The strategic plan for the Energy Group on bioenergy is based on:

 

• Demand of renewable energy in Malaysia and worldwide

• Energy strategy adopted in the Energy Policies of Malaysia

• Waste to wealth/energy strategy 

• Factors influencing the future direction and market for palm oil and oil palm biomass such as the petrochemical industry’s development

• Collaboration with universities, industry and technology providers

• Incorporation if needs be on other energy potential nonfood crops

 

The strategic plan focuses on the use of oil palm by-products available abundantly especially in palm oil mills. It will lead to the development of renewable energy roadmap that can be used deployed later on biomass conversion to bioenergy.

 

The R&D activities conducted feature thorough collaboration with overseas, discussion with technology providers and brainstorming with professional and researchers covering multi-disciplinary fields including engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, etc.

 

The R&D, pilot studies and commercialization involving bioenergy focus on:

 

1) First-generation Biofuel

• Palm Biodiesel

• Cracked hydrocarbon from palm stearin and palm fatty acid distillate

• Palm hydrocarbon/aviation fuel

 

2) Second Generation Biofuel

• Solid fuel: briquettes, pellets

• Liquid fuel: bioethanol, bio-oil, advanced biofuels

• Gaseous fuel: bio producer gas, biogas

 

3) Third Generation Biofuel

• Biofuel production from algae

• Biofuel production from jatropha