Journal of Energy Bioscience 2024, Vol.15, No.4, 243-254 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 243 Review and Progress Open Access A Comprehensive Review of Palm Oil in Biodiesel Production: From Cultivation toMarket Qi Lin, Wei Zhou Biotechnology Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: wei.zhou@cuixi.org Journal of Energy Bioscience, 2024, Vol.15, No.4 doi: 10.5376/jeb.2024.15.0023 Received: 03 Jun, 2024 Accepted: 09 Jul., 2024 Published: 21 Jul., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Lin and Zhou, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Lin Q., and Zhou W., 2024, A comprehensive review of palm oil in biodiesel production: from cultivation to market, Journal of Energy Bioscience, 15(4): 243-254 (doi: 10.5376/jeb.2024.15.0023) Abstract The study highlights several key findings. Palm oil is an excellent raw material for biodiesel production due to its high oil content and favorable properties that closely resemble petro-diesel. The global market for palm oil biodiesel is significant, with palm biodiesel contributing to 35% of the global biodiesel market and expected to reach a market value of US$92.84 billion by 2021. The use of palm oil by-products and mill effluent for biodiesel production is feasible and can mitigate the food versus fuel debate. The production process of palm biodiesel, including transesterification with methanol and potassium hydroxide, yields biodiesel that meets ASTM standards. The environmental impact of palm biodiesel is favorable, with lower emissions of harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuels. The findings suggest that palm oil is a viable and sustainable source for biodiesel production. Utilizing palm oil by-products and mill effluent can further enhance the sustainability of biodiesel production, addressing both economic and environmental concerns. The study underscores the importance of palm oil in the future of renewable energy sources, particularly in regions like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, which are leading producers of palm oil. Keywords Palm oil; Biodiesel production; Renewable energy; Sustainability; Transesterification; Environmental impact; Economic analysis; By-products; Mill effluent 1 Introduction The sustainability of petroleum-based fuel supply has gained broad attention from the global community due to the increase in usage across various sectors, depletion of petroleum resources, and the volatility of crude oil market prices. Additionally, environmental concerns have arisen from the increasing emissions of harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases. As a result, the use of clean energy sources, including biodiesel, has become crucial. Biodiesel is primarily produced from renewable natural resources through a transesterification process, offering several advantages over petro-diesel, such as being non-toxic, biodegradable, and containing fewer air pollutants per net energy produced (Zahan and Kano, 2018; Lam and Lee, 2019). The global push towards renewable energy sources has led to extensive research and development in biodiesel production from various oil-bearing crops, including soybean, rapeseed, sunflower, and notably, palm oil (Lam and Lee, 2019; Mahlia et al., 2019). Palm oil has emerged as a significant feedstock for biodiesel production due to its high oil yield and favorable properties that closely resemble those of conventional diesel. Palm oil is derived from the fruit of the oil palm tree and is known for its high productivity and positive energy balance, making it a viable alternative to fossil fuels (Mahlia et al., 2019; Fardilah et al., 2023). The use of palm oil in biodiesel production is particularly prominent in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, which are among the largest producers of palm oil globally (Ishola et al., 2020; Fardilah et al., 2023). The advantages of palm oil biodiesel include its renewable nature, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and its potential to contribute to energy security and economic development in producing countries (Dey et al., 2020; Zulqarnain et al., 2021). However, the use of palm oil for biodiesel has also sparked debates regarding food versus fuel and the environmental impact of palm oil cultivation, necessitating a comprehensive review of its feasibility and sustainability (Zahan and Kano, 2018; Dey et al., 2020).
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzMg==