Malaysia Eyes Region’s First Commercial Biomass-Ethanol Plant

http://www.thestar.c…0&h=413&crop=1 BINTULU: Malaysia may set up the first commercial-scale biomass ethanol plant in the region, following a memorandum of understanding to conduct a detailed feasibility study was signed between a consortium led by the Bintulu-based Hock Lee Group and international bio-tech company Beta Renewables. Agensi Inovasi Malaysia, which announced the agreement, said the development was in line with the government’s vision for biomass owners to be involved in downstream high-value activities through forging smart partnerships, rather than selling their biomass resources as a commodity. The feasibility study came about as a result of the National Biomass Strategy 2020 initiatives by Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), which wants to position the country as the region’s leader in biomass-based downstream activities. The expectation is that the plant – should it materialise – will be a catalyst for a biomass-based industry cluster with a wide range of new industries like bio-fuels, bio-energy and bio-chemicals. “Such a cluster is expected to increase the state’s GDP as well as create high-value jobs by attracting high-value partnerships with local companies that will also benefit local SMEs, smallholders and local communities,” AIM said. According to the agency, it was working closely with the Sarawak Yek Siew Liong while Beta Renewables was represented by its business development director for Asia Pacific, Peirlugi Picciotti. The Hock Lee Group is a private Bintulu-based corporation with interests in property development and hospitality, and also owns the Xcel petrol retail chain in Sarawak, while Beta Renewables is an Italian-Danish-American joint venture that owns the patented PROESA technology for the conversion of non-food cellulosic biomass into ethanol. Last year, Beta Renewables successfully completed the commissioning and start-up of the world’s first commercial scale (60,000 tons of ethanol capacity) biomass-to-ethanol plant in Crescentino, Italy.   Taylor Scott International