Malaysia to promote new green fuel product in 2 years

Malaysia is planning to promote its new green fuel product to the world within two years, a Malaysian official said. The product, namely torrefied acacia wood pellets (TRAW), is expected to become an alternative green fuel in the world, Abdul Rahim Nik, deputy director general of Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), said. TRAW is a highly efficient biofuel derived from acacia trees. According to Abdul Rahim, FRIM had been able to turn acacia wood chips into TRAW by adopting some of the processes in the ceramic industry. The trees commonly seen in Malaysia were fast growing in terms of capability, making it a perfect source of green energy, said Abdul Rahim. The deputy director general also said that a local engineering and contracting company involved in the renewable energy sector would be in charge of the promotion and commercialization of TRAW. The company planned to set up a manufacturing plant to produce about 100,000 tons of TRAW a year. (June 2, 2010)