The purpose of this study within the ASEAN region was to establish the feasibility of using solid materials, (shell, fibre and empty fruit bunches) generated during production of vegetable oil from palm (OP) trees for production of charcoal, that in turn would be used for cooking and other uses replacing imported coal. The pyrolysis technology, using a novel kiln design, was to be incorporated into the factory flow sheet together with the use of anaerobic digestion of liquid wastes to produce biogas. Process energy would mainly be derived from biogas, as well as from pyrolysis gas generated in the kiln, releasing a greater quantity of waste solids for charcoal production.

Mass and energy balances, as well as costs and economics, were calculated for the waste produced (per tonne oil generated and per tonne of fresh fruit bunch processed) as well as for the factory operation, biogas production and charcoal yields. The effects on the environment in terms of implementing the concept to varying degrees (number of factories adopting the technology), was estimated on the basis of reduction in methane generation and water pollution from waste lagoons within the oil palm industry as well as in terms of the reduction in fossil carbon dioxide emissions in the fuel market, as a result of using charcoal. The content of the study included:

The ASEAN region and oil palm industry

Composition and yields of wastes and effluents by the OP industry

Charcoal and biogas technology

Energy balances in factory

Environmental impacts

Within OP industry

Within coal/charcoal markets

Saving of trees harvest for charcoal

Costs

Carbon dioxide sparing effect