The Prospects of Rubberwood Biomass Energy Production in Malaysia

Abstract

Rubber has been shown to be one of the most important plantation crops in Malaysia, and rubber tree biomass has widespread applications in almost all sectors of the wood products manufacturing sector. Despite its abundance, the exploitation of rubberwood biomass for energy generation is limited when compared to other available biomass such as oil palm, rice husk, cocoa, sugarcane, coconut, and other wood residues. Furthermore, the use of biomass for energy generation is still in its early stages in Malaysia, a nation still highly dependent on fossil fuels for energy production. The constraints for large scale biomass energy production in Malaysia are the lack of financing for such projects, the need for large investments, and the limited research and development activities in the sector of efficient biomass energy production. The relatively low cost of energy in Malaysia, through the provision of subsidy, also restricts the potential utilization of biomass for energy production. In order to fully realize the potential of biomass energy in Malaysia, the environmental cost must be factored into the cost of energy production.

Assessment of the Carbon Footprint of Rubberwood Sawmilling in Peninsular Malaysia: Challenging the Green Label of the Material

“…To overcome the "waste-wood perception" of rubberwood, the government undertook concerted marketing efforts to boost the material's perception in the global market by rebranding and renaming it as "Malaysian Oak." Despite such extensive public-relation efforts, the success of rubberwood as a furniture material has been attributed primarily to its low cost and environmental friendliness (Ratnasingam et al 2012). Teoh et al (2011) reported that since the early 2000s, rubberwood-sawn timber enjoyed a strong demand in the domestic market and in the regional markets, while the supply of traditional wood resources from the natural forests reduced steadily.…”

“…It is undeniable that the commercial exploitation of rubberwood in the wood-based industry has made significant socio-economic contributions to the country (Shigematsu et al 2011;Teoh et al 2011;Ratnasingam et al 2012). Although several studies have evaluated the socioeconomic perspectives of the rubberwood industry and the long-term economic potential of the tree crop to the Southeast Asian region, reports on the environmental value of rubberwood utilization are non-existent (Balsiger et al 2000;Norini et al 2009;Shigematsu et al 2011;Teoh et al 2011;Ratnasingam et al 2012;Noor Aini et al 2014).…”

Potential Co-Generation of Electrical Energy from Mill Waste: A Case Study of the Malaysian Furniture Manufacturing Industry

“…The increasing use of rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) as the primary raw material for furniture manufacturing, due to the reducing supply of wood from the natural forest, also had a positive impact on the industry (Menon 2000). Furniture made from rubberwood is widely accepted in the international market for its pleasant appearance, light colour, abundance, good machining properties, low cost, and renewable image (Ratnasingam et al 2015a). Its popularity is shown by its substantial export value; 80% of wooden furniture is made from this material.…”

“…Mill waste is infrequently used as an energy source in Malaysia, although many studies have shown that it is a promising source of biomass energy (Chuah et al 2006;Muis et al 2010;Mekhilef et al 2011;Shafie et al 2012;Mi and Han 2014;Noridah et al 2014;Ratnasingam et al 2015a). Furthermore, wood residue is a viable option for electricity generation (Muis et al 2010).…”

“…Furthermore, wood residue is a viable option for electricity generation (Muis et al 2010). Hence, using mill waste as a renewable energy source is an attractive solution to reducing the dependency on fossil fuels and mitigating climate change (Chuah et al 2006;Gan and Smith 2006;Ong et al 2011;Shafie et al 2012;Ratnasingam et al 2015a).…”