Palm Oil Cultivation

Palm oil is one of the vegetable oils that can be used to produce biodiesel, a renewable fuel with less environmental impact compared to traditional fossil fuels.

In 2007 Pure Biofuels planned to lease 60,000 hectares near the city of Pucallpa in central Peru for the cultivation of palm oil to provide feedstock for its Callao Port biodiesel production facility on the coast near Lima. The land, empty and degraded at the time, was made available to Pure Biofuels under an agreement with the government of Peru.

"The lease of this land provides Pure Biofuels with a unique, vertical self-supply capability that will help sustain our production capacity at levels unattainable by other producers in the region," said Luis Goyzueta of Pure Biofuels. "We're confident that the African Palms we intent to cultivate will find a healthy environment in the central Peruvian forests. It's a hearty plant that thrives in the tropical environment."

The process of turning palm oil into biodiesel involves several key steps:

1. Extraction: Palm oil is first extracted from the fruit of the palm tree. After the fruit is harvested, it's steamed to soften the flesh, then pressed to extract the oil.
2. Pre-treatment or Trans-esterification: The extracted palm oil typically undergoes a process called trans-esterification. This involves reacting the palm oil with an alcohol (usually methanol) in the presence of a catalyst (usually sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide). This reaction breaks down the palm oil into glycerol and methyl esters (the chemical term for biodiesel).
3. Separation: After the reaction, the mixture is allowed to settle. The biodiesel floats to the top and can be drawn off, while the heavier glycerol remains at the bottom and can be removed.
4. Purification: The biodiesel is then purified to remove any remaining catalyst, alcohol, or glycerol. This can be done through a process of washing and drying. The final product is a clean, ready-to-use biodiesel fuel.

The glycerol by-product of this process can also be used in other industries, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food.

Benefits of Palm Oil

1. Energy Rich: Palm oil has high energy content and is rich in calories, making it a good source of energy.
2. Nutrient Dense: It contains essential nutrients like Vitamin E and beta-carotene, which are potent antioxidants.
3. Saturated Fat Content: It has a balanced ratio of unsaturated and saturated fats, which can support overall health when consumed in moderation.
4. Stability at High Heat: Palm oil has a high smoke point, making it suitable for frying and high-temperature cooking without breaking down into harmful compounds.
5. Shelf Stable: It is resistant to oxidation, enhancing the shelf life of products it's used in, like processed foods.
6. Economically Important: Palm oil production is a key source of income for many farmers in developing countries.
7. High Yield: Palm oil trees produce more oil per land area than any other equivalent vegetable oil crop, which can contribute to meeting the increasing global demand for vegetable oil.