An econometric analysis of the link between biodiesel demand and Malaysian palm oil market

The objective of this study is to describe the important factors affecting Malaysian palm oil industry especially biodiesel demand. To that end a market model representing palm oil production, import, world excess demand, domestic consumption, export demand, rest of the world excess supply and palm oil prices is formulated.A system of equations of eight structural equations and four identities is estimated by two stage least squares method using annual data for the period 1976-2008.The domestic price equation is formed to investigate the link between biodiesel demand and the Malaysian palm oil market. The domestic price is significantly affected by Malaysian ending stock, world palm oil price, biodiesel demand and lagged domestic price. The elasticity of Malaysian palm oil domestic price with respect to biodiesel demand is then obtained. Results suggest that biodiesel demand has a positive impact on the Malaysian palm oil domestic price. Thus, significant growth in biodiesel demand is important in explaining Malaysian palm oil price determination

Experimental feasibility study of using date palm oil as a bitumen Bio-Modifier in HMA pavement

This paper examines the effects of Date palm oil as a bitumen modifier on the compressive strength of bitumen and hot mixed asphalt (HMA) pavement. Date palm oil contains anti-oxidant isomers that have the potential to enhance the performance and durability of bitumen. The compressive strength test of asphalt pavement mixed with Date palm oil was performed in accordance with British Standards BS 1881: Part 116: 1983. The cube specimens of asphalt pavement were manufactured mixing with 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% of Date palm oil out of total sample mass. The experimental results suggested that Date palm oil as a bitumen modifier reduced the compressive strength of HMA pavement. The findings of this paper urge for further experiments to understand the effects of Date palm oil on the asphalt pavements under long-term traffic load, environment and surface drainage

Treatment of palm oil mill secondary effluent (POMSE) using ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes

Malaysian palm oil industry has grown rapidly over the last few decades, to becoming the world’s largest producer and exporter of palm oil. This success story however, comes with a greater challenge and equally required more sacrifices in order to maintain the tempo. In the year of 2004, it has been recorded that 26.7 million tons of solid biomass and approximately a 30 million tons of palm oil mill effluent (POME) were generated from 381 palm oil mills in Malaysia [1]. Although different kind of wastes are generated in the palm oil mills, the perceived harmful waste among all the waste generated is the palm oil mill effluent (POME) due to its associated harm if discharged into the environment untreated [2]. POME is a colloidal suspension originating from mixture of sterilizer condensate, separator sludge and hydro cyclone wastewater in a ratio of 9:15:1 respectively [3]. It is a brownish colored, thick liquid that is containing high amount of oil, solids, and grease with high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) values. Table 15.1 describes the characteristic of POME obtained from Malaysian Palm Oil Board

Palm oil in Australia: facts, issues and challenges

This report, commissioned jointly by WWF-Australia and the Food and Grocery Council of Australia (AFGC), provides a broad, independent overview of the facts, issues and challenges surrounding palm oil, and is intended to provide a springboard for efforts to increase the supply of sustainable palm oil into the Australian market. Executive Summary A growing global population and changing diets, combined with the production efficiency of the oil palm and the unique properties and versatility of palm oil for both edible and non-edible uses, means that palm oil cultivation, processing and use will continue – and likely grow – in the decades ahead. Ensuring positive economic and social impacts are realised and environmental impacts are minimised is vital to achieve a palm oil industry that is sustainable for all. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is proving an effective mechanism to engage major stakeholders across the value chain in the pursuit of more sustainable production of palm oil. While it has already achieved certification of more than 10 per cent of current palm oil production, complimentary actions from governments, major buyers, and large processors are also necessary – the agenda for sustainable palm oil cannot be left to the RSPO alone. Palm oil’s continued use in Australian grocery products and food service, while showing some evidence of declining, remains a contentious issue for Australian consumers and environmental advocacy groups, primarily due to the negative environmental impacts of palm oil cultivation. Many major Australian businesses have already made commitments to convert to using sustainable palm oil, yet significant work remains to fulfil these commitments. There are also opportunities for the Australian industry to be involved in projects in Indonesia, Malaysia and other palm oil producing countries in the region, given our geographic proximity. This report provides a comprehensive snapshot and analysis of the palm oil sector that will be of use to industry, government and NGO decision makers. An understanding of the nature of the industry and the drivers for palm oil production and consumption will inform more effective solutions and the development of a more sustainable palm oil sector, with benefits for all along the value chain. &nbsp

A segmented capacitance tomography for visualizing material distributions in pipeline conveying crude palm oil

A segmented electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) imager for palm oil process monitoring system is constructed and presented in this work.The goal of this study is to use the process monitoring system as an instrument to upkeep the local and foreign palm oil mill. This is to ensure that the monitoring of crude palm oil (CPO) in conveying pipeline during extraction of palm oil mill process flow process is efficiently controlled. The system has the capability to visualize the percentage of liquid that exist within the vessel therefore the data can be utilized to design and create better process equipment in mill process. It will also be used to control some processes in order to boost the quality of crude palm oil and the POME (Palm Oil Mill Effluent) treatment process. Most ECT in earlier research were created rapidly and utilized well in multiphase flow measurement in numerous applications such as in oil and gas industries, gas/solids cyclone, milk flows and fluidized beds. Experimentally, this work investigates the capability of using a twin-plane segmented ECT sensor with 16 portable electrodes using two differential excitation potentials transmitted signal in order to recognize the concentration and velocity profile as well as the phase concentration of crude palm oil related multiphase systems (liquid and gas). The attained concentration profile which is received from the capacitance measurements is capable to provide image of the liquid and gas mixture in the pipeline therefore, the separation process (between oil and liquid waste) becomes much easier and the crude palm oil‟s quality can be dependably monitored. The visualization results deliver information regarding the flow regime, superficial velocity and concentration distribution in two-phase flow-rate measurement system incorporating a liquid flow measuring device. The information obtained is able to help in the process equipment designing, verification of existing computational modeling and simulation techniques. It may also assist in process control and monitoring during the palm oil extraction proces

European Policies towards Palm Oil - Sorting Out some Facts

This paper analyses the role of palm oil and its sustainability from different perspectives. We consider the role of palm oil within the GHG context. We discuss the impact of palm oil on biodiversity and analyse how palm oil can contribute to economic growth and development in tropical countries. Finally, based on this analysis, we assess the current concerns about and politics towards palm oil with special focus on the EU. Palm oil is a low-energy and low-fertilizer crop that offers much higher yields per hectare than other oil crops. Furthermore, if the energy obtained by the residuals in the production process is used properly, the energy balance of palm oil production is much more favourable compared to other biofuels. Overall, palm oil turns out to be much more efficient than other oil crops and therefore offers significant advantages within the context of GHG savings. Contrary to some recent campaigns and the perception among European citizens, oil palm plantings are not a major contributor to deforestation in tropical countries. Deforestation associated with oil palm plantings is much less significant than postulated by some recent campaigns. Furthermore, biodiversity in oil palm plantations is much higher than in most monocultures in the EU. Palm oil is an important driver of economic development and growth in tropical countries and contributes to the reduction of poverty and hunger in the developing world. The EU Renewable Energy Directive is discriminatory from the outset and the GHG saving values and their interpretation are based on wrong assumptions and faulty calculations. Therefore, the EU should reshape its policies towards palm oil, conduct objective and non-discriminatory calculations regarding the GHG emissions saving values and support palm oil imports from developing countries rather than restricting them. Together with certain initiatives to further enhance energy efficiency and to protect precious habitats combined with strategies to strengthen property rights and encourage efficient land use and successful strategies of agricultural development, this would not only prevent political conflicts and trade disputes in conjunction with the issue of palm oil but also foster economic growth and development, reduce poverty and - not least - contribute to the ambitious GHG emissions savings goals on a fair and reasonable basis.Renewable Energy, Palm Oil, Biodiversity, Sustainable Development, Environmental Policy

Comparison of the Effects of Supplemental Red Palm Oil and Sunflower oil on Maternal Vitamin A Status.

Conflicting results have been reported on the ability of dietary carotenoids to improve vitamin A status in lactating women. Red palm oil is one of the richest dietary sources of beta-carotene. We aimed to determine the efficacy of red palm oil in increasing retinol and provitamin A status in pregnant and lactating women. Ninety rural, pregnant Tanzanian women from 3 randomly selected villages were recruited during their third trimester to participate in 3 dietary intervention groups: a control group, who were encouraged to maintain the traditional practice of eating staples with dark-green leafy vegetables, and 2 study groups, who were given either sunflower or red palm oil for use in household food preparations. The intervention lasted 6 mo. Plasma samples were collected at the third trimester and 1 and 3 mo postpartum, and breast-milk samples were collected 1 and 3 mo postpartum. Supplementation with red palm oil, which is rich in provitamin A, increased alpha- and beta-carotene concentrations significantly (P < 0.001) in both plasma and breast milk. Plasma retinol concentrations were similar in all dietary groups. Breast-milk retinol concentrations tended to decrease from 1 to 3 mo postpartum in the control group, but were maintained in both oil groups. The difference in change in breast-milk retinol concentration between the red palm oil group and the control group was significant (P = 0.041). Consumption of red palm oil increases concentrations of alpha- and beta-carotene in both breast milk and serum and maintains breast-milk retinol concentrations. Sunflower oil consumption seems to conserve breast-milk retinol similarly to consumption of red palm oil. Breast-milk retinol might be maintained through increased dietary intake of these vegetable oils and use of mild cooking preparation methods (such as the addition of oil at the end of cooking and avoidance of frying)

Improvement design of existing threshing machine at Kilang Sawit Risda, Ulu Keratong

Palm oil is very important in the agricultural and economic sectors in Malaysia. It’s origin is in the tropical rain forest region of West Africa, which the main belt runs through the southern latitudes of Cameron, Cote D’ ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierria Leone, Togo and into the equatorial region of Angola and the Congo (FAO,2004). The crude palm oil have a very wide range of application which is about 80% of the crude palm oil (CPO) produced can be converted into food products while the others can be used as non-food applications. The by-products or wasted product of palm oil fruit processing such as empty bunches and fibers can be processed as raw materials for potash fertilizer, pulp and paper manufacturing. The shell fragments can be used as renewable energy as fuels and also for decoration of living apartments