17/05/2012 (Borneo Post) - Sabah could become Malaysia’s centre of oil palm biomass development under the National Biomass Strategy, said chief executive officer of POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd, Datuk Dr Pang Teck Wai.

He said the projection was based on the availability of oil palm biomass comprising empty fruit bunches, palm fronds, trunks, palm kernel shells and mesocarp fibres from the 1.4 million hectares of oil palm plantations under development in the state.

Speaking at a media conference to announce Palmex Malaysia 2012 here yesterday, he said experts from the field would be sharing with participants at the event the available technologies, plans and potential for biomass development in Sabah.

Palmex Malaysia 2012, organised for the third consecutive year, will comprise the 3rd Malaysia International Palm Oil Technology Expo and a conference titled Outlook in Palm Oil Technology for SMEs.

Six papers would be presented at the conference to be held in Sandakan for three days beginning May 23. A paper on “National Biomass Strategy; An overview of the Directions” would be presented by Dr Bas Nielson of Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), a unit under the Prime Minister’s Department.

Pang said a professor from Delft University Technology in The Netherlands, Prof Dr Ir. Luuk A.M Ven Der Wielen, would talk about “Developing High Value Bio-based Chemicals from Oil Palm Biomass: Feedstock Sustainability & Market Opportunities for SMEs in Malaysia”.

The university is a member of the Oil Palm Biomass Consortium (OPBC) which consists of 15 parties including AIM, POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd, Sime, IOI Corp and LG (of Korea).

The consortium partners signed a memorandum of understanding last March in Kuala Lumpur witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Prof Dr Ir. Luuk heads the Core Team of the OPBC and is currently based in Kota Kinabalu.

Dr Loh Yueh Feng of Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) meanwhile will present a paper on “Oil Palm Plywood–Technology Update & Market Outlook for SMEs” while Gabrielle Bacchini, representing world renowned Italian technology supplier Desmet Ballestra, will present on “Technological Advancement & Business Opportunities in Downstream Oleochemicals for SMEs”.

The purpose of the exhibition and conference is to generate awareness among local oil palm players about downstream potentials in oil palm biomass, Pang said.

“We intend to spread the word that there are potentials not just in (palm) oil but all the oil palm wastes.”

Malaysia produces about 80 million tonnes of oil palm biomass and this is expected to reach 100 million tonnes by 2020.

Sabah’s oil palm acreage is estimated to contribute about 30 per cent of this volume. AIM’s projection based on utilising just 20 million tonnes of biomass for downstream value-adding will contribute RM30 billion to the gross national income. — Bernama