Utilization of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) for Biogas Power Plant; Its Economic Value and Emission Reduction

Abstract

Palm oil processing in palm oil mills produces solid and liquid waste. The liquid waste comes from the sterilization and clarification process, often called Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). POME produces methane gas emissions that prompt climate change. Even though it releases methane gas and has high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) content, POME has the potential to be a source of energy for biogas power plants. Then it produced electricity and supplied the needs of factories or surrounding areas. This utilization also resulted in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (specifically those resulting from the release of methane by POME). The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of emissions produced by palm oil mills in the process of degradation of residual waste production. This study also aims to determine the economic value of electricity produced by the biogas power plant. The company`s calculation standard contrasted with IPCC's calculation to gauge the amount of emissions produced from the degradation process of POME and Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB). The average emissions produced in the waste processing sector annually was 9,503 t-CO2/year and the economic value of electricity generated was IDR 1,866,370/day.