the following ways:
1.Gain insight into product quality under different production conditions.
2.Determine the optimum processing technology for future commercialized projects.
3.Understand the mass loss dynamics for future commercialized production.
4.Provide practical data to support the feasibility study of commercialized projects.
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