Hydrotreated vegetable oil production from palm oil mill effluents: Status, opportunities and challenges

The production of hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) from palm oil mill effluents (POME) can be particularly interesting for Malaysia and Indonesia, the two major palm oil producers. Potentially, about 0.4 and 0.9 billion liters of HVO may be produced from POME in Malaysia and Indonesia, respectively. Large amounts of POME oil were exported to China for biofuel production in recent years, but the supply-demand dynamics remain under-studied. The current policy trends in the EU are not in favor of POME-based HVO. Exports to the EU are shadowed by uncertainty regarding its eligibility for double counting owing to its links with the oil palm industry, despite it being claimed to be a waste-based biofuel. Domestically, Malaysia is still lagging behind in the policy for advanced biofuels. However, the country has shown its ambition in becoming a bio-jet fuel producer in the recently announced 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12). Converting POME oil into sustainable aviation fuel with HVO technology may be a promising option given the global commitment including Malaysia to reducing emissions in the aviation sector. (c) 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Automated summary

The production of hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) from palm oil mill effluents (POME) is of interest to Malaysia and Indonesia, but the export to the EU faces uncertainties due to its links with the oil palm industry. Malaysia is making progress in advanced biofuels policy and aims to become a bio-jet fuel producer. Converting POME oil into sustainable aviation fuel with HVO technology could be a promising option for reducing emissions in the aviation sector.