Life cycle assessment gate to gate to crude palm oil in palm mills in West Aceh, Indonesia
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1
Department of Agroindustrial Technology, IPB University, Bogor, West Java, Kampus IPB Dramaga, 16002 Bogor, Indonesia
2
Agriculture Faculty, Teuku Umar University, Meulaboh-West Aceh, 25613, Indonesia
J. Ecol. Eng. 2025; 26(4):343-358
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ABSTRACT
Mass flows of palm oil processes require energy to convert input into output. The energy requirements of a continuous palm oil processing system can provide a complete overview of the process of producing palm oil, palm kernel oil, and the generation of solid waste and liquid waste (POME). Analysis of energy potential in the biomass involved in a 60-ton-per-hour Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) processing revealed a potential for solid waste at the stripping station (Empty Fruit Bunches/EFB 28%), depericarper (fiber 17.61%), and hydrocyclone (shell 32.02%), and liquid waste potential at the sterilization station (49.68%), hydrocyclone (18.31%), and sludge in the sludge tank (0.38%), sludge separator tank (31.55%), and oil purifier (0.08%). The value of the liquid waste potential has a significant and direct impact on the environment, forming greenhouse gas emissions (global warming potential) such as CO2, NOx, NH4, or CO2-eq, human health, resource quality, climate change, and resources from each palm oil processing station. The greatest potential CO2-eq value is produced from processes in the station that produce palm oil, including stripping, digester, and pressing. The possible values, such as global warming potential (GWP CO2eq), are 4.81 x 103, 4.56 x 103, and 9.49 x 103, respectively. For cradle-to-gate LCA, the significant environmental impacts are acidification (253.1 kg-SO2eq), eutrophication (93,719 kg-PO4eq), water footprint (10,387 m3), and energy consumption (969,920 MJ). The influence of cradle-to-gate life cycle management has a direct impact on the use of input and output energy in a process, especially in the process of processing FFB to produce palm oil, palm kernels, and fiber waste, EFB, as well as liquid waste which can be used as organic fertilizer for sustainable palm oil plantations.