Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) Biomass in Malaysia: The Present and Future Prospects

Oil palm industry is the largest contributor of biomass in Malaysia. Oil palm biomass are constantly generated in large quantities annually with a small fraction being converted into value added product while a large percentage are left underutilized. Several researchers have reported the various technologies available for the conversion of oil palm biomass into useful bio-products, including bio-fuel, biogas, bio-fertilizers, bio-composite and briquettes. In general, these technologies are either underutilized or inadequate for full conversion of these abundantly available biomass, hence, there is an urgent need for upgrading of such technologies. This review article highlights the availability of oil palm biomass in Malaysia, the chemical compositions, as well as a brief description of current technologies for converting oil palm biomass into value added products. The review also outlines a summary of the various products obtained from oil palm biomass. Steps to achieve maximum utilization of biomass from oil palm industry are also proposed.