Bio fuel is produced from biomass (plant matters) and presently in the market there are 2 major types of biomass commonly known as cultivated biomass such as empty fruit bunches (EFB), rice husk, cotton stalk, etc. and harvested biomass such as sawdust and wood chips from the lumber industry. Both this biomass is being transform into bio fuel in the form of pellets or wood chips.

Cultivated Biomass

Cultivated biomass derives from cultivated crop for their fruits or food crop and upon processing the fruit or food crop the biomass are by products which are discarded as rubbish. Common example is empty fruit bunches (EFB) which is a by-product from the palm oil extraction. The oil palm trees are heavily fertilized to obtain maximum fruiting to ensure good oil yield.

This biomass by nature are not suitable to produce bio fuel due to the fact that they contain high potassium, sodium and other alkaline metal elements from the fertilizers, which when burn as fuel will cause heavy slagging and fouling to the boilers. As such numerous research have been carry-out by research institution for solution to this matter. The institution researched to resolve the problem of heavy slagging and ash reduction in order for this cultivated biomass to be transformed into usable bio fuel as a replacement or substitute to coal.

Harvested Biomass

Harvested biomass derives from the lumber industries as a by-product in the form of sawdust and wood chips, this particular biomass requires less treatment as they are grown wild by nature and as such no fertilization was carried out resulting in their low potassium, sodium and other alkaline metal elements presence. This biomass only requires proper drying to reduce the moisture content to between 8 to 12 % and are ready for pelletizing to form sawdust pellets commonly known as wood pellets in the market.

EFB and PKS biomass, is an important renewable and clean energy resources. In Malaysia, the palm oil industry generates about 100 million tons of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) from the plantations annually. Upon extracting the oil, the 429 palm oil mills generate about 20 million tons of EFB and 6 million tons of PKS annually. In the past this biomass is considered as a waste but today it is a known energy resources. Unprocessed PKS is widely export as fuel even with its inherent weakness to help the power generation industry meets it mandatory requirement, since there are lack of other alternatives available in the market. However, very little attention is being paid to the 20 million tons of EFB per year, mainly due to the inability of the industry to create a product that meets the industry stringent requirement and environmental issue.

Low heating value, high moisture content, hydrophilic properties (absorbs moisture), degradation, low energy density and low combustion efficiency. Thus, raw PKS by itself cannot replace coal without proper treatment.