Palm | Kelapa Sawit

Palm biodiesel is an alternative fuel derived from palm oil and can be used in compression ignition engines, i.e. diesel engines without any modifications. It refers to methyl esters derived from palm oil through a process known as ‘transesterification’.

What is the difference between biofuels and biodiesel?

Biofuels are alternative fuels derived from renewable natural resources, e.g. vegetable oils and their derivatives, bioethanol,biomass, etc.
Biodiesel refers to alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils and their derivatives, animal fats, waste oils, etc. Therefore, biodiesel is one type of biofuel.

Who was behind the initial research and development (R&D of biodiesel from palm oil?

Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) started the R&D of biodiesel from palm oil and its products way back in 1982. Since then, MPOB has conducted extensive R&D in using palm biodiesel as a diesel substitute.

What is ENDO DIESEL ?

ENDO DIESEL is the brand name for the blends of processed palm oil and petroleum diesel.

What is processed palm oil?

Processed palm oil is the oil that can be used for blending with petroleum diesel. It can be trefined, bleached, deodorized pakm olein or palm methyl esters.

Why should we use palm biodiesel ?

Palm biodiesel is renewable, biodegradable, non toxic and safe to handle (flash point higher than petroleum diesel) and especially free of sulphur. It also provides a safety net to stabilize the price of palm oil by removing surplus stock.

Is palm biodiesel a sustainable energy?

Generally, sustainable energy is about using energy wisely, and using energy produced by clean technologies or from renewable sources and causes no long-term damage to the environment. Palm biodiesel produced in Malaysia is from palm oil, which is produced in a sustainable manner and their use conserves our crude petroleum reserve and contributes to our economy. Malaysian palm biodiesel is therefore a sustainable energy.

Is palm biodiesel economically viable with current palm price of over RM3,300 per tonne?

Generally, it is not economically viable to use palm biodiesel in Malaysia as our petroleum diesel is relatively cheap due to the subsidy given by the government. It is very feasible for overseas markets where the petroleum diesel is very expensive and price for biodiesel is high. This makes palm biodiesel very competitive as palm oil is cheaper than other vegetable oils.

Palm oil: For food or for fuel?

The main proportion of palm oil will still be used for food. As for today, only limited biodiesel factories using palm oil as the feedstock have been built.

What is the effect of palm biodiesel on the price of palm oil as a commodity?

Generally, the demand for this commodity is increasing rapidly because of the increasing demand of edible oil in consumer countries, especially China, European Union, Pakistan, India and the United States. The use of palm oil as biodiesel feedstock also contributes to this increased demand and to some extent helps to enhance palm oil prices.

Can biodiesel be used directly in diesel engine?

Yes, neat palm biodiesel (staright non-mixed biodiesel) can be used as fuel in diesel engines without any engine modifications. It can also be blended in any proportion with petroleum diesel.

What are the other potential application of palm biodiesel?

It can be used as heating fuel in domestic and commercial boilers. Biodiesel exhibits better solvency power and this is a better solvent than petroleum-based solvent. Palm biodiesel can be also used as feedstock for oleochemical industry such as a sulphonated metyl esters for the production of liquid detergent.

What are the environmental benefits of using Palm biodiesel?

Various studies indicate that sulphur dioxide, hydrocarbons, carbon ,carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions and particulate matters are reduced with the use of biodiesel. Biodiesel has a higher octane number that improves engine performance and cleaner emissions compared to petroleum diesel.

Can palm oil compete with the other vegetable oils as feedstock for biofuel and biodiesel?

One of the important criteria for any available oil to be used as biofuel is availability at competitive price. Palm oil meets this criterion perfectly. The development of palm oil industry in Malaysia has been remarkable. Within a relatively short period of time, we have become the world largest producer and exporter of palm oil products in the international oil and fats market. Furthermore, the advantage which palm oil holds over other oils and fats lies in its productivity, yield, and efficiecy factors. Oil palm is the most productive oil bearing plant species known. The yield of palm oil per net area is 5 and 10 times higher than rapeseed and soybean oil, respectively.

What is the quality of the palm biodiesel produced using our homegrown technology?

The quality of the palm biodiesel produced using MPOB biodiesel production technology meets the stringent specification of the International Biodiesel Specifications of ASTM d 6751 and EN 14214.

What other benefits can be derived from a palm biodiesel project?

It creates a new business and job opportunities for Malaysia. It also provides opportunity to manufacture phytonutrients such as carotenes (pro-vitamin A) and vitamin E.

What is the status of implementation of using biodiesel in Malaysia?

In Malaysia, instead of using methyl esters biodiesel to blend with diesel, we are using refined, bleached and deodorized palm olein. We are testing this blend in the vehicles of government agencies, commercial buses and deep-sea fishing boats. At the same time, we are conducting ‘no harm’ tests of this blend with an independent petroleum institute and trying to convince engine manufacturers to extend their warranties to this blend.

Is the blended fuel easily available throughout Malaysia?

If it is implemented in our country, it will be easily available throughout Malaysia.

What will happen to our car engine if we revert to petroleum diesel after using palm biofuel?

The car engine should encounter no problem as studies have been shown that palm biodiesel and petroleum diesel can be blended in any proportion.

What is the government’s policy on biofuels?

The government released the National Biofuel Policy in March 2006. The policy has five thrusts __use of biofuel for transport; research, development and commercialization of biofuel technologies; production of biofuel for export; and use of biofuels for a cleaner environment.

# Source : Malysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB)