Project

Purpose

By developing and disseminating technology for using Oil Palm Trunks (OPT) as a biomass resource, solving two global environmental problems caused by OPT abandonment in the Plantation. Also, the Project will create an implementable path by creating new industries and producing environmental and economic incentives based on biomass utilization technology

Research Theme Composition

The OPT management / utilization technology conducted in Research Theme-1 (Output-1) and Theme-2 (Output-2) will be developed at the Kluang Pilot Plant in Johor, Malaysia.

Regarding the utilization of outer layer of OPT for plywood, various board processing technologies have been researched and developed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and the Malaysian Forest Research Institute (FRIM). However, practically, there is only one plywood manufacturing company in Malaysia that utilizes OPT.

In addition, regarding the characteristic sap of OPT, there is only a research report at the laboratory level, and this project will be the first to work toward social implementation.

The research on the oil palm plantation environment conducted in Research Theme-3 (Output-3) is extremely important academically. Here, research on the dynamics of soil fungi such as Ganoderma fungus, Fusarium (oxysporum), etc , beetles and other pests on oil palm plantations that are undergoing reforestation, and their effects on the plantations will be conducted.

In addition, the impact of abandonment of oil palm residue on the farm on climate change will be clarified by monitoring the greenhouse gases (CO2,CH4,N2O) generated from the farm due to biomass decomposition of OPT and OPF, by using a multi-channel chamber system.

In Research Theme-4 (Output-4), assuming the case of actively recycling palm biomass, an analytical framework that can identify and quantitatively evaluate the impact on each field of economy, society, and environment, and comprehensively evaluate it will be developed by using process data such as process, energy consumption, and GHG emissions obtained at our Kluang pilot plant, to discuss the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the entire palm industry when OPT high value-added technology is socially implemented.

So far, there are research examples that calculated the LCA and environmental load in the manufacturing process for palm oil products and the use of EFB and PKS biomass. However, there is no systematic analysis of environmental impact and commercial impact from a view of the entire palm industry when OPT and biomass production processes are applied.

In the future, this LCA model will serve as a guide for diagnosing the sustainability of the entire palm industry.

Research Theme

Output 1

Technology development of high sugar accumulation in OPT

The purpose of Output-1 is to develop a method for increasing the sugar content in the sap in OPT, and to contribute to the efficiency and cost reduction of the high value-added product…

Output 2

Development of manufacturing technology for high value-added products from OPT

The purpose of Research Theme-2 is to promote process development research for commercialization and cooperation with companies requiring to commercialize from the…

Output 3

Development of sustainable land management by reforestation of palm plantations

Evaluate the following environmental impacts caused by abandonment of oil palm residues such as logged OPT in the plantation…

Output 4

Impact assessment to economy, society and environment by OPT utilization technology

In order to discuss the sustainability of the palm industry when OPT high value-added technology is socially implemented, the following three items are aimed at…