Exploring the feasibility of utilizing dry leaf waste from the UNDIP-Semarang Region for bio-pellet production

Abstract

Abstract Biomass is often considered an environmentally friendly alternative energy source. The biomass type used in this study is dry leaves waste found in the UNDIP-Tembalang area. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the possibility of dry leaves waste being used as an environmentally friendly alternative source of energy in the form of bio pellets. This study tested the water content of four dry leaves ketapang (Terminalia catappa), teak (Tectona grandis), banana (Musa paradisiaca), and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus). This is because the raw material used must meet the most important requirement of water content prior to processing into bio-pellet. On average, existing dry leaf waste does not meet the requirements for raw materials, namely 18-21%. Consequently, efforts are being made to further dry naturally with sunlight and oven. Of the three drying time variations, the material that met the bio pellet criteria (<12%) were leaves that were dried for 15 minutes in the 100°C oven and had 9.18 %-10.29% moisture content. In addition, the moisture content of dried ketapang leaves drying under the sun for 24 hours was 11.45%.