Overview

IChemE's Palm Oil Processing Special Interest Group (POPSIG) is pleased to present a seminar that share the latest academic and industrial advancements in targeting to achieve net zero carbon emission in palm oil processing to stakeholders in the palm oil industry and the public. Experts from the academia and industry will be invited to present their latest views on the technological solutions developed to meet carbon reduction target, through sustainable and environmental friendly process solutions.

Theme: Net Zero Carbon

The palm oil industry acknowledges the impact of climate change and it is often linked with high greenhouse gas emissions from the industry. Recent research advancements and industrial adopted solutions were embraced to promote sustainable palm oil production and transitioning to net-zero emissions. These technologies convert the emissions from palm oil production processes into useful energy and this moves the industry closer to achieve net-zero carbon emission target.

Topics

Leverage on Process Integration to Flatten the Carbon Curve for Oil Palm Industry

Process integration (PI) tools such as pinch analysis and mathematical modelling optimisation have been applied in various sectors to plan the carbon mitigation strategy and design a low-carbon process and utility system. Ir Dr Lim Jeng Shiun will highlight the applications of PI tool to assist the palm oil processing industry in flattening the carbon curve.

Sustainability in Palm Oil Processing Industry

IOI Edible Oils Sdn Bhd has implemented various measures to reduce its carbon footprint. Amongst these include improvements done to reduce steam, water, electricity and fuel consumption through implementation of good engineering practices. ChM Yung Yen Li will present these techniques and also some new technologies that can bring about lower utilities consumption. Ir Shyam Lakshmanan will provide further information in the forum.

Towards Zero Emission in Palm Oil Processing

The issue of reducing emission and carbon is closely related to the sustainability of the palm oil industry. Going forward the palm oil industry needs to adopt greener, cleaner and more sustainable technologies in line with the sustainability development goals. To address this, there have been various developments in biogas and biomass technologies at commercial and pilot plant scale, such as biogas capture for green energy, biochar as fuel and adsorbent, biofertilisers for nutrient recycling. Professor Dato' Dr Mohd Ali Hassan will present that such technologies contribute towards reducing carbon from palm oil processing as well as generate additional income to the industry.

Towards Net Zero Palm Oil - The Critical Role of Engineers

Palm oil is often associated with climate change despite the fact that the crop is most sustainable. The industry must be encouraged to achieve higher in fighting climate change. Robert Hii will highlight key actions that reduce environmental impact with net-zero as a target.

Presenters

Ir Dr Lim Jeng Shiun, Deputy Director, Process Systems Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Ir Dr Lim Jeng Shiun is currently the Products and Services Manager of Process Systems Engineering Centre (PROSPECT), Univesiti Teknologi Malaysia. Dr Lim is the cofounder and Director of Products and Services of a UTM Spin-off company, Optimal Systems Engineering Sdn Bhd. He has filed for 2 patents, 19 copyrights and developed 4 software products. His core expertise is in the area of the innovative development and application of process systems engineering techniques for resource conservation, and for energy and carbon planning.

Dr Lim is a certified country expert of “Steam System Optimisation” and “Thermal Energy Efficiency and Solar Thermal Energy Integration” under UNIDO. He is also professional Chartered Engineer, Certified Energy Manager (AEMAS), Certified Energy Auditor (MEPA) and a Registered Electrical Energy Manager certified by Energy Commissions of Malaysia. As an engineer in practice, he has applied the output of his research work in consultancy projects for the industrial community. He has been extensively involved in 35 research projects and industrial based projects (RM 6,290,125) for various companies and government agencies. The key clients include local industries and multinational companies such as BERNAS, FABER MEDISERVE, OLEON, Kellogg in Malaysia and PERTAMINA in Indonesia. He has assisted those companies identify energy saving opportunities worth millions of dollar through the use of process integration and process systems engineering approach.

Professor Dato' Dr Mohd Ali Hassan, Professor, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Prof. Dr. Mohd Ali Hassan’s vast experience and expertise in the field of biotechnology and biomolecular sciences have enabled him to become a national point of reference in the area of biomass, renewable energy and waste utilization. Holding firmly unto the concept of ‘waste-to-wealth’, he led the Environmental Biotechnology Research Group (EB Group) which was initiated officially in 2005 to undertake research in core areas of biomass utilisation, specifically in production of renewable and valuable green bioproducts. The use renewable resources, particularly biomass from the oil palm industry, and conduct research in the areas of bioenergy, bioproduct, biomaterials and biocompost.

He has also served as a consultant to The Science Advisor Office, Prime Minister’s Department, on the national project on biomass utilisation and is the national representative for the Asia Biomass Association headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Robert Hii, Founder, Founder, CSPO Watch, Canada

Robert has been monitoring the palm oil industry for over a decade. Driven by a passion for sustainability, he has traveled from Malaysia to Indonesia and Latin America in search of what defines sustainable palm oil. He has challenged certification schemes including the Round table on Sustainable Palm Oil, the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil scheme to elevate sustainability certification to a model that would fit better into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. His opinions have been widely published in markets including Europe and North America and addressed regional issues with published opinions in India and China. - Robert holds the belief that the palm oil industry with its advantage over other crops, must stride towards a net-zero goal in order to become a solution for the climate crisis at hand.

ChM Yung Yen Li, QA/QC and R&D Manager, IOI Edible Oils Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

ChM. Yung Yen Li is a Professional Chemist. She currently works as a QA/ QC Manager of IOI Edible Oils Sdn. Bhd. She also leads the R&D team for product development and process improvement in line with food safety concern. She has published research articles related with food contaminations and sustainable practices in edible oil industry.

Ir Shyam Lakshmanan, General Manager, IOI Edible Oils Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

Shyam has 8 years experience in the Sandakan refinery, and has implemented several energy conservation measures. These include steam reduction, electricity reduction as well as LNG and water consumption. Before Sandakan, he has managed chemical and mineral processing plants in West Malaysia. He has also had project experience having designed, installed and commissioned bleaching earth plants in China and Indonesia.

Chair of POPSIG

Professor Ir Dr Chong Mei Fong, Chair, POPSIG

Professor Chong spent her past 15 years of research and development specializing in water and wastewater treatment technologies. Her research covers developing novel design for bioreactor treating palm oil mill effluent, optimization on the performance of wastewater treatment plants, develop new chemicals for water treatment and other specialty chemicals. She was awarded with various local and international awards including Commercialization Deal Award, ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women (Highly Commended) and Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Award, UK, Biotechnology Award (Highly Commended), UK. She has published more than 40 international journals, two book chapters and a book. She has been awarded with research and commercialization grants, commenced various projects in bioenergy and wastewater technologies across ASEAN countries.

She was attached to the University of Nottingham and developed her research portfolio as her first career. She is now focusing at the commercial works as the Director of Dia-Chemical Sdn Bhd, which is her second career. She would like to contribute and share her knowledge gained from her research works with the industry and hope to close the missing gaps between research and commercialization.

Forum coordinator

Professor Ir Dr Denny K.S. Ng, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia

Professor Ir. Dr. Denny K. S. Ng is Associate Head, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Malaysia. His areas of specialisation include optimisation of sustainable value chain of palm oil industry, energy management, resource conservation via process integration techniques, synthesis and analysis of biomass processing and integrated bio refineries. Prof Ng served as Head of Business Engagement and Innovation Services (BEIS), Professor of Process Design and Integrated Biorefinery at the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Founding Director of Centre of Sustainable Palm Oil Research (CESPOR), University of Nottingham, Malaysia. He is fellow of IChemE, United Kingdom (UK); fellow of The Higher Education Academy, UK; Chartered Engineer, Engineering Council, UK; Professional Engineer, Board of Engineers, Malaysia (BEM); Member, Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) and Exco member of Young Scientist Network - Academy of Sciences Malaysia (YSN-ASM).

With his excellence contributions, he is awarded as Tan Sri Emeritus Professor Augustine S H Ong International Special Award on Innovations and Inventions in Palm Oil (Young Scientist) 2021 and listed as Top 2% of scientists of their main subfield discipline in 2019, Stanford List and identified as one of the most innovative people and ideas in entrepreneurship, technology, social impact, culture and wellness that are defining the future of Asia by GenerationT.asia (GEN.T List Honours 2019), Tatler Asia Limited. He is also recognised as Top Research Scientists Malaysia (TRSM) in 2018 and recipient Ten Outstanding Young Malaysian Award (TOYM) 2017 (Scientific and Technological Development), Junior Chamber International (JCI); Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) Young Engineer Award 2015; Global IChemE Young Chemical Engineer of the Year 2012, etc.  Apart from focusing on research and development (R&D), Prof. Ng also applied his R&D output in industrial consultation projects. To date, Prof. Ng has received more than RM 2.5 million research grants from government and industries to develop his research and commercialise the outputs.

Organisers

POPSIG Seminar Series 1 will be jointly hosted by Ir Dr Wendy Ng Pei Qin and Dr Tan Yie Hua.

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter’s own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Palm Oil Processing Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Time

20:00—22:30 MYT (BST+7).

Programme

• 20:00—20:10
  Welcoming Address by the host
  
  
• 20:10—20:20
  Keynote Speech by Professor Ir Dr Chong Mei Fong, Chair of POPSIG
  
  
• 20:20—20:20
  Photo-taking session with the hosts and contributors
  
  
• 20:20—20:40
  Process Integration Presentation by Ir Dr Lim Jeng Shiun
  
  
• 20:40—21:00
  Sustainability Presentation by ChM Yung Yen Li / Ir Shyam Lakshmanan
  
  
• 21:00—21:20
  Zero Emission Presentation by Professor Dato' Dr Mohd Ali Hassan
  
  
• 21:20—21:40
  Net Zero Presentation by Robert Hii
  
  
• 21:40—22:30
  Panel Discussion moderated by Professor Ir Dr Denny K.S. Ng

Stay connected

• Facebook Event Page.
• POPSIG social media.

Software

The presentation will be delivered via GoToWebinar®. 
Check system requirements.

You are advised to join the webinar at least ten minutes before the scheduled start time, to allow for your computer to connect.