Project Overview
Project Overview
This project aims to develop sustainable biogas production and upgrading technologies by effectively utilizing two major by-products from Malaysia’s palm oil industry: palm oil mill effluent (POME) and empty fruit bunches (EFB). The primary objective is to convert these biomass wastes into bio-compressed natural gas (Bio-CNG) through an integrated approach combining co-digestion and CO₂ adsorption. The Japanese team will focus on optimizing anaerobic co-digestion processes using data-driven techniques that link operational parameters with microbial community structures, enabling early prediction of process instability and maximizing methane yields. In parallel, a Sparse Bayesian Learning model will support rapid and precise optimization of biochar synthesis conditions. The Malaysian team will lead the development of EFB-derived biochar as a CO₂-selective adsorbent, optimizing pretreatment and pyrolysis strategies and evaluating gas separation performance through adsorption isotherms and pressure-swing adsorption. Through this bilateral collaboration, both sides will contribute to building a scalable GreenTech platform that addresses regional energy and environmental challenges.
Problem description
The Malaysian palm oil industry produces large amounts of palm oil mill effluent (POME) and empty fruit bunch (EFB), but processing technology is limited and inefficient, resulting in biomass degradation and greenhouse gas emissions. This project aims to establish green technology to recycle these materials, contributing to renewable energy generation and GHG reduction.
Expected results
The optimal operating conditions and core microbial communities for the anaerobic digestion process using POME and EFB as feedstocks will be clarified. Furthermore, the reaction conditions for synthesizing CO₂-selective biochar from EFB will be established. These findings will lead to the establishment of a highly efficient and cost-competitive Bio-CNG production method.
Scientific and technological challenges and means and methods for overcoming them
The instability of the anaerobic digestion process and the CO₂ selectivity of EFB-derived biochar are issues. To address these issues, the Japanese side will use NGS to analyze microbial communities and build a performance prediction model using machine learning, while the Malaysian side will be responsible for experimental condition exploration and adsorption evaluation, thereby solving the issues in an integrated manner.
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