MPOC’s Science and Sustainability Engagement Series is a science-based online platform recently launched to update palm oil industry stakeholders on the latest developments in the area of sustainability, environment, health and nutrition. Experts are invited to present on this online platform regularly to enhance awareness and knowledge-building among industry stakeholders.
The first webinar series, titled “Series 1: Green Technology Innovations in the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry Downstream Sector Webinar” was held on 27 May 2021. The event featured 5 presentations from subject matter experts who shared their findings on the current and emerging sustainability issues and developments, particularly on green technology innovations in the palm oil industry’s downstream sector.
Moderated by Dr. Ruslan Abdullah, Director of MPOC’s Science, Environment and Sustainability Division, these topics were presented by the following speakers in the two-hour long webinar
- “Current Status on Hydrogen” by Mr. Eiji Ohira, Director General, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology Office, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan
- “Sustainable Palm Oil Value Chain based on Circular Economy Concept with a Focus on the Downstream Sector” by Professor Ir. Denny Ng, Associate Head, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
- “Green Opportunities in Enhancing the Sustainability of Malaysian Palm Oil Milling Sector – an Industry Perspective” by Ir. Hong Wai Onn, Commercial Head, Novozymes Sdn Bhd
- “Sustainability and Green Technology Innovations in the Malaysian Palm Oil Refining Sector” by Ir. Shyam Lakshmanan, General Manager, IOI Edible Oils Sdn Bhd
- “Renewable Jet Fuels” by Dr. Wei-Cheng Wang (Wilson), Associate Professor, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
The webinar managed to attract a good turnout, where it was attended by 302 online participants, as well as generated a lively Q & A discussion. The 2-hour online session concluded with the respective speakers providing their comments on the questions raised. The event ended with the announcement for the next Science and Sustainability Engagement Series (Series 2: Palm Tocotrienols webinar), which will take place on 2 June 2021 (3pm-5pm, GMT +8).
| Papers | |
|---|---|
| Presentation 1: Green Hydrogen as a Renewable Energy Source – Japan’s Perspective |
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Mr. Eiji Ohira |
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| Presentation 2: Sustainable Palm Oil Value Chain Based on Circular Economy Concept – with a Focus on the Downstream Sector | |
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Professor Ir. Denny K. S. Ng |
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| Presentation 3: Green Opportunities in Enhancing the Sustainability of Malaysian Palm Oil Milling Sector – an Industry Perspective | |
| Ir. Hong Wai Onn Novozymes Sdn Bhd |
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| Presentation 4: Sustainability and Green Technology Innovations in the Malaysian Palm Oil Refining Sector | |
| Ir. Shyam Lakshmanan IOI Edible Oils Sdn Bhd |
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| Presentation 5: A Comparison of Aviation Biofuels Feedstocks as a Renewable Source for the Aviation Industry – with a Reference towards Palm Oil | |
| Dr. Wang Wei-Cheng, Wilson National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan |
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Presentation 1: Green Hydrogen as a Renewable Energy Source – Japan’s Perspective
Mr. Eiji Ohira
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan
Eiji Ohira is the Director General of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)’s Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology Office. In this capacity, he is responsible the overall strategy, execution and coordination of NEDO’s research, development and demonstration project on fuel cell and hydrogen.
He has also coordinated fuel cell and hydrogen activities with international stakeholders, through International Energy Agency’s Technology Collaboration Program (IEA TCP: Advanced Fuel Cell & Hydrogen), and International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE).
He joined the NEDO in 1992, just after graduation from the Tokyo University of Science. He served as a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997-1998.
Before taking up the current position in April 2013, he served in several positions, including Representative at NEDO Asian Representative Office, Director of the Energy Storage Technology Division.
Presentation 2: Sustainable Palm Oil Value Chain Based on Circular Economy Concept – with a Focus on the Downstream Sector
Professor Ir. Denny K. S. Ng
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
Professor Ir. Dr. Denny K. S. Ng is Associate Head, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Malaysia. He received his Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Chemical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and completed his PhD in University of Nottingham, Malaysia. Prof Ng is well published over 200 papers with an h-index of 37. His areas of specialisation include optimisation of sustainable value chain of palm oil industry, energy management, resource conservation via process integration techniques, synthesis and analysis of biomass processing and integrated bio refineries. Prof Ng was Founding Director of Centre of Sustainable Palm Oil Research (CESPOR), University of Nottingham, Malaysia. With his excellent contributions, he is listed as Top 2% of scientists of their main subfield discipline in 2019, Stanford List. He is also recognised as Top Research Scientists Malaysia (TRSM) in 2018 and recipient of Ten Outstanding Young Malaysian Award (TOYM) 2017 (Scientific and Technological Development), Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) Young Engineer Award 2015; Global IChemE Young Chemical Engineer of the Year 2012, etc. Apart from focusing on research and development (R&D), Prof. Ng also applied his R&D output in industrial consultation projects. To date, Prof. Ng has received more than RM 2 million research grants from government and industries to develop his research and commercialise the outputs.
Presentation 3: Green Opportunities in Enhancing the Sustainability of Malaysian Palm Oil Milling Sector – an Industry Perspective
Ir. Hong Wai Onn
Novozymes Sdn Bhd
Hong Wai Onn is a chemical engineer by training and profession. He is a passionate advocate who believes in harnessing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to advance development of the palm oil processing industry by ensuring greater participation by young people.
Hong has close to 15 years of operational experience in the palm oil and biotechnology industries covering a very wide spectrum of responsibilities including production, engineering, project management, applied research, process safety and leadership roles. He is currently a Commercial Head of Novozymes, a global biotechnology company with headquartered at Denmark. Prior to that, he held position as Senior Engineer for Genting Plantations Berhad.
Hong is the former Honorary Secretary of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) in Malaysia Board. He is also a founding member of IChemE Palm Oil Processing Special Interest Group.
He is the author of “A Chemical Engineer in the Palm Oil Milling Industry”. He sits on the Industry Advisory Panel for Chemical Engineering at few public and private universities. He received his degree in Bachelor of Engineering with Honours from the Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
Presentation 4: Sustainability and Green Technology Innovations in the Malaysian Palm Oil Refining Sector
Ir. Shyam Lakshmanan
IOI Edible Oils Sdn Bhd
Ir. Shyam is a Chartered Chemical Engineer (UK) and a first grade steam engineer. He worked as a Process Engineer in the edible oil industry and then moved to the chemical industry. His international experiences include handling mineral processing plants and projects in China, Indonesia and Western Australia.
As a Certified Energy Manager, he leads the company’s energy and resource saving projects and promotes environment protection initiatives. He is a Chartered Scientist (UK) who has published many research articles on pollution prevention from the chemical industry. He is also a member of the R&D team at IOI Edible Oils developing process routes to reduce 3-MCPDE, GE as well as MOSH/MOAH in refined Palm oil.
Presentation 5: A Comparison of Aviation Biofuels Feedstocks as a Renewable Source for the Aviation Industry – with a Reference towards Palm Oil
Dr. Wang Wei-Cheng, Wilson
National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
Dr. Wei-Cheng Wang is an associate professor at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. He earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA in 2011. Before joining National Cheng Kung University in 2014, he worked at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO, USA. Dr. Wang’s research work focuses on fuel, combustion and pollutions, especially on jet fuel and aircraft engines.
