Indonesian researchers convert agricultural waste into green energy

Researchers and academics in Indonesia are advancing the conversion of agricultural waste into high-value green energy products.

In Karawang, a team from Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang (Unsika) is working with residents of Belendung Village to transform rice husk waste into charcoal briquettes. The initiative includes workshops on the production process—ranging from carbonization to molding and drying—and the provision of pressing machines and stoves. These biomass briquettes are intended as eco-friendly alternative fuels with potential for both domestic use and export to markets such as China, Japan, Turkey, and Arab nations.

In Makassar, researchers from Universitas Muslim Indonesia (UMI) are utilizing pyrolysis technology to simultaneously convert biomass waste into charcoal and liquid smoke. Using a specialized three-layer stainless steel reactor, the team can capture pyrolysis vapors to create liquid smoke while producing charcoal with a calorific value of 6,000–7,000 kcal/kg. This charcoal can serve as an energy source, a raw material for briquettes, or a bioadsorbent for liquid waste treatment and food purification.