Valorizing Agricultural Residues for Biomass-to-Bioenergy in Malaysia: Insights into Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategic Pathways

Abstract

Malaysia generates a significant volume of biomass residues, notably from its oil palm and pineapple industries. However, the full potential remains untapped due to fragmented value chains, underdeveloped infrastructure, technological gaps, and policy misalignment. While numerous studies have discussed biomass availability and bioenergy technologies, few have critically integrated these elements with commercialization potential and circular economy frameworks specific to Malaysia’s context. Despite Malaysia's high biomass potential, a lack of communication and alignment between researchers and stakeholders has hindered the realization of the circular economy via the valorization of agricultural waste. It aims to contribute to the successful commercialization of Malaysian biomass-to-bioenergy initiatives by aligning technical insights with strategic priorities. This paper addresses this gap by systematically evaluating the types and status of biomass-to-bioenergy technologies based on technological readiness level (TRLs), assessing structural challenges through a SWOT analysis. The paper also proposes a commercialization roadmap from 2025 to 2040, to anchor biomass-to-bioenergy realization from the perspective of researchers. This paper offers strategic pathways to unlock biomass value through decentralized bioenergy systems, co-product valorization, and regional trade integration.