In 2018, oil palm is planted on 5.85 million ha, (about 18 % of the total area of Malaysia) (Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 2019). Palm oil has unfortunately garnered a lot of attention recently, owing to the European Union’s ban against palm oil for biofuels.
How much energy does the palm oil industry produce in Malaysia?
The palm oil industry demonstrates a total energy potential of 63,451 ktoe per year, which is theoretically equivalent to a massive 64 % of Malaysia’s primary energy supply (in 2018).
How many palm bioenergy feedstocks are available in Malaysia?
This data was used to aid the calculations in this work. The annual basis used to find the total availability of palm bioenergy feedstocks was a CPO production capacity of 19.52 million tonnes (Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 2021) and a planted area of 5.85 million ha (Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 2019) in 2018.
Can palm oil contribute to Malaysia’s decarbonization goal?
Palm bioenergy feedstocks have a theoretical energy potential of 63.5 Mtoe per year. These feedstocks can be converted to biodiesel, biogas and pyrolysis products. Using a model mix, 38 % renewables share and 57 % GHG reduction can be achieved. The palm oil industry can notably contribute to Malaysia’s decarbonization goal.