Overview

POPSIG-MPOC Palm Oil Educational Roadshow was organised at UiTM Shah Alam on Zoom from 26th to 27th May 2023.

Objectives

• To recognise the roles of palm oil industry in tackling climate change.
• To understand how palm oil industry contributes to UN SDGs.

Keynote speeches

Dr Zainab Idris, Deputy Director General (Research and Development), Malaysian Palm Oil Board

Dr Zainab highlighted that improving the yield and special traits is one of the strategies for crop improvement. Suitable plantation practices, nutrient recycling and fertiliser practices are also in place to properly manage the crop. It was also emphasised that the integrated pest management (IPM) via biological control acts as the backbone for resolving pest problems.

Dr Zainab underlined that the industry was committed to compliant with the stringent DOE regulation. However, there were numerous challenges, including high operation and maintenance cost and emphasis on profit over environmental awareness.

Dr Zainab welcomed the chemical engineers to work with MPOB to develop the value addition section at the downstream sector. It included to eliminate the processes that are not needed, and eventually to reduce the cost of production. She also looked forward the chemical engineers to promote the downstream programmes so to encourage the use of MSPO-certified palm oil in our food or non-food products.

Mr Benjamin Loh, Sustainable Markets Programme - Lead, WWF-Malaysia

Mr Loh highlighted that BUR-4 was submitted to UNFCCC in December 2022 as the most updated GHG inventory for Malaysia. He emphasised the increased focus on the sustainable infrastructure development. The net land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sinks increased by 8.95% for 2019 as compared to 2005 due to the increase in forest land areas.

Retention of LULUCF as a key removal source is vital, as the reduced LULUCF net removal creates pressure on other sectors, for example energy and transport, to decarbonise. Net zero ambition by 2050 is projected to be achievable. Agility is required to adjust pathways based on the latest GHG inventory which will continually evolve with enhanced data quality.

Mr Tan Chee Yong, Manager, Technical Outreach and Extension Service Unit, Malaysian Palm Oil Certification Council

Mr Tan emphasised that the palm oil industry can contribute to tackling climate change. Palm oil industry can play its roles in renewable energy, sustainable transportation, sustainable agriculture and conservation-based solutions. Among the key new elements in MSPO 2022, which contributed to overcoming the pressing issues, were: high conservation value (HCV) assessment, no conversion of HCV area, protected area and natural forest, and GHG calculator.

Ms Aiman Najati Akmar Binti Rahman, Senior Manager, Sime Darby Oils Biodiesel Sdn Bhd

Ms Aiman presented the palm value chain at Sime Darby Plantation (SDP). At Sime Darby Oils (SDO), palm oil mill effluent (POME), empty fruit bunch (EFB), spent bleaching earth (SBE) oils and used cooking oil (UCO) were converted into waste-based biodiesel at the SDO Biodiesel plant. It gave lower lifecycle GHG emission.

Through the sustainable conversion, it reduced the cost of waste treatment and disposal. This greener and renewable energy alternative avoided improper disposal of waste that may cause domestic issue, for example, clogged drain.

However, wide quality variation of waste oils required flexibility in processing technology. Another challenge was the logistic capability in aggregation and collection for small batches of waste oil especially UCO.

Insight talks

Professor Ir Dr Dominic Foo C W, Professor of Process Design and Integration, University of Nottingham Malaysia

Professor Foo introduced the three scopes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Scope 1 emissions are sourced from a company's production and other internal operations; Scope 2 adds most forms of power; Scope 3 captures the rest of the value chain and is more complex and it has more overlap between companies and their customers. He presented difference cases of carbon footprint intensity in edible oil refinery.

Mr Karthi Subramaniam Loganathan, Senior Process Engineer, Oleochemicals Department, Desmet Malaysia Sdn Bhd

Mr Karthi discussed about the oils and fats processing. He presented Desmet nano neutralisation for optimising chemical consumption. Electrical consumption can be optimised by exploring the possibilities to use inverter. Effective heat recovery and condensate recovery can optimise utility consumption.

Ms Rachel Chok Si En, Process Engineer, Genting Biorefinery Sdn Bhd

Ms Chok presented the commitment of the company in reducing carbon footprint intensity via the delivery of raw materials and chemicals, in which the GHG emission was reduced to 0.13 kg CO2 eq/mt feedstock. Effective production planning eliminated 3,500 kg CO2 eq GHG emission by minimising fuel and energy consumption for plant start-up. The improvement on the process can be achieved by the elimination of unnecessary processes/chemicals, process optimisation (saved 29.7 kg CO2 eq GHG emission/mt feedstock) and process improvement through equipment upgrade.

Mr Eddy Lee Wen Hui, Corporate Strategy Manager, Solarvest Holdings Berhad

Mr Lee highlighted that the renewable energy generation (solar, mini-hydro and biofuels) was widely used in the upstream sector, while the downstream sector focused on green energy technology (IoT, AI, REC, digital solution). Solar is the largest renewable energy in Malaysia. He shared that TNB was the power purchase agreement (PPA) offtaker. RE certificates (RECS) targeted at Scope 2 emissions, while carbon credit targeted Scope 1 and 3 emissions. He reported that the total number of EV (BEV, PHEV, HEV) exceeded 100,000 units in Malaysia, as of December 2022; the number of charging stations was about 900 units, as of February 2023. On EV development, the company involved in energy provision, development and installation, and acted as the charge point operator. Solarvest also developed urban vertical machine farming, which can produce up to 1,200 kg food per month, which can feed 200 houses, from one machine unit.

Prizes

Congratulations to the winners of the Kahoot challenge. The report will be published in POPSIG Newsletter Issue 24 (2023).

• Muhammad Hasif bin Azmi
• Ibnu Tryansar Purba
• Muhammad Ulvi Al Zidane
• Azreen Nurhidayah binti Sharudin
• Nur Suhaila binti Shahril

Image

Group photo with the panellists: Dr Zainab Idris (MPOB), Mr Tan Chee Yong (MPOCC), Mr Benjamin Loh (WWF), Ms Aiman Najati Akmar Rahman (SDO), Professor Ir Dr Dominic Foo C. W. (UNM), Mr Karthi Subramaniam Loganathan (Desmet), Ms Rachel Chok Si En (Genting), Mr Eddy Lee Wen Hui (Solarvest), Ir Dr Viknesh Andiappan (POPSIG), Ir Dr Chew Jiuan Jing (POPSIG).

Acknowledgement

• POPSIG management appreciated the organisation provided by SOWHC committee.
• POPSIG management gratefully acknowledges the support provided by Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) to POPSIG-MPOC Palm Oil Educational Roadshow.
• POPSIG management gratefully appreciated the contributions of the representatives from MPOB, MPOCC, WWF-Malaysia, Sime Darby Oils, Genting Biorefinery, Desmet Malaysia, Solarvest Holdings Berhad and professor at the university.
• POPSIG management proudly acknowledges the support provided by Desmet Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Kuala-Lumpur Kepong Oleomas Sdn Bhd (KLK OLEO) and Malaysian Oleochemical Manufacturers Group (MOMG) to POPSIG activities.