Suzana Yusup, Murni Melati Ahmad, Anita Ramli, Khan Zakir, and Mas Fatiha Mohamad

Abstract This chapter highlights the potential of utilising biomass as a renewable feedstock to produce biofuel and biochemical. Technologies for the conversion pro­cesses are discussed. In addition, case study on biomass conversion to H2 is pre­sented. The effect of steam and newly developed bimetallic catalyst (Fe/Ni/ Zeolite-P) on palm oil wastes including palm shell (PS) and palm oil fronds (POF) decomposition for H2 production was experimentally investigated in thermogravi­metric analysis-gas chromatography (TGA-GC). Presence of steam increased the H2 content by 28% for both palm oil wastes. Maximum H2 content in the product gas generated was 64 mol% from PS for the catalytic steam gasification. On the other hand, for POF maximum H2 content of 50-mol% is observed in the product gas. Palm wastes can be a potential feedstock for H2 production utilising catalytic steam gasification process and can contribute to considerable renewable and clean energy for future.

Keywords Biomass conversion • Fuel • Solid • Liquid • Gaseous

S. Yusup (*) • M. M. Ahmad

Chemical Engineering Department, Green Technology Mission Oriented Research,

Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Tronoh, Perak 31750, Malaysia e-mail: drsuzana_yusuf@petronas. com. my

A. Ramli

Fundamental and Applied Science Department, Green Technology Mission Oriented Research, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Tronoh, Perak 31750, Malaysia

K. Zakir • M. F. Mohamad

Biomass Processing Laboratory, Green Technology MOR, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Tronoh, Perak 31750, Malaysia

R. Pogaku and R. Hj. Sarbatly (eds.), Advances in Biofuels,

DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-6249-1_3, © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

3.1 Introduction

Energy is a fundamental enabler of the economy. The challenges to come are vast utilisation of renewable energy; at the same time the sources of the renewable energy should avoid food versus fuel crisis. This prompted diversity of primary raw materials for manufacturing renewable transportation fuel that includes waste and recycled materials. Table 3.1 shows the relative importance of solid fuels where industrialisation was founded largely on fuels (Tillman 1991). Total fuel consump­tion is about 76.4 quad. Btu in which biomass is the secondary source to coal as the feedstock. In Malaysia, biomass contributes about 0.5% of fuel used to support the industrial sector (Evald and Majidi 2003).