Oil palm biochar with high yield and higher heating value under low energy requirement is required for
improved waste management and utilization in the palm oil industry. This paper presents, a selfsustained
carbonization of oil palm empty fruit bunch biomass, without internal heating element,
which produced high biochar yield and higher heating value. Three different particle sizes of pressedshredded
oil palm empty fruit bunch biomass, i.e. below 29 mm, 30e99 mm and 100e150 mm, at 8
e10% moisture content were used. The carbonization temperature was monitored and used as an indicator
to stop the carbonization prior to harvesting. The maximum carbonization temperature recorded
was 600 C. In our previous report, harvested at 300 C under uncontrolled exhausted air flow rate and
found that the higher heating values obtained were 23.0e25.0 MJ/kg. However the biochar yield was
only 14e16 %. In order to increase the yield of biochar, the exhaust air flow rate has been fixed at 36 m3/
hr by using an air suction blower to ensure uniform circulation and distribution of hot air from top to
bottom before being discharged. The biochar was harvested when the temperature of the bed decreased
to 500 C. The particle size range from 100 to 150 mm produced the highest biochar yield of 26.0 ± 1.2%
with higher heating value of 23.0e23.5 MJ/kg within 5e8 h retention time. The gaseous emissions were
lower than permitted level set by the environmental authorities. The technology developed in this study
should be used to improve the management and utilization of oil palm biomass towards a more sustainable
palm oil industry.