Sustainable Biofuels

Biofuels

What are Biofuels?

Biofuels are energy sources made from living things, or the waste that living things produce. Supporters of biofuels argue that their use could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions; while burning the fuels produces carbon dioxide, growing the plants or biomass removes carbon diozide from the atmosphere. Detractors claim that biofuel production poses a major threat to global food systems and the natural environment.

Biodiesel Production

Biodiesel production cycle

Biodiesel is commonly produced by the transesterification of the vegetable oil or animal fat feedstock. There are several methods for carrying out this transesterification reaction including the common batch process, supercritical processes, ultrasonic methods, and even microwave methods. Chemically, transesterified biodiesel comprises a mix of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids.

Economic and Environmental Impact of Biodiesel

Biodiesel

Economic impact

Multiple economic studies have been performed regarding the Economic impact of Biodiesel production. One study, commissioned by the National Biodiesel Board, reported the 2011 production of biodiesel supported 39,027 jobs and more than $2.1 billion in household income. The growth in biodiesel also helps significantly increase GDP (Gross Domestic Product). In 2011, Biodiesel created more than $3 billion in GDP. Judging by the continued growth in the Renewable Fuel Standard and the extension of the biodiesel tax incentive, the number of jobs can increase to 50,725, $2.7 billion in income, and reaching $5 billion in GDP by 2012 and 2013.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel

What Is Biodiesel?

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel similar to conventional or ‘fossil’ diesel. Biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that is reducing dependence on petroleum, creating jobs and improving the environment. Biodiesel can be used alone, or blended with petrodiesel in any proportions. Biodiesel blends can also be used as heating oil (as a heating fuel in domestic and commercial boilers). The National Biodiesel Board (USA) also has a technical definition of Biodiesel as a "mono-alkyl ester".

Biofuel Production Using Palm Oil

Biofuel

Biofuel

The high prices of petroleum have stimulated the rapid development of the Biofuel industry in the European Union, United States and to some extent in Malaysia. Biofuel offers strategic advantages for different sectors and stakeholders. That's why peoples start thinking about Biofuel and biofuel production.

Palm Oil Commodity in the Market Place

Palm oil Monthly Price

Palm Oil Commodity

Palm oil is the vegetable oil produced in largest amount having pushed soybean oil into second place in 2004/05. Palm Oil is generally the cheapest commodity vegetable oil and also the cheapest oil to produce and to refine. By reason of its availability and (relatively) low cost, it is an important component of the increasing intake of oils and fats in the developing world. Without the large volume of exported palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia, there would be a major problem in meeting world demand for vegetable oil.

General Description of The Palm Oil Milling Process

Palm Oil Mill

Introduction of the Palm Oil Milling Process

Fresh Fruit Bunch

Palm oil (CPO, Crude Palm Oil) is extracted from FFB (Fresh Fruit Bunch) by mechanical process, where a mill commonly handles 45 to 100 mt per hour of FFB. The modern palm oil mill of today is based predominantly on concepts developed in the early 50s. An average size FFB weighs about 20-30 kg and contains 1500-2000 fruitlets.

Oil Palm Plantation and Production in Malaysia

Oil palms plantation

One of the World Largest Palm Oil Exporter

The Oil Palm tree (Elaeis guineensis jacq.) originates from West Africa where it grows in the wild and later was developed into an agricultural crop. It was introduced to Malaysia, then Malaya, by the British in early 1870's as an ornamental plant.

In 1917, the first commercial planting took place in Tennamaran Estate in Selangor, laying the foundations for the vast oil palm plantations and the Palm oil industry in Malaysia. The cultivation of oil palm increased at a fast pace in early 1960s under the government's agricultural diversification programme, which was introduced to reduce the country's economic dependence on rubber and tin.

Chemical Composition of Palm Oil

Palm Oil

The Oil

The Oil Palm produces two types of oils ; Crude Palm Oil (CPO) from the fibrous Mesocarp and Crude Palm Kernel Oil (CPKO) from the kernels. Although both oils originate from the same fruit, Palm Oil is chemically and nutritionally different from Palm Kernel Oil. It is one of the only two mesocarp oils available commercially, the other being olive oil.

The Oil Palm and its Fruit

Oil palms plantation

About Oil Palm

The Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) originated in Africa, where groves of wild palms still exist. Cultivated varieties are now grown, however, on plantations in the equatorial tropics in South-east Asia and South America as well as in Africa.

Palm Kernel and Palm Kernel Oil

Palm oil fruit kernel 

Palm Kernel

The Palm kernel is the edible seed of the oil palm tree.
The fruit yields two distinct oils—palm oil derived from the outer parts of the fruit, and palm kernel oil derived from the kernel. The pulp left after oil is rendered from the kernel is formed into "palm kernel cake", used either as high-protein feed for dairy cattle or burned in boilers to generate electricity for palm oil mills and surrounding villages.

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil / RSPO

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was established in 2004 with the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders. The seat of the association is in Zurich, Switzerland, while the secretariat is currently based in Kuala Lumpur with a satellite office in Jakarta. The organization claims more than "1000 members from over 50 countries" as of 2012.

Social and Environmental Impact of Palm Oil

Oil Palm fruits

Palm oil, produced from the oil palm, is a basic source of income for many farmers in South East Asia, Central and West Africa, and Central America. It is locally used as a cooking oil, exported for use in many commercial food and personal care products and is converted into biofuel. It produces up to 10 times more oil per unit area than soyabeans, rapeseed or sunflowers.

Palm Oil Production and The Nutrition for Health

Palm Oil

Palm Oil Production

As of 2012, the annual revenue received by Indonesia and Malaysia together, the Top two producers of palm oil, is US$40 billion. Between 1962 and 1982 global exports of palm oil increased from around half a million to 2.4 million tonnes annually and in 2008 world production of palm oil and palm kernel oil amounted to 48 million tonnes. According to FAO forecasts by 2020 the global demand for palm oil will double, and triple by 2050.

About Palm Oil

Palm Oil

Palm oil (also known as dendê oil, from Portuguese) is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms, primarily the African oil palm Elaeis guineensis, and to a lesser extent from the American oil palm Elaeis oleifera and the maripa palm Attalea maripa.

Palm oil is naturally reddish in color because of a high beta-carotene content. It is not to be confused with palm kernel oil derived from the kernel of the same fruit, or coconut oil derived from the kernel of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). The differences are in color (raw palm kernel oil lacks carotenoids and is not red), and in saturated fat content: Palm mesocarp oil is 41% saturated, while Palm Kernel oil and Coconut oil are 81% and 86% saturated respectively.