Palm Oil Developments No.50 (June 2009) p9-11

Palm Phytonutrients: Opportunity Beyond Palm Biodiesel

HARRISON LAU Lik Nang, CHOO Yuen May , NG Mei Han , PUAH Chiew Wei , YAHAYA Hawari , MA Ah Ngan

The increasing global awareness of the rapid depletion of the non-renewable fuel and energy resources as well as the environmental concern of the world have resulted in the search for sustainable alternative fuels. One of the most promising alternative fuels is the vegetable oils and their ester derivatives or commonly known as biodiesel. Oil palm, the golden crop of Malaysia which yields an average of 3.5-5.0 t of palm oil per hectare per year, is regarded as the most cost-effective compared to any other oil crops. Thus, it offers a potential environmental-friendly and renewable alternative fuel source. In this respect, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has embarked on an extensive research and development of palm oil methyl esters (palm biodiesel) and its products. Since the 1980s, MPOB has been in the forefront of research and development of palm biodiesel and has successfully developed several processes for converting crude palm oil (CPO) and its products into methyl esters for applications as biodiesel as well as feedstock for the oleochemicals.



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