New Energy Development Co., Ltd. ― Generating renewable energy through effective use of woody biomass

New Solid Biomass Fuel from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (EFBs)

2016.8.25

New Energy Development Co. Ltd. and HM3 Energy, Inc. of the United States have succeeded in conducting joint demonstration tests for the production of new solid biomass fuel.
The new biomass fuel of “torrefied briquettes” is created using technology called torrefaction^※1 to convert oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFBs^※2) into fuel, and has remarkably superior characteristics of calorific value(5,200kcal/kg), grindability(HGI 45), water resistance and transport efficiency compared with conventional biomass fuels such as wood chips and wood pellets.
We and HM3 Energy will establish facilities to produce torrefied briquettes in Malaysia and Indonesia in the years to come, and contribute to biomass power generation in Japan from the side of fuel supply.
In the near future, we will take a stake in HM3 Energy and proceed with the commercialization of torrefied briquettes using biomass materials other than oil palm EFBs by recruiting business partners.

※1　The technology of producing high calorie, high water resistance and high density solid fuel via originally developed densification technology after the pyrolysis of biomass in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures of around 250℃.

※2　The empty fruit bunch (EFB) after fruits have been removed from oil palm fresh fruit bunch (FFB) of oil palm trees. It is the by-product of palm oil.