Availability of empty fruit bunch as biomass feedstock for sustainability of bioenergy product (system dynamic approach)

Abstract

In addition to producing palm oil (CPO) and Palm kernel Oil (PKO), palm oil agroindustry also produces quite a lot of biomass solid waste residues. One of them is empty fruit bunches (EFB) which have not been optimally utilized and accumulated in the area around the factory location. Currently, the conventional EFB utilization has only been limited to mulch material and fertilizers used in oil palm plantations. This biomass material has enormous potential in producing renewable energy, chemical products, etc. Cumulatively, the product has high added value. Considering that the volume of EFB has the largest proportion in oil palm plantation waste, which is reaching (20-23%) of fresh fruit (FFB), it is necessary to study the availability of EFB in supplying raw materials for bioenergy products. In this study, data collection and retrieval are taken from palm oil companies in Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan. The problems that have so far been unknown are the potential availability of raw materials in maintaining the fulfilment of the need to produce bioenergy sustainably. Therefore, this study is intended to predict the needs and amount of raw material supply. The System Dynamic Methodology is used as a tool in predicting the availability and long term needs of raw materials and creating scenarios in the face of limitations in the availability of sustainable raw materials. The model is built on three main sub-models, namely the plantation area, the biomass availability, and the conventional utilization sub-model. The study show that an increase in harvested area will certainly be followed by additional FFB harvests and the resulting waste stock including the solid waste of palm oil empty bunches. The rate of empty bunches will decrease along with the crop productivity which also decreases according to the plant age. The scenario proposed to adjust the condition of raw materials is replanting. Planting of new plants will be carried out from the 19th year of the simulation, at the age of 23 years, which is expected to be harvested in the 22 simulation years. The second scenario is the utilization of another biomass as a source of the biomass. Besides EFB, there are other biomass which have the potential to be used as bioenergy, namely frond. By combining some of the biomass, greater availability of biomass will be obtained. The scenario of combining with other biomass is the most suitable (frond biomass) because of its similar characteristics to EFB and the stability of its availability.