Biogas digester for palm oil mill wastes and 1.8 Mw generating system in Gunung Meliau, with linkage to Pontianak system

Abstract

In a common palm-oil industry 400 tons of fresh fruit bunches are processed each day. The wastes resulting from this processing (64% in weight of the fresh fruit) are burned to produce the steam needed in the processing while the sludge waters are discharged in rivers. A biogas plant of 4×4000 m3 would produce 24 000 m3 biogas per day. If the production, of fertilizer (40 tons/day) is included in the rentability study, the pay-back time is 9 years and the unit cost $US 0.06 per kWh.