Decision Analysis for Biomass Utilization in Bioenergy Development in Palm Oil Mill

Abstract

Indonesia has many palm oil mills and plantations spread across various regions. As a result, the increasing number of palm oil mills is accompanied by an increase in waste. Biomass is waste from palm oil mills that impact environmental pollution and is used as a source of electrical energy. This study aims to make decisions on the potential utilization of biomass for electricity bioenergy at one of the palm oil mills in Riau. Interviews, observation, and distribution of pairwise comparison questionnaires were carried out for data collection. This study begins with identifying the criteria for potential biomass utilization from oil palm. Then, it is formulated into a decision-making hierarchy to determine potential biomass for bioenergy development based on utilization goals and use of technology processed by the Fuzzy AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) method. The finding shows the main purpose of utilizing biomass is to meet energy needs in the production process at palm oil mills. Then, the appropriate generation technology for electricity bioenergy is biogas, and the selected biomass potential is Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). The implications of this study provide recommendations to management and policymakers to utilize palm biomass as a source of bioenergy electricity.