The Choices for Renewable Energy

Renewable energy all the while is the main topic in the energy sector. With the technology development, many have thought that we should have built an alternative other than fossil fuel.

No doubt, we are seeing many choices for energy sources unfortunately we are still far behind in practical application. In this article, we are going to analyze the pro and cons of this century’s energy topic.

Renewable Energy is always drawing everybody’s attention, however, it comes along with great challenges too! The aspect from Technical, Cost, and Management.

What is Renewable Energy

Currently, most of the energy source is coming either from petroleum or coal. Both are derived from fossil fuels which classify under non-renewable products.

Petroleum products have supported a decade of industrial development. This is the moment for us to explore cleaner energy and becomes a sustainable energy source for us to live on the planet.

Features for Renewable Energy

A renewable energy is having below characters:

Generate via renewable resources.
Cleaner in terms of less CO2 and dust emission.
Sustainable energy sources.
Replenish naturally and constantly.

As we are aware, air pollution is one of the severe environmental challenges. This is because particulate and CO2 are generated and emitted into the air. Attention and hope are placed on the greener and sustainable new energy source.

Renewable Energy Choices

Coal and petroleum products consider as non-renewable products, so renewable sources are.

Solar Energy.
Wind Power Energy.
Hydropower.
Bioenergy, such as Biomass.
Nuclear Energy.

There are several sectors besides the above. However, the emphasis is on the above 5 sectors. By quick glance, these 5 sectors are having a good prospect, unfortunately, there are many technical barriers which need to overcome.

The Challenges for New Energy Source

Adapting a new energy source requires support from every aspect. Here are a few challenges which currently the engineering is working on it.

Solar energy. This is clean and green energy. Many places with long-hour sun exposure are suitable for installing solar panels. The challenge for Solar Energy includes a) energy storage; b) High solar panel cost.
Wind Power Energy. Wind blow is the resultant of airflow. Installing an air turbine to collect the energy from the airflow. We are facing a similar restriction as solar energy as we mentioned earlier. Furthermore, the setting up of wind turbine stands will affect the local airflow pattern.
Hydropower. This is the powerful energy derives from fast-moving or falling water. The China Three Gorges Dam is the largest hydropower station in the world. Unfortunately, the capacity of hydropower is far less for our needs. Dam fabricating and maintaining is a huge cost too!
Bioenergy. Bioenergy may not consider green energy however it turns the biomass into an energy source. It still classifies as a renewable energy source.
Nuclear Energy. Nuclear power is a huge energy source, it is a zero-emission and also sustainable energy source. The challenges come from nuclear power control and operation management control. Nuclear leaks and radiation incidents are still the main concern.

The Energy Prospect

The development of renewable energy is under on-going mode for 10 years or even more. Even though fossil fuel is still the main energy source for now but the contribution of renewable energy is increasing through-out the year.

In general, there are still many challenging for renewable energy especially the cost is still higher compared to the energy generated from fossil fuel. The challenges include:

Combine the new energy into the existing power grid.
Reduce the power transmission loss.
Improve the power storage capability and capacity.

There is no quick fix for renewable energy but we have to work in this direction. Not only we need the explore new energy sources but also fulfill the CO2 emission control.

We are the main biomass supplier in Malaysia and we will stay very positive in terms of renewable energy prospects.

June 3, 2016

Oil Palm Fibre Products and Biomass Commodities

Through-out our discussion with many readers, we come across several oil palm by products which causing ambiguity to some reader. Over here, we would like to differentiate below few commodities so that we could be clearer what the commodity we need.

By-product of Palm Oil Process

EFB. EFB stands for Empty Fruit Bunch. This refers to the raw bunch with no process. The EFB from the oil palm mill always comes in wet form. It also consists of small percent of oil which could be extracted further. The fibre in EFB is very long.
Shredded EFB. The wet form EFB will send for press and shredded process, the product named as shredded EFB. The shredded EFB still under wet form but the access water content has been squeezed out! The oil content also being squeezed during this process. After the shredded process, the core of the EFB will tear into shorter form, at this moment, the fibre extract from shredded EFB with the range 100-200mm length.
Long Fibre. Long fibre is the fibre extract from shredded EFB. The fibre is more coarse and long than other part of oil palm fibre. In most cases, the long fibre is always packed under bale form for export purpose.
Short Fibre. Short fibre is the residue fibre from palm fibre process. Manufacturer will screen out the long fibre and the short fibre is the left over from the process. Besides the length, short fibre is having very close characteristic as long fibre as they are going through similar process. Short fibre moisture maintains at the range 12-15%, it is the best condition and raw material process to EFB pellet.
Mesocarp fibre. This is the fibre extract from the oil palm fruit. The mesocarp fibre is short in nature however it is not same as short fibre as we explain in early section. Because the mesocarp fibre is the fibre direct extract from the oil palm fruit, the fibre is length is about 20mm or shorter. But the diameter is finer and much oily as compare to the short fibre retrieve from shredded EFB.

In Malaysia, there are many people trade the above commodities or oil palm by-product. DST is one of the companies involved in above commodities for more than 10 years. With above explanation about the terms, we hope that it will be better for everyone to communicate toward the same biomass commodity.

There are much more oil palms by product available besides the above commodities such as palm kernel, decanter cake, etc. However over this article we only discuss some related to fibre category. In future, we may talk more on other commodities.

May 8, 2016September 16, 2016

EFB Pellet to Replace Wood Pellet?

EFB Pellet is not a new biomass product available in the market. It has been promote in the market to act as another alternative of biomass commodity. Unfortunately EFB pellet still not widely accept by most buyer.

In this article, we will review the basic differences for EFB pellet vs. wood pellet. Further more, we will share some of our expereince and thought why we think EFB pellet should gain high potential in renewable energy sector.

EFB Pellet or Wood Pellet?

DST has been in renewable energy sector for several years, we know the strength and potential of biomass commodity in available in Malaysia especially Malaysia government had launched 1MBAS project not long ago. The country is looking at biomass to generate 30million Ringgit in year 2020. Through our pass experience, we receive more inquiry about wood pellet instead of EFB pellet, why this happen?

Wood pellet has been in the biomass market for many years, especially Korea and Japan biomass sector has accepted wood pellet in their power plant. EFB pellet was initially invented acting as a substitution of wood pellet. Since we talk about substitution, we have compare both commodities from several aspects, such as pricing, specification, reliability and sustainability.

In order to turn EFB firbe into EFB pellet, the pellet manufacturer has to setup a pelletize process which mainly cover these steps:

De-humidified
Drying
Cutting into size or grinding
Pelletize

The process is pretty straight forward however involve substantial amount of energy. This has make the EFB pellet cost maintain at higher level as compare to wood pellet. Another draw back for EFB pellet is high ash content as compare to Wood Pellet.

Is EFB Facility Over Size?

We have involved in EFB pellet and other biomass commodity for more than 10 years, we are seeing the progress for this industry. From our perspective, many pellet manufacturers no matter in Malaysia or Indonasia are over optimistic about this commodity.

We learn through out the manufacturing process which we are very clear about the process challenge. Pelletize EFB fibre are totally difference than pelletize saw dust. We got to have the appropriate process setup in order to manufacture a quality product.

Over optimistic about the EFB pellet has cause many pellet manufacturers invested in the industry, but at the end find out insufficient customer order to maintain the operation. I feel sad while I am putting up this statement but this is the fact.

What is the Potential for EFB Pellet?

Pelletize EFB fibre is a matual technology and what we lack off is the marketing part. Many people still consider EFB pellet as a commodity for biomass. As EFB pellet manufacturer, we have to broaden our perspective or even strectch out our sense if we want to elevate the potential of EFB pellet.

Besides the manufacturer, Malaysia government should play an important role on promoting EFB Pellet in the world. Malaysia government has setup a department, NBS, National Biomass Strategy to chair the biomass activities. We really hope this department could bring our EFB pellet to worldwide.

If we always limited ourselves on replacing wood pellet with EFB pellet, I think this is a lose game for EFB pellet. EFB pellet should have wider and broader potential if we are able to adopt this commodity in other application.

February 17, 2013

Coconut Shell

Coconut is one of the major agriculture commodity in Malaysia. The largest coconut estate located in Perak state Bagan Datoh area. The tall coconut tree has many application, coconut milk

becomes the major composition for food beverage, the coconut water is a refreshment drink, the fibre on the coconut is a good material for mattress, and the coconut shell is a good source for active carbon or charcoal.

Many coconut estates has converted to oil palm estate, however there still have substantial area of coconut tree in the area to support the coconut related business.

General Introduction of Coconut Shell

The outer coconut fibre will be removed and left the enclose hard coconut shell. The hard coconut shell will chop in half. The white colour coconut fresh will be removed for retrieving coconut milk, this left the half coconut shell.

The outer area of the hard coconut shell is yellowish in colour and inner area may attach with some left over white colour fresh.

Some Applications for Coconut Shell

The coconut shell used to be a biomass energy resource but it has better value now. The hard shell is a good nature fabricate into active carbon for water filtration. The carbonized coconut shell will go through grinding in order to becomes activated carbon.

Another application is converting the coconut shell to charcoal. The coconut shell charcoal is a porous substance that has been used for air filter.

Supply of Coconut Shell

DST is supplying the coconut shell to local and worldwide market. Our coconut shell will be packed in 20kg bag which ready for shipment.

We welcome any inquiry about coconut shell.

December 18, 2012January 21, 2013

Use EFB Pellet as Renewable Energy

EFB pellet is a clean, low cost which able to provide high heating energy for home or industrial use.

EFB pellet classified under carbon neutral product, or also classified as renewable energy.

EFB pellet it is a compressed cylindrical pellet size with 6mm or 8mm diameter in general.

Renewable energy is referring to the energy comes from nature resource. Natural resources refer to solar, wind, tide, rain and also biomass.

Why EFB Pellet Refer as Renewable Energy?

Before we answering this question, let us understand what biomass stand for. Biomass refers to the organic matter such as wood, timber and crops that burn to generate heat and energy. Empty Fruit Bunch or EFB also part of the biomass use for this purpose.

In order classifying biomass as renewable energy, user needs to replant certain tree or plants in order to trap the carbon oxide discharge in the air during the burning or combustion process. By doing so, the ecological system will reach a balance stage of carbon neutral stage.

Wood is one of the typical types of biomass people can think off. But apart from wood, there are other crops such as straw, rice husk, leaf. In Malaysia, there are Empty Fruit Bunch discards from palm oil process also consider as biomass.

Since EFB pellet is built from the source of Empty Fruit Bunch, hence it also consider as renewable energy.

The difference between Wood Pellet and EFB Pellet

Wood pellet is a compressed pellet from saw dust, sometime it also name as saw dust pellet. However EFB pellet is the pellet compressed from EFB short fibre. The EFB pellet is mainly used in commercial or industrial power plant. We are seeing the increase market share for EFB pellet because current biomass boiler design is able to adapt this EFB pellet. Interested reader could refer EFB palletizing process for the more process details.

Even though wood pellet classified as renewable energy but growing up a tree may take longer time than chopping it down. We are seeing volume constraint shows by saw dust pellet, and EFB pellet should be the good substitution for this needs.

Where to by EFB Pellet?

Malaysia definitely is one of the EFB pellet supplier or manufacturer. There are many companies in Malaysia start manufacturer EFB pellet. DST Technology is committed in supplying EFB pellet for oversea market. All interested EFB pellet buyer are welcome to contact DST for inquiry, or write us a mail at sales@biofuelresource.com.

EFB Pellet has no doubt becomes popular in current market; we foresee the demand for EFB pellet is increasing in near future.