Co-production of biochar and electricity from oil palm wastes for carbon dioxide mitigation in Malaysia

Power and heat production is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in Malaysia, contributing to over 30% of total emissions. The transition from fossil to biomass resources in the power industry is an essential step towards achieving carbon neutrality in Malaysia. Oil palm wastes are the most abundant biomass resources in Malaysia because of the thriving oil palm industry. Consequently, two scenarios: (1) co-production of biochar and electricity, and (2) electricity generation, were proposed and simulated in Aspen Plus. A comprehensive evaluation system for mass and energy balances, techno-economic analysis, and life-cycle assessment was established to assess the two scenarios quantitatively. The results indicated that Scenario 1 achieved better economic and environmental benefits, the payback period was 6.12 to 8.89 years, and the global warming potential ranged from -885.23 to -1311.95 kg CO2-eq/t. The state-level spatiotemporal trajectory of oil palm waste resources and CO2 emission reduction potentials and economic benefits were analyzed. Theoretically, fully utilizing oil palm wastes in Scenario 1 would create economic benefits of 35.36 billion USD and mitigate CO2 emissions by 131.97 million tons in 2021. This study provides useful guidance for exploiting oil palm wastes to achieve carbon neutrality in Malaysia.