Analysis of the Potential of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) as a Renewable Electrical Energy Source

POME can produce methane gas which can lead to greenhouse gases. However, POME also has the potential to be utilized as a source of renewable electrical energy. So, in this project, an analysis is conducted to find out how much potential electrical power can be generated from POME.

Site observation - site selection at one of the palm oil mills in Aceh Singkil, which has 5 liquid waste disposal ponds. Ponds 1 and 2 are anaerobic ponds, while ponds 3, 4, and 5 are aerobic ponds.

POME sampling - samples were taken directly from the POME processing site, with POME samples taken from 3 ponds after cooling, namely ponds 3, 4, and 5 with the amount of each sample being 1 liter. And laboratory analysis was conducted to measure chemical oxygen demand (COD). Pond 3 reached 814.4 mg/l, Pond 4 reached 553.7 mg/l, and Pond 5 was 156.2 mg/l. 

Final Result - from the COD results, calculations are carried out with equations to obtain methane content results, and methane levels will be converted into electricity. obtained the highest electricity capacity of 14 kWe in pond 3, then in pond 2 of 9.7 kWe and in pond 4 of 2.7 kWe.