Introduction
The Energy and Environment Unit is one of the units under the Engineering and Processing Research Division of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). The unit consists of two research groups namely Biorefinery and Environment Group and Biofuel Technology Group. Officially established in 2004, the unit’s main research focus is related to energy and environment based on “zero waste”, “high income” and “value addition” strategies. The unit through MPOB welcomes and encourages collaboration with the palm oil industry and relevant stakeholders.
Mission
Strategic Research Areas
- Establishment of bioenergy technologies using palm oil, oil palm biomass and other potential feedstocks.
- Establishment of integrated palm oil mill-based biorefinery.
- Value addition creation via waste-to-wealth.
- Sustainability, life cycle sustainability assessment, carbon and water footprint.
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The Biorefinery and Environment Group adopts the waste to wealth strategy and focuses on bioenergy and value addition by exploiting the abundantly available oil palm by-products from the palm oil industry. The Group is also involved in sustainability and climate change related research, life cycle sustainability assessment, water footprint and carbon footprint. These researches gear towards a circular palm oil economy via establishment of a palm oil mill-based bio-refinery. We welcome research collaboration with overseas partners, universities, the palm oil industry and technology providers. The R&D activities are multi-disciplinary covering engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, bioprocess, molecular biology, environmental science, etc. GROUP LEADER GROUP MEMBERS The Biofuel Technology Group is responsible for all the research and development of palm biofuel and biodiesel for the country. This includes the development of technologies for the production of palm biodiesel and winter-grade palm biodiesel, characterization and technical evaluation of palm biofuel and biodiesel, development of Malaysian standards for palm biofuel and biodiesel, building the first commercial palm biodiesel plant in Malaysia. Apart from that, the Group also focuses on the research and development of bio-lubricant, biojet, palm phytonutrients, red palm oil as well as by-product from oil extraction and refining processes of oil palm fruits – palm-pressed fibre oil. GROUP LEADER GROUP MEMBERS
The following consultation and analytical services are offered to the oil palm industry and other stakeholders:
Consultation services
- Techno-economic assessment of palm biomass and bioenergy projects.
- Biogas capture and utilization technologies and their technical configuration.
- Energy audit (generation and utilization) and efficiency assessment of cogeneration systems in palm oil mills.
- Matters related to Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM), Feed-in Tariff (FiT) and power system study (PSS) for grid-connected power plants.
- Evaluation of green technologies for grant application.
- Biodiesel and phytonutrient quality improvement and process modification.
Environmental Services
- Life cycle assessment (LCA).
- Quantification of carbon footprint.
- Quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- Quantification of water footprint.
Analytical services
- Oil palm biomass characterization as fuel (fuel and combustion characteristics).
- Palm oil mill effluent (POME) characterisation.
- Normal and winter-grade palm biodiesel characterisation.
- Bio-waxes/bio-lubricants characterization.
- Biofuels and phytonutrients analyses.