SECOND GENERATION BIOFUELS FROM OIL PALM BIOMASS

Loh Soh Kheang and Choo Yuen May

Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB)

18th International Oil Palm Conference 22-25 September 2015 Cartagena, Colombia

PRESENTATION OUTLINE   Introduction

  Global Development   Development in Malaysia

  Oil Palm Biomass  Availability, Energy Characteristics, Application

  Palm Lignocellulosic-Based Second Generation Biofuels   R,D & C Status, Conversion Efficiency & Potential Energy Outputs

 Way Forward   Conclusion

Biomass to Liquid: Bioethanol Company/

Location  Technology   Feedstock   Production

capacity (MGY)  

Project/plant Cost

(USD, mil)  

Status  

Beta Renewables - Novazyme – Inbicon / Crescentino, Italy  

Pre-treatment - high T & P, Integrated Enzymes & PROESA Eng. Tech.  

Wheat straw, rice straw, baggase, corn stover, etc.

biomass used: 270,000 t/yr

 

13-20

= 50 mil L

13 MW electricity

$159 (project)  

Operational, Oct 2013  

Abengoa Bioenergy / Hugoton, Kansas, USA  

Enzymatic - custom-made enzymes hydrolysis  

Multicellulosic biomass, crop residue and plant fibres

Biomass used: 315,000t/yr biomass

25

20 MW electricity  

$685 (plant)   Construction expected to complete, Dec 2013  

Inbicon - DONG Energy – Novozymes /Maabjerg, Denmark  

Mechanical conditioning, hydrothermal pretreatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis.  

Wheat straw (50 t/hr)

Pdt: ethanol, biogas, electricity, fertilizer, solid biofuel  

13-20

 

$390 - $580 (plant)  

Estimated completion, 2016  

Status of Commercial Bio-ethanol Plant from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Biomass to Liquid: Bioethanol

Company/ Location  

Technology   Feedstock   Production capacity (MGY)  

Project/plant Cost

(USD, mil)  

Status  

Iogen - Raízen Energia / Piracicaba, São Paulo

Steam explosion - separate hydrolysis & advanced fermentation

bagasse & cane straw (fully integrated into the 1st gen ethanol )

~13 $100 (plant) Plant start-up, 4th Q 2014

Mascoma - Frontier Renewable - Valero Energy / Kinross, Michigan, USA

Consolidated bioprocessing -a “drop- in” genetically-modified yeasts

Wood pulp and chips 20 $232 (construction, commission and start-up)

Estimated completion, 2014/15

Mitsui (MES) – Inbicon/Dong– Teck Guan

hydro-thermal (steam) pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis

Oil palm EFB 1.25 t/day CAPEX: €10

Operational, 2013

Status of Commercial Biorefinery Plant from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Biomass to Liquid: Bio-oil Company/

Location  Technology   Feedstock   Production

capacity (t/day)  Project/plant

Cost (USD, mil)  

Status  

Dynamotive, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Fast Pyrolysis

Fluidized Bed Reactor

Wood Chip

200 $8.8 Operational, 2007  

BTG BioLiquids,

Hengelo, Netherlands

Flash pyrolysis *biorefinery”

Rotating Cone Reactor

Wood Residue 120

- Estimated completion, 2014  

Envergent (UOP-Ensyn) - Industria e Innovazione, Tuscany, Italy

Rapid thermal processing technology (RTP)

Mixed pine forest residues & demolition wood

150 - Expected to complete, Dec 2013  

Envergent (UOP-Ensyn) - Tolko Industries, Alberta, Canada

RTP Wood chip & residue

400

(22.5 MGY)

$14.3 Expected to complete, Dec 2014  

Envergent (UOP-Ensyn) – Felda Sahabat, Sabah

RTP Palm and bagasse residues

400

150

132,000t/yr EFB

$82

$45

(capital cost)

??

Status of Commercial Bio-oil Plant from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Biomass to Solid Biofuel: Pellet

Company (Location)  

Technology   Feedstock   Production capacity (t/hr)  

Project/plant Cost

(RM, mil)  

Status  

Detik Aturan Sdn. Bhd. (Kuala Selangor, Selangor)

Ring die Empty fruit bunch (EFB)

6 RM1.5 – 2.0 / t palm pellet

(production cost)

Operational, Oct 2011

Felda Palm Industries Sdn. Bhd ( KKS Semenhu, Kota Tinggi)

Ring die EFB

4

(24,000 t/yr)

RM6.5 Completed 2011

In operation

QL Tawau Palm Pellet Sdn. Bhd. ( QL Palm Oil Mill 1, Tawau)

Flat Die EFB 4

( 25,000 t/yr)

RM12.5 (inclusive civil,

building, electrical and consultation)

Completed 2011

GGS-MPOB briquettes

Piston press EFB 1

(37,440t/yr)

< RM8 Completed 2010, not in operation

Status of Commercial Solid Biofuel Production Plant

POME

Shell

Fibre

EFB

Renewable Energy

Biomass Others

Palm Biomass

Wood MSW Rice

Sawmill Rice Husk

Hydro

Small Hydro

Solar

PV

Thermal

Renewable Energy (Biomass Potential in Malaysia)

Wind

Biogas

Energy Crops Jatropha

Algae

Golden Crop: Oil Palm

Palm Frond (Stem, Rachis & Leaves)

Oil Palm Fruit

Oil Palm Stem

Oil Palm Trunk

Oil Palm – Fresh Fruit Bunch

Basic Facts •  Fruits per bunch: 1000 to 3000

•  Bunch Weight: 15-25kg

•  Fruit size: 5 cm

•  Fruit shape: Oval

•  Fruit Color: Yellowish Red

•  Fruitlet weight: 10 gm

Empty fruit bunch, EFB

Anatomy of oil palm fruit

Mesocarp: Palm Oil (PO)

Shell

Kernel: Palm Kernel Oil (PKO)

Basic Facts •  Kernel per fruit: 5-8% •  Mesocarp per Fruit: 85-92% •  Oil per mesocarp: 20-50% •  Oil per bunch: 23-25%

Palm shell

Mesocarp fiber

Oil Palm Biomass in 2014 No. Type of Oil Palm Biomass Amount (mil tonne)

Wet Weight Dry Weight

1. OPF (from pruning activity) OPF (from replanting activity)

- 42.06 3.03

22.5 (available)

2. OPT (replanting of 209,200 ha*) - 15.58

3. EFB (443 palm oil mills, FFB processed = 95.38 mil tonnes) = 22% x 95.38 mil tonnes

20.98 7.34

4. Mesocarp fibers, MF (13% ) 12.87 7.72

5. Palm kernel shells (6%) 5.24 4.46

TOTAL 80.19

6. POME generated from per tonne of FFB is about 65%.

63.90 (1789 mil m3 biogas)

3.18**

BIO-FERTILIZER

BIO-COMPOSITE & BIO-PRODUCTS

BIO-BASED CHEMICALS

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Heat and power* Solid, liquid and gas bio-fuels **

Mulch*

Compost*

MDF**, plywood*, fibremats*, bio-char** and activated carbon **

Sugars/Cellulose, ** lignin**, vitamin E**, carotenes**, squalene**

* Developed ** Emerging

Applications of Oil Palm Biomass

OIL PALM BIOMASS

Bioenergy Potential from Oil Palm Biomass (OPB)

BIOMASS TO GAS (BTG)

BIO-CHAR

BIO-OIL

BIOETHANOL

Production of bioethanol from EFB/OPT can be carried out via various different approaches—chemical, thermal and enzymatic processes.

Bio-oil from pyrolysis of OPB can be used for CHP, food flavoring, chemicals, heat and steam generation for small stationary engines, gas turbines and boilers.

Bio-char derived from pyrolysis or carbonisation process can be made into: i. solid fuel ii. oil /water slurries iii. activated carbon & soil enhancer.

SYNTHETIC DIESEL The synthetic diesel is obtained from Catalytic Depolymerazation Process (CDP) of OPB

T h e b i o g a s f r o m anaerobic digestion of POME can be used to fire b o i l e r s o r r u n g a s e n g i n e s t o p r o d u c e electricity.

BIOMASS TO LIQUID (BTL)

BIOMASS TO SOLID (BTS)

BIOGAS

BIO PRODUCER GAS

Quality bio-producer gas with higher heating value (HHV) can be produced via gasification using oil palm shell/fibre.

Briquetting of EFB fibre and palm shell can be conducted via piston press or screw extrusion technologies

BRIQUETTES/PELLETS

SYNTHETIC DIESEL

SECOND GEN. BIOFUELS – PALM LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS

COMBINED HEAT & POWER (CHP)

Long and Short EFB Fibers

Baled Solid Biofuels

•   Cleaned EBF fibers (~10% mc), suitable for exports, mattresses filler and wood plastic composite.

•   From the same process, the short fibres can be used for the production of pellets

•   Shredded EFB fibers (~40% mc), suitable for bio-energy and bio-composite

SEGUNTOR BIOENERGY SDN. BHD. KINA BIOPOWER SDN. BHD.

Independent Biomass Cogeneration Power Plant

Electricity Generation from EFB – Grid Connected

Biomass to Solid (BTS) (Briquettes & Pellets)

Charcoal briquettes

Biomass Pellet Palm biomass briquettes – piston press technology

Torrefied Pellet

Palm Biomass Briquettes – Screw Extrusion Technology

Fibrous EFB & Bale

Characteristics: •   Calorific Value 17895 – 18235 kJ/kg •   Moisture content < 6.0% •   Ash content < 6.0% •   Specific Density 1100 – 1300 kg/m3

•   Typical diameter sizes : briquettes Ø < 9cm, pellet Ø <1cm

Bioethanol Production from EFB

Inoculated  with    microbe   Op7miza7on  study    

Treated  Palm  Biomass  (Hydrolysate)  

             Fermenta7on  in  a  bioreactor  

Dis7lla7on  at  75°C  Mixture  of  fermenta7on  product  (bioethanol)  

Pretreatment Hydrolysis Fermentation Separation Bioethanol

Bioethanol  Produc7on  from  Oil  Palm  Trunk  

Oil  palm  trunk  sap  extrac7on    

             Fermenta7on  

Dis7lla7on  

Purified  bioethanol  

Summary Bioethanol Production from EFB

•   Bisulfite process and formiline pre-treatment (MPOB-Tsinghua-Shandong University)

•   Optimised ethanol production from EFB: 6 dry tonnes of EFB can produce: 1 tonne of ethanol (17%), 0.8 tonne of high-purity lignin (14%) and 4.2 tonnes of hemicellulosic syrup (70%) as biochemical feedstock, of which 0.3 tonne of furfural can be produced (5%)

Bioethanol yield per t dry EFB = 15-25% Sugar conversion ~75% Fermentation efficiency ~ 85%

MPOB Pyrolysis Experimental Rig

Biomass to Liquid: Bio-oil Products: - Bio-oil (main), biochar & gas

Properties of bio-oil

Temperature (°C)

400 500 600

Calorific Value (MJ/kg)

20.23 21.41 21.17

Total Ash, % 0.49 0.65 0.37

pH 3.4 3.0 3.0

Moisture (%) 17.89 18.74 18.21

Density (g/cm3) 1.00 0.90 0.99 Biomass Experimental Kit (BEK)

Bio-oil: biofuel Biochar: Soil management/Carbon sequestration

Gasification of Palm Biomass Product: - Syngas

Other Gasification pilot plant Capacity: 30 kW, Fuel: EFB briquettes

•   MPOB in-house technology – pilot scale down-draft fluidized sand bed gasifier

•   Feed: EFB, palm shell and fiber

•   Process optimization in progress to achieve: H2 (40%); CO (30%); CH4 (10%)

potential: 1-2 MW from 60 t/hr mill 282 MW (438 mills)

Mixing Anaerobic Aerobic

• Land application

• Composting

• Water course

POME

Cooling

Biogas / Methane

Cleaning Package Boiler / Biomass boiler

(cofiring)

Micro Turbine Electricity

Steam

Gas Engine

Flare

Electricity

Electricity

OPTIONS OF UTILIZATION

Diesel Engine (cofiring) Electricity

POTENTIAL BIOGAS UTILIZATIONS IN PALM OIL MILLS

Biogas capturing technology – cover lagoon and digester tank

Gas engine for electricity

Co-firing in biomass boiler

Composting / biofertilizer

Off-Site Utilization: Bio-CNG

BioCNG demo plant at Sg Tengi POM, Kuala Kubu Bahru, Selangor

Raw Biogas Pretreatment Compression CO2 removal Storage/

dispensing

MPOB-Ronser Zero Discharge POME Treatment System, POMTEC, Labu, Negeri Sembilan

Biogas Capture vs. Methane Avoidance

MPOB-BEE High Efficient Methane Fermentation System

POMEDfree Zero Waste Technology: 100% nutrients recycling

from POME, sludge, EFB via composting

Biogas Capture vs. Methane Avoidance

Source: Zulkifli et al., 2015

Biomass to higher value addition Starch HemicelluloseBiomass

FeedstocksCellulose Lignin Oil Protein

IntermediatePlatforms

Building  Blocks

SynGas C2 C3 C4 C5 C6

H2,  methanol &  higheralcohols,  oxo and  iso-­‐synthesis products,  Fischer-­‐Tropsch

chemicals

Glycerol,  Lactic,  3-­‐Hydroxypropionate,  Malonic acid,  

Serine

Succinic,  fumaric&  malic acids,  

Aspartic acid,  3-­‐Hydroxy  

Butyrrolactone,  Acetoin,  Threonine

Itaconic acid,  Furfural,  Levulinicacid,  Glutamic

acid,  Xylonic acid,  Xylitol/Arabitol

Citric/Acotonicacid,  5-­‐Hydroxy  methyl furfural,  Lysine,  Gluconicacid,  Glucaric acid,  

Sorbitol

SugarsGlucose,  Fructose,  Xylose

Arabinose,  Lactose,  Sucrose,  Starch

BiobasedSyn gas

AromaticsGallic,  Ferulic

acid,  …

DirectPolymers &  

Gums

•   Fine chemicals, minor components, products mimic to petroleum counterparts, etc.

Way Forward – All-in-One Refinery

Conclusion

•   Huge potential to fully utilise crop residues of the oil palm industry

•   Successful efforts currently are mainly in energy and fertiliser applications

•   It is a matter of time when the industry will move towards higher value applications with government support

•   The oil palm industry is moving towards optimal value addition and zero waste

Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Tel : 603-87694400 Fax : 603-89259446

MPOB website: www.mpob.gov.my Dr. Loh Soh Kheang: lohsk@mpob.gov.my