Jakarta, March 21 (Antara) - Indonesia is the world's largest crude
palm oil (CPO) producer with an annual production of 25.5 million tons,
but the commercial benefit of its oil palm refuse has not yet been
maximally exploited.
A number of foreign companies, including from South Korea and Poland,
have expressed interest in processing oil palm wastes to produce biomass
energy and electricity.
The
foreign investor companies which are exploring the opportunities
included the EN3EN, Daekwang Industries Co. Ltd of South Korea and PT
Kepulauan Energi Lestari of Poland.
In Riau province, the South Korean government through EN3EN firm is
interested in making investment with an initial fund worth US$50.1
million in this sector.
"EN3EN is the only company which wins the full support of the South
Korean government in the development of energy conversion from oil palm
wastes. We have begun to build a pilot project in Siak and Kampar of
Riau province," Kei Sin Kim, senior and financial adviser of EN3EN, was
quoted by Infosawit.com online as saying last month.
In its cash flow analysis, EN3EN depicts that the needed initial
capital amounted to US$54 million. In in the 1-10 year period the cash
flow would decline to US$11 million but would already enjoy an income of
about US$40 million.
In the 10 years, its estimated spending would reach US$172 million with
a total income of US$307 million and a cash flow of US$134 million.
"We have estimated our initial funding at US$66.3 million. The
available initial funds from the company and from the South Korean
government have amounted to US$16.1 million. We plan to obtain
additional funds from Korean, local and international investors worth
US$50.3 million," said Kim.
He said that his company planned to go public in a five-year time so
that its financial strength and dividend would become stronger.
Besides Korean companies, a Polish firm PT Kepulauan Energi Lestari is
also eying the oil palm waste potentials of Riau province. PT Kepulauan
Energi Lestari is planning to build a 3-4 MW power generator in Kampar
District, Riau province, using oil palm wastes.
It will use wastes as raw materials from oil palm factories to produce
electricity. President Director of PT Kepulauan Energi Lestari Daniel S
Kuswandi said on Wednesday that the electricity his company would
produce would be supplied to local consumers through state-owned
electricity firm PLN.
However, Daniel did not disclose the amount of the investment his
company would make for the project, except saying it would be millions
of dollars.
Kampar District Head Jefry Noer said Kampar District had 37 palm oil
factories which produced wastes that could be used as raw materials to
produce electricity. "These factories produce some 54 tons of tongkos
(fruitless oil palm bunches) wastes per day. This excludes oil palm
shells and trunks wastes," he said.
According to Daniel S Kuswandi, the raw materials that his company
will use to produce electricity are 70 percent oil palm's trunks and
shells while the other 30 percent are oil palm's tongkos (fruitless
bunches).
He said that the use of the raw materials was a new way to manage wastes into producing renewable energy.
"We hope that we could reach the break-even point and enjoy a profit in
the coming several years of operation," Daniel said.
District Head Jefry Noer said that the local government of Kampar
supported the development of the power generator project by PT Kepulauan
Energi Lestari.
"This could help the Kampar government reduce unemployment and poverty rates," he said.
In the meantime, another South Korean company, Daekwang Industries Co.
Ltd, is also exploring the possibility of investing in oil palm waste
business to produce biomass and electricity in Bangka Belitung (Babel)
province.
"Representatives
of South Korean firm Daekwang Industries Co. Ltd came here recently and
offered cooperation to the local government to process oil palm
wastes," Local Investment Coordinating Agency (BKPMD) Head Zakaria
Umarhadrdi said on Wednesday.
He said that the Korean company would use oil palm shells as raw
materials to produce electricity. This is expected to help meet the
electricity need of the local people as well as businesses to develop
industry.
"We hope that Bangka Belitung Governor Eko Maulana Ali would meet the
Korean investor in the near future to discuss the follow up of the
Korean plan," he said.
Earlier, Babel Deputy Governor Rustam Effendi expressed his
appreciation to investors who were ready to develop power plants that
utilize existing potentials in the province.
"We hail if there are investors who want to invest in the production of electricity," the deputy governor said.
Zakaria said that the cooperation was offered to the regional
government company (BUMD) to collect oil palm wastes from farmers.
"So, if the cooperation is realized, the BUMD will collect oil palm
wastes such as oil palm shells. We can issue a regulation so that
farmers would not sell their shells to a party other than the BUMD," he
said.
Zakaria
said that the shells would be used as raw materials for the production
of biomass energy. "With the biomass, we will produce electricity to be
channeled to residents through state-owned electricity PLN," he added.
He said that electricity was still a main constraint in the development
of investment in Babel province, which is rich in mineral resources,
tin and pepper potentials.
"There are many investors who are interested in making investment in
Babel. Many of them have come here to explore the opportunities but we
have a classic problem, namely the shortage of electricity that is
needed to develop industry in the province," he said.
He said that with the presence of investors which developed
environment-friendly power generators, the need for electricity would be
met.***3***
(T.A014/ )
(T.A014/A/A. Abdussalam/O. Tamindael) 21-03-2013 15:3 |
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