ENERGY POTENTIAL OF OIL PALM BIOMASS, ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS IN MALAYSIA AND THE ROLE OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Oil palm biomass production in Malaysia provides a huge potential as an alternative renewable energy source to support the goal of national development. This is because the agricultural sector currently contributes about 11 per cent of Malaysia’s gross national income (GNI), and 8 percent of this contribution emanates from the palm oil sub-sector. Therefore, great amount of of biomass is produced annually from a variety of crops like palm oil, rubber and rice. However, the palm oil sub-sector again generates the largest quantities of biomass, which had been estimated to be 80 million dry tonnes in 2010. This paper examines the renewable energy potential of oil palm biomass and its attendant socio-economic and environmental benefits in Malaysia. . Some of the benefits include less energy cost in the production process compared to the conventional energy sources; improved quality of life and health in the community as a result of clean and relatively cheaper energy; less carbon emission, less pollution and less waste generation. Most importantly the paper also explores the various ways by which these socio-economic and environmental potential benefits could be bolstered through research and innovation, and academia-industry collaboration.