COMPARISON OF THE QUALITY OF COCONUT SHELL BRIQUETTES AND CANDLENUT SHELLS AS

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Materials and Methods Location and Time of Research This research was conducted on May
2019 at the Laboratory Materials and Tools The materials used in this study were coconut shells,
candlenut shells, tapioca flour, and water. While the tools used are drums (used drum
modification), desiccators, mortar and pestle, analytical balance, 40 mesh sifter, crucible cup,
spatula, watch glass, manual furnace, watch glass, electric oven, furnace, and calorimeter
bomb. Procedure Making Charcoal Coconut shells and candlenut shells that have been prepared
are gradually put into the drum furnace (the process of making each type of raw material). After
that, it is burned using a manual furnace for 2 hours. Charcoal that is formed is removed and
cooled. After chilling, charcoal is mashed and sieved. Furthermore, as much as 10 grams of
tapioca flour is diluted with 75 mL of water, then put into 400 mL of boiling water and stirred
until evenly distributed. After that 10% adhesive is taken and added to each charcoal sample to
be printed. Determination of Water Content And Porosity A total of 2.2 grams of briquettes of
each sample was put into crucibles and then put to a temperature of 500ºC for 3 hours. The
briquette is then cooled in a desiccator and weighed. The briquette is reheated for 30 minutes
then cooled in a desiccator then weighed. This process is repeated until a constant weight of
briquette is obtained. Determination of water content and porosity can be calculated by the
equation (Botahala, et al, 2013) (Bapa et al, 2019): % Water content = Porosity = X 100% Note: A
is the mass of the sample before it is heated (after being reduced by the mass of the empty
cup), B is the mass of the sample after being heated (after being reduced by the mass of the
empty cup). Vb is the volume of the test specimen, and ρ water is the density of water
(considered 1 gr / cm3 ); Determination of Ash Content A total of 2.2 grams of briquettes were
placed in a crucible and then heated into a furnace at 900 ° C for 3 hours then cooled in a
desiccator and weighed. Determination of ash content can be calculated by the equation
(Botahala, et al, 2013, Botahala, et al., 2018, and Botahala et al, 2019): Ash content =
Determination of Volatile Substances A total of 2.2 grams of briquettes were put into crucibles
and put in a furnace at 500 ° C for 7 minutes. After that, it is cooled in a desiccator then
weighed. Determination of the vaporized young substance can be calculated by the equation
(Bapa et al. 2019): volatile substance content = Determination of Calorific Value A total of 2.2
grams of briquettes are placed in crucibles and put into bombs, and the bombs are put into
water in calorimeter vessels. After that, the top of the vessel is closed. The water in the vessel is
stirred automatically by a stirrer driven by a driving motor. After the bomb has been in the
water for 5 minutes, the temperature reading begins, and the reading is done every minute for
5 minutes. At the 6th minute, combustion begins with the intermediation of a nickel wire that is
glowing instantly because of an electric current. The reading is repeated until the highest
temperature is reached. Then the temperature will start to fall slowly and the temperature
reading is done every minute to about ten minutes. Bomb be appointed from the calorimeter
and the lid is opened slowly. Measurement of heat value can be calculated based on the
following equation (Almu, et al., 2015): Heat value (cal / g) = x B T1 = initial temperature (° C) T2
= temperature after combustion (° C) A = mass of sample burned (gram) B = heat correction
factor for each temperature increase of 1 ° C = 2575.6 cal / ° C.
Test Result Data for Coconut Shell Charcoal and Candlenut Shell Charcoal. Charcoal Samples:
Water Content 4,833%, Porosity 0,053%, Ash Content 3,230%, Volatile Content 8,124%, Calorific
Value 6007,04 kal/g. Coconut Shells Candelnut Shells Water Content 6,924%, Porosity 0,076%,
Ash Content 16,060%, Volatile Content 6,858%, Calorific Value 5513,18 kal/g. Note: 10% tapioca
adhesive. The test parameters of all samples meet SNI requirements except the ash content
value of the candlenut shell briquettes has exceeded twice the SNI standard. This is thought to
be due to the texture comparison between the two samples, the density of the coconut shell is
higher than the candlenut shell. The high ash content can affect the heating value produced.
Because the ash content occupies the pore formed in the briquette so the rate of heat transport
is inhibited. If viewed from the comparison of the two samples of the briquettes, it can be said
that the sample of coconut shell briquettes has better quality than the sample of candlenut
shell briquettes. This can be chosen from the value of low water content and is supported by
the formation of a few pores and low values of ash and volatile substances can obtain a fairly
high calorific value. Conclusion The results showed that the sample of coconut shell briquettes
had better quality, where the data analysis of water content, porosity, and ash content, had an
impact on the high calorific value compared with candlenut shell briquette samples.

Research’s Authors : Elisabet Kafama and Loth Botahala.

Tribuana Kalabahi University, Alor, NTT, Indonesia

The Opportunity Export of Coconut Shell Charcoal Briquettes from Indonesia in the
International Market

Opportunity Export of Coconut Shell Charcoal Briquettes From Indonesia In International

Market According to Central Statistics Agency (BPS) records value export results, plantation
period January until October 2020 reached IDR 359.5 trillion, an increase by 11.6% compared to
January until October 2019 with the amount of IDR 322.1 trillion. Since then, sector plantation
has become the biggest contributor in activity export in the field of the with contribution as
much as 90.92%. Month October is month with amount export biggest with the value of IDR
38.46 trillion, experienced enhancement by 8.76% of month previous (Directorate General of
Estate Plantations, 2021). Briquettes charcoal shell coconut is results plantations that have
experienced enhancement export, from a number of literature export briquettes charcoal shell
coconut Keep going experience enhancement even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
because exported to Egypt, Europe, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and several other countries.
Coconut shell charcoal briquettes are one of the commodities that have the potential to be
marketed in the international market. This is indicated by the large demand for coconut shell
charcoal briquettes which is increasing every year, and the fulfillment of the demand quota is
still very low, namely one third of the total demand. The high volume of export demand for
coconut shells is a benchmark that the increase in export volume is important for the
development of exports of coconut shell charcoal briquettes from Indonesia to various
countries in the world. Among Indonesia's coconut shell export destinations are China, Brazil,
Germany, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Netherlands, Malaysia, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.
Research’s Authors : Karin Sonaya Maudina.et.al (2022)
Mataram University, Lombok, NTB, Indonesia

Palm Oil in Contributing to the Country's Foreign Exchange

Palm oil is a plantation crop that has a dual function, namely as a plant with high
economic value, a source of income, employment, non-oil and gas export income (the
export value of palm oil is greater than the export value of agricultural products outside
of palm oil), as one of the staple foods. , as well as a medium for preserving nature and
the environment, among others for the conservation of groundwater sources, prevention
of landslides, production of oxygen (O2), absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
and the demand for bio-diesel will increase significantly as the implementation of the
national energy policy .

In addition, oil palm plantations have a high ability to absorb CO2 (251.9 tons/ha/year).
This is very useful in reducing CO2 concentrations in the air due to increased
greenhouse gases which cause climate change on earth. In nature, the increase in
greenhouse gases is driven by increased CO2 emissions which trap solar energy in the
atmosphere, so that the temperature of the atmosphere increases. The industrial sector
plays the largest role in carbon dioxide emissions, while the contribution of the
agricultural sector is only small, even the development of oil palm plantations which is
widely opposed by NGOs in Europe and America because it is considered a cause of
deforestation and damage to the forest environment, on an ecophysiological aspect
turns out to be profitable because CO2 fixation ability, O2 production capability (183.2
tons/ha/year) and high biomass (C).
The biomass production of oil palm plantations is higher than that of tropical forests. Oil
palm waste including trees, fronds, empty fruit bunches and shells is a large enough
energy source that can be utilized for biofuels and reduces the use of fossil fuels,
thereby significantly reducing emissions.

Palm oil products can be used, among others, for:

Food products, produced from Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and Kernel Palm Oil (KPO), such
as emulsifiers, margarine, cooking oil, shortening, full cream milk, confectionery, yogurt
etc.
Non-food products, produced from CPO and KPO, such as: epoxy compounds, ester
compounds, waxes, cosmetics, lubricants, fatty alcohol, biodiesel etc.
By-products/waste, such as: empty fruit bunches for paper (pulp), green manure
(compost), carbon, rayon; seed shells for fuel and carbon; fiber for fiber board and fuel;
tree trunks and fronds for pulp paper furniture and fodder; Kernel waste and sludge for
livestock feed.
Palm oil and its derivative products are a source of foreign exchange for this country,
because efforts are needed to maintain and develop the sustainable development of
palm oil as a potential natural resource. The high demand for palm oil by the world
community has made Indonesia pledge its plan to develop the largest oil palm
plantations and is determined to become a producer of palm oil in the world. In the last
five years, palm oil in Indonesia has increased significantly (as shown in the table
below) this shows that the interest of the community/farmers or palm oil actors is
enthusiastic about developing oil palm plants. Until now, the total area of oil palm is 8.4
million hectares with CPO production of 19.8 million tons which are spread in almost all
provinces in Indonesia.

Source : Kementerian Pertanian Direktorat Jenderal Perkebunan » Peran Strategis Kelapa Sawit.