Characteristics of Hybrid Biopellet based on Oil Palm Wood and Natural Activated Charcoal as a Renewable Alternative Energy Source

Oil palm wood is biomass waste with a high abundance of energy which has the potential to be used as a raw material in the production of biopellet as an alternative energy source. However, oil palm wood possesses low density and calorific value. This study aims to evaluate the characteristics of biopellet formed through the hybridization of oil palm wood and natural activated charcoal. The natural activated charcoal filler was made from coconut shell and tapioca starch was used as a binder at a ratio of 150 g. Hybrid biopellet were produced using a roller wood machine with varying amounts of natural activated charcoal content: 200 g, 300 g, and 400 g per kg of raw material. The quality of the hybrid biopellet was evaluated based on the SNI 8021-2014 standards, including density, moisture content, ash content, volatile matters, fixed carbon, and calorific value. The results show that the hybridization of natural activated charcoal significantly influences the quality of the biopellets. Overall, the characteristics of the hybrid biopellet have met the SNI 8021-2014 standards, except for the ash content. The HBC-400 hybrid biopellet type exhibited the highest quality, with a density of 0.886 g/cm3, moisture content of 7.33%, ash content of 2.22%, fixed carbon of 62.12%, and calorific value of 4822 Cal/g. Oil palm wood and natural activated charcoal-based hybrid biopellet have the potential to be used as a renewable alternative energy source.