February 08, 2010

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 8 (Bernama) — The government is studying the possibility of adopting a policy on green energy management, particularly the use of biomass waste for power generation in the country.

Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), has commissioned a study on the matter, with special focus on the maximum utilisation of this waste as well as the highest efficiency.

“I expect the study to be completed in two months.This will enable us to adopt a clear policy and direction, as far as green energy is concerned,” he told reporters after launching the Palm Oil Industry Labour Issues,Performance and Sustainability Workshop, here Monday.

Dompok said his ministry was committed to contributing towards the success of the study in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s commitment on green energy management at the United Nations Copenhagen Climate Change Conference last December.

“The Prime Minister himself is keen on the development of green energy. The potential is good for Malaysia, as the biomass can produce an estimated 1,065 megawatts of electricity and 270 megawatts of biogas.

“MPOB has thus commissioned the study to see how this potential can be harnessed. Hopefully, once the study is completed, we will have a clearer view of how it can be implemented,” he said.

Dompok said there was a need for a proper policy to ensure among others, the steady supply of biomass for power generation, including by Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

Earlier, in his speech, Dompok said the oil palm industry contributed RM49.59 billion in export revenue last year.

“While the overall performance of the industry continues to show progress, productivity still plagues it, with average fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) yield stagnating at around 20 tonnes per hectare annualy,” he disclosed.

He said the oil extraction rate (OER) registered a slight increase of 1.4 per cent to 20.49 per cent while the area planted with oil palm, increased by 4.5 per cent to 4.69 million hectares.

“Total palm oil production dropped from 17.73 million to 17.56 million tonnes. But total palm oil exports, increased by 2.9 per cent to 15.86 million tonnes,” he highlighted.

Dompok said Sabah is currently the state with the largest oil palm area with 1.36 million hectares or 29 per cent of the total area under cultivation.

He also said the oil palm industry provided employment to 325,074 workers in 2000 and this increased by 88 per cent to 610,135 in 2008.

Of this, 82 per cent or 500,817 workers were employed in the plantation sector with 75 per cent or 376,906, being foreign workers, he indicated.

“The industry has to change its mindset and shift to a new paradigm as foreign labour will be increasingly scarce and costly in the near future,” he said.

On the use of mechanical cutters known as Cantas, Dompok said the MPOB is promoting it as a tool for harvesting FFBs.

“By using Cantas, a harvester can cover an area of 50 hectares compared to 21 hectares, if he uses the sickle. Cantas can also be used to harvest FFBs at a height of five meters, which is the growth pattern of a 13-year old oil palm trees,” he added.

(Source: Bernama)