Mass balance of palm waste energy potential in palm oil processing in South West Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

The process of land clearing, tillage, and planting in plantations has environmental impacts. The use of fertilizers, both organic and inorganic, contributes to potential emissions during land preparation (262 kg/cycle), tillage (236 kg/cycle), and planting (165 kg/cycle). Land preparation has the highest emissions due to increased fuel consumption. Planting oil palm seedlings aged 1, 2, and 3 years requires significant water (5,160,063.496 tons/cycle, 5,222,991.444 tons/cycle, and 5,411,774.030 tons/cycle, respectively). Outputs in years 4-7 include groundwater use (5,710,654.467 tons/cycle), 12,750 tons of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) per cycle, 12,878 tons of palm fronds and leaves per cycle, and 19.62% evapotranspiration. In years 8-10, FFB production reaches 24 tons/cycle, with 12,878.79 tons/cycle of fronds and leaves, and 19.63% evapotranspiration. In years 11-14, FFB production is 26 tons/cycle, with 6.435 tons/cycle of fronds and leaves. The water requirement remains at 80.37%. For oil palm aged >19 years, FFB production decreases to 18 tons/cycle, with fronds and leaves remaining the same. Electrical waste energy (E) generated by 2050 totals 7,343,834.558 GW, increasing from 2016-2032 and plateauing from 2033-2050. Factory energy needs (Ep) at 20% power plant efficiency are 1,468,766.912 GW, while waste-derived energy (P) is 167.667 GW.