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Industry stakeholders have called for greater collaboration and more cohesive policies to accelerate the use of oil palm biomass in support of Malaysia's carbon emission reduction goals.
The call was made during the "5th International Oil Palm Biomass Conference 2025", held on 14 and 15 April 2025.
The conference brought together researchers, policymakers and industry players to discuss ways to achieve sustainable utilisation of biomass.
Chemical engineer Hong Wai On, from the Institute for Leadership Excellence and Sustainability, who took part in a panel discussion at the conference, noted that oil palm biomass remains underutilised, stressing the need for better coordination among the various stakeholders involved.
"The oil palm sector produces more than 100 million tonnes of dry biomass annually — including trunks, fronds, empty fruit bunches and palm kernel shells — which is often treated as waste, despite its untapped potential," he said.
Hong proposed setting up a collaborative framework involving four key pillars: government agencies, sustainability standard bodies, technology providers, and biomass producers and developers.
"To bring about real transformation in the sector, we need integration across these four pillars, with governments providing clear policies and financial support, standard-setting bodies encouraging lower carbon footprints, technology providers offering cost-effective solutions, and producers and developers committing to sustainability standards while ensuring stable supply and demand," he added.
Participants also discussed regulatory gaps and legislative obstacles hindering the effective use of biomass.
Hong recommended forming a joint ministerial task force on biomass to ensure aligned priorities across key sectors such as agriculture, energy, environment, industry, and science and technology.
He also proposed joint financing mechanisms and standardised performance indicators to improve coordination among the various parties involved.
"Each stakeholder has a pivotal role to play in enhancing the value of biomass. Without collective commitment, these initiatives will struggle to achieve a tangible impact," he said.
The conference was opened by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Commodities, Datuk Chan Foong Hin, on behalf of Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. It brought together industry leaders, government officials and researchers to explore the potential of transforming oil palm biomass into high-value products, supporting economic growth while achieving environmental goals at the same time.
Source: Bernama