Dutch firm's pilot plant in Kuantan turns palm oil waste into renewable energy
29/04/2025 (New Straits Times), Kuantan - Dutch renewable energy company Maatschappij Wilhelmina NV has established a pilot plant to convert palm oil waste into TG2 black pellets, a renewable energy source.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the company's Wilhelmina Malaysia Energy Sdn Bhd utilises advanced technology to process palm oil waste into pellets that can effectively replace coal.
"Wilhelmina Malaysia Energy has set up a pilot plant in Malaysia to showcase this potential. Japan has already shown strong interest and is progressing through the procurement process.
"I encourage players in the palm oil industry to participate in this initiative by allocating 10 to 20 per cent of their empty fruit bunches (EFB) to support the supply chain.
Dutch renewable energy company Maatschappij Wilhelmina NV has established a pilot plant to convert palm oil waste into TG2 black pellets, a renewable energy source.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the company's Wilhelmina Malaysia Energy Sdn Bhd utilises advanced technology to process palm oil waste into pellets that can effectively replace coal.
"Wilhelmina Malaysia Energy has set up a pilot plant in Malaysia to showcase this potential. Japan has already shown strong interest and is progressing through the procurement process.
"I encourage players in the palm oil industry to participate in this initiative by allocating 10 to 20 per cent of their empty fruit bunches (EFB) to support the supply chain.
"This would help scale up production and position Malaysia as a global exporter of TG2 black pellets," he said in a statement after visiting the plant at the Gebeng Industrial Area here today.
Johari urged palm oil mill operators to visit the Wilhelmina Malaysia plant to observe its technology firsthand, including its operations and environmental benefits.
"This initiative is a significant step towards creating a circular economy and adding value to our palm oil industry," he said.
Meanwhile, Johari emphasised that his visit here today was aimed at gaining deeper insights into the innovative technology used to transform palm oil waste into renewable energy.
Johari was briefed on the plant's end-to-end processing system, which includes the receipt and washing of feedstock (initial steps), followed by steam explosion, a second wash, and final stages of drying and pellet formation.
The end product, TG2 black pellets, is capable of replacing coal in power generation.
He said the visit reflected the ministry's commitment to supporting sustainable, value-added innovations in the palm oil sector, particularly those that align with Malaysia's environmental objectives and green economy aspirations.
Meanwhile, in a Facebook statement, the Plantation and Commodities ministry described Wilhelmina Malaysia's 9.2 hectare biomass facility here as a producer of TG2 black pellets, second-generation torrefied biomass made from oil palm EFB.
The statement said that with an annual capacity of 80,000 tonnes, the facility employs modern technologies such as steam explosion, pellet formation, recycled water treatment, and biogas production.
In March last year, it was reported Wilhelmina will invest US$60 million to set up the world's first TG2 black pellet plant that will convert agricultural waste such as empty fruit bunch into TG2 black pellets.