Energy Sufficiency of Biomass and Wastewater in Closed Process of Sago Starch Production

Abstract

Sago grows in lowland and peat swamp regions that are relatively isolated due to limited basic infrastructures, including energy supply, especially electricity. These limitations constraining the development of sago starch production and industry. The sago starch production process generates by-products such as sago bark waste, pith waste, and wastewater which are potentially used as an energy source. This paper discusses a closed system model of an energy-independent sago starch production process from the utilization of by-products and wastewater. A mass balance model was developed to calculate the energy potency of by-products and waste to construct a closed system for the sago starch production process. The model's output showed that the by-product from processing 1,000 tons of sago stems per day with an optimal yield of 14% potentially generates 90,562 kWh of energy. This energy potency can meet the 26,070 kWh energy needed for sago starch production, making it possible to develop into a closed production system. Further research is needed to determine the site-specific aspects that affect energy sufficiency.