Biomass sector to gain from PIB Palmares Consortium-AIM collaboration

KUALA LUMPUR: The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between PIB Palmares Consortium of Holland and Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) here, is expected to boost the biomass sector of both countries.

PIB Palmares Consortium comprises eight Dutch companies, namely, Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Ne d e rl an d , Bl a ckwo o d Technology, DMT Environmental Te c h n o l o g y, Energy Transformers, Royal Dahlman, Witteveen+Box, Paques and the Wageningen Research Centre.

AIM chief executive officer Datuk Mark Rozario said the tie-up is to explore the potential for investments in research and technology in the field of renewable energy and biomass from palm oil waste and residuals in Malaysia.

The consortium was launched in collaboration with the Dutch Government in December 2016.

“The Dutch companies aim to build new partnerships with their Malaysian counterparts in the field of oil palm biomass, with a mission to develop sustainable solutions for Malaysian palm oil residue,” Rozario added.

He was speaking after the MoU signing ceremony.

It was witnessed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and the Netherlands Ambassador to Malaysia, Karin Mössenlechner.

Rozario said the Malaysian government acknowledged the importance of the biomass industry as a key sector for future waste to wealth creation for the country.

“We believe the MoU will help develop strategies to mobilise the local biomass resources for highvalue and diverse downstream industries, leveraging on its strategic geographic location and established infrastructure.

“To enable this, the robust sector relies heavily on the ecosystem of support, not just from the government, but the entire value chain, which involves local and global players,” he added.

In the same event, AIM also collaborated with PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd to launch the first National Intellectual Property (IP) Valuation Awareness Programme.

Rozario said the programme, from April 25 to 28, aims to address gaps in the understanding of how an IP is valued as per global practices, and also how this knowledge could be used in commercial negotiations. — Bernama