Biomass potential from agricultural residues for energy utilization in West Nusa Tenggara (WNT), Indonesia

The West Nusa Tenggara (WNT) province is one of the regions that contribute the most to the production of rice, corn, and cacao. The residues of these crops increase as production increases. The potential availability of the residue was calculated on the basis of the amount of agricultural product and the availability of unutilized residues. The estimated potential energy and collected data were processed and combined with converted factors, such as the yield per hectare and the calorific value, taking into account another purpose, the use of domestic residues for animal feed. Paddy straw, corn straw, and corn cobs had the highest percentage of residue availabilities, 85.91%, 82.26%, and 88.25%, respectively. In addition, the WNT regency has a rich diversity of agricultural residues from superior commodities such as rice, corn, coffee, coconut and cacao. The calculation of the total heating value (THV) of the agricultural residue available reached up to 42.4 PJ. Furthermore, the use of biomass for bioenergy resources is promising, particularly for the WNT region, with the potential for unused agricultural residues. The dependence on unsustainable energy, such as coal and fossil fuel, can be reduced by deploying and developing energy production from biomass use. Therefore, the potential for bioenergy generation and the availability of biomass can be developed for sustainable agriculture and energy management.

Automated summary

The West Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia is a major producer of rice, corn, and cacao, resulting in an increase in agricultural residues. The study calculated the potential availability of these residues based on the amount of agricultural products and unused residues. It found that paddy straw, corn straw, and corn cobs had the highest percentage of residue availabilities. The province also has a rich diversity of agricultural residues from various crops. The study highlights the potential for bioenergy generation and biomass utilization in promoting sustainable agriculture and energy management.