Even though Malaysia is a fossil fuel export country, but this does not stop the country from committing in developing renewable energy.  Malaysia is a country rich in biomass energy resource, many materials can easily convert to biomass.

Biomass Energy Resource

There are several common biomass renewable energy in Malaysia, such as palm pellet, EFB pellet, EFB, palm kernel shell, wood chip and saw dust pellet.  In this article, we will discuss slightly more about the prospect for each biomass energy resource in Malaysia.

Biomass Energy Resources in Malaysia

EFB

EFB stands for empty fruit bunch discarded from palm oil mill.  The EFB will go through pressed and shredded process before it can be used as biomass power plant.  The shredded efb will always high in moisture and not favourable for shipping.

Palm kernel shell

Or in abbreviation PKS.  The palm kernel shell is a good biomass resource with high calorific value, low moisture and easy transportation and handling.  Unfortunately the supply of palm kernel shell is saturated.  A large portion of palm kernel shell has been used at local Malaysia market.

Mesocarp Fibre

This short and dry fibre is favourable in biomass for heat retrieve, however the volume is small and unable to support the biomass industry.

Rice Hust

This is the husk salvage from rice mill.  The rice husk is light and having high silica content.  Not very suitable for biomass.  Perhaps the light weight also not favourable for biomass boiler.

Coconut fibre

Most of the coconut plantation in Malaysia has been converted to oil palm estate, hence the coconut fibre is shrinking from year to year.  It left very limited coconut fibre available in the market.  Coconut fibre has not been used as biomass purpose.

Wood chip

Malaysia is a country cover with wood lodge.  The left over wood will send to crushing process for chopping it into chip form.  Wood chip is a renewable energy commodity however the re-planting is taking longer time before the tree mature.  The wood chip volume is at decreasing stage meanwhile price is getting higher.

Wood pellet

The raw material of wood pellet is saw dust, so it also name as saw dust pellet.  Wood pellet is resemble as wood chip.  It provides similar heating effect and function as wood chip.  However the price of wood pellet is getting higher.

EFB pellet

This is the new pellet product manufacturer at Malaysia.  The shredded EFB will go through EFB pelletize process for making EFB pellet.  EFB pellet consider relatively new as the biomass commodity for biomass market.  Due to it availability, we foresee EFB pellet will become one of the major biomass energy choices in the market.

Malaysia is the country rich in tree and many others agriculture commodities, many commodities has been widely used as the biomass energy resources in Malaysia.  Oil palm is one of the larger agriculture products and many researches / application has developed for converting the by-product of palm oil waste into biomass commodity.  The prospect of oil palm related biomass energy resource is bright as it has becomes major sustainable energy in Malaysia and world wide market,