Cofiring biomass with coal: Opportunities for Malaysia

• Main Authors: Rahman A.A., Shamsuddin A.H.
• Other Authors: 36994910600
• Format: Conference Paper
• Published: Institute of Physics Publishing 2023
• Subjects: agricultural residues; cofiring; Malaysia coal power stations; Malaysia; Agricultural wastes; Biomass; Carbon dioxide; Electric generators; Electric power generation; Global warming; Power plants; Biomass resources; Carbon dioxide emissions; Co-firing; Co-firing biomass; Coal power stations; Electricity generation; Potential sources; Renewable energies; biomass power; carbon dioxide; carbon emission; coal; coal-fired power plant; conference proceeding; crop residue; electricity generation; energy resource; integrated approach; renewable resource; stakeholder; Coal
• Institution: Universiti Tenaga Nasional

Malaysia generated 108,175 GWh of electricity in 2010 where 39.51 % was sourced from coal. Coal power generation is also planned to overtake natural gas as the main fuel for electricity generation within the next two decades. Malaysia also has a vast biomass resource that is currently under-utilised for electricity generation. This paper studies the option of cofiring biomass in existing Malaysian coal power plants to increase the nation's renewable energy mix as well as to reduce its power sector carbon dioxide emission. Benefits of cofiring to the nation were discussed and agricultural residues from palm oil and paddy was identified as a potential source of biomass for cofiring. It was also found that there is a willingness for cofiring by stakeholders but barriers existed in the form of technical issues and lack of clear direction and mechanism. � Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.