Techno-economic assessment of hydrogen production via steam reforming of palm oil mill effluent

Abstract

Malaysia is one of the most prosperous palm oil producing countries, the palm oil mill effluent (POME) created during the process poses a high threat due to its high pollution characteristics. Besides, most palm oil mills in Malaysia treat POME using open ponding systems which cause greenhouse gas dissipation. On the other hand, there is a rising consciousness globally to use clean and renewable fuels. Malaysia is also having plans for clean hydrogen energy usage. However, the deployment of hydrogen technology in Malaysia is not meeting the targets set. One of the reasons is due to the high deployment cost of hydrogen technology. If POME can be reused for hydrogen production, it might help to minimize the waste generated from the palm oil industry while serving as a cheaper feedstock for hydrogen production. Before hydrogen production from POME can be successfully implemented, knowing its production cost is essential. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the process design and techno-economic feasibility of hydrogen production from POME via a steam methane reforming technique in the context of Malaysia, which is currently limited in the literature. The process modelling part of the study was carried out using Aspen Plus software. The simulation results showed that a feedstock of 20,000 kg per hour of POME could generate 963.31 tonnes of hydrogen (purity of 99.9 %) annually. The hydrogen production facility was estimated to have total capital expenses and total operating expenses of RM 142.49 million and RM 58.67 million/year, respectively. The results also revealed that the production profitability was viable at a payback period of 8.5 years and a return of investment on year 20 of 18.48 %. The results from this study can be a reference for potential alternative hydrogen production methods. With the information on the economic viability, it is believed that it can help to accelerate the commercialisation of hydrogen production technologies. This study is also helpful for those who are trying to reduce the environmental impact of palm oil industries for a more sustainable future.