KUCHING: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) is delving into ways of making better use of waste left behind from palm oil production at some mills in the state.
Its vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Khairuddin Ab Hamid said that Unimas and the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) had agreed in principle to use the latter’s mill in Bau as an experimental plant.
He said a team from Unimas had inspected the mill and gathered relevant information before both parties could formalise the negotiation.
“Together with Salcra, we will collaborate with our technology partner from Peninsular Malaysia and hopefully our experimental plant will be operational by the middle of next year,” he said after the launch of a librarianship seminar at Unimas here yesterday.
Khairuddin said the plant would produce organic fertiliser, gas for electricity, bio-diesel and clean water for industries.
The project aimed to utilise solid wastes – fibre and empty fruit bunches – as well as effluent that contains potentially valuable nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, he added.
He said that by having such plant, Unimas would be able to help protect the environment.
“If we have such a plant, the effluent will not be discharged directly to the water sources where the nutrients can affect water quality in rivers and streams.
“It will be treated and used to produce organic fertiliser and clean water for industries,” he said.
The Unimas vice chancellor said the project, expected to cost about RM7mil, for the start, would be a commercial venture.
On a separate issue, Khairuddin disclosed that Unimas had been producing bioethanol from sago palm for biofuel and the product was currently sold to a local buyer.
The project, which started operation sometime last year with the setting up of an RM11mil bioethanol plant, which was funded by Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, has the capacity of producing 1,000 litres of biofuel daily.
Khairuddin said Unimas planned to utilise 100% of sago palm and it had more or less achieved the aim.
The feat by Unimas had made Malaysia the first country in the Southeast Asian region to produce bioethanol from sago palm.
Extracted from thestaronline.
Extracted from thestaronline.
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