21/09/2012 (Bernama) - Malaysia produced an estimated 80 million tonnes dry weight of oil palm biomass in 2011, reflecting the importance and significant potential of biomass, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainudin.

This biomass includes empty fruit bunches, mesocarp fibres, oil palm shells, oil palm fronds and oil palm trunks.

In addition, about 54 million tonnes of palm oil mill effluent, which is mainly water but also contains a substantial amount of biomass solids, was produced.

According to him, the industry produces huge volumes of various types of ligno-cellulosic biomass across its whole production chain in the process of producing palm oil and palm kernel oil.

Hamzah said in terms of volume, the ligno-cellulosic biomass produced by the industry has surpassed that of the oil.