Every year, millions of tons of palm oil shells in Indonesia are simply discarded as waste, even though this material holds immense potential. Who would have thought that this waste, typically burned or thrown away, could become a substitute for coal coke in the steel industry and help save the planet?

The Steel Industry & Emission Problem: A Dead End Requiring Local Solutions

Indonesia is pursuing a big dream: producing 10 million tons of steel annually to support domestic infrastructure development like roads, bridges, and factories. However, most of this process still relies on imported coke, a solid carbon material derived from coal used to melt iron ore. Besides being expensive and unstable, this coke also contributes to significant carbon emissions. As the world pushes for a clean energy transition, a crucial question arises: should we continue importing and polluting the air? Or can we switch to greener, local materials?

From Waste to Solution: A Green Mission from Kalimantan

Indonesia is known as the world's largest palm oil producer, with an abundance of palm oil shell waste. But this is precisely what has attracted the attention of a research team, inspiring them to see this waste not as trash, but as a renewable energy source. Through a high-temperature carbonization process, these palm oil shells are transformed into biocoke, a type of solid carbon that can be used as a substitute for coal coke. The "Juragan Kokas" (Coke Boss) team, comprising Ir. Asful Hariyadi, S.T., M.Eng, Dr. Moch Purwanto, M.Si., and Fikan Mubarok Rohimsyah, S.T., M.Sc., has proven that their biocoke results are significant.

Equivalent to Coke, But Cleaner and Better

With a special process at 600°C, palm oil shells produce biochar with a high carbon content (86.66%), calorific value equivalent to coal, zero sulfur content, and a high reactivity in reducing hematite ore into pure iron, with a conversion rate reaching 84.2%. What's even better is that, being derived from biomass, this biocoke is carbon neutral. This means that the carbon released during its use is equivalent to what the tree absorbed while growing. This is a stark contrast to coal coke, which carries a full fossil carbon footprint.

Funding Support, Impactful Innovation

This research has also received tangible support from the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) through their palm oil research grant scheme. This demonstrates that when academic research meets support for sustainable palm oil management, we can foster innovations that are not only sophisticated but also have a direct impact on both industry and the environment.

From Waste to Hope

Who says waste can't be a blessing? Palm oil shells are now an environmentally friendly energy hero for Indonesia's steel industry. Through the research of Juragan Kokas ITK and the support of BPDPKS, the future of the national metal industry will no longer be dependent on imports and will be more friendly to the earth.