This achievement marks a major milestone in the industrial-scale processing of low-value oil palm residues into high-quality advanced solid biofuels suitable for direct coal replacement, opening a new pathway for converting abundant agricultural residues into commercially viable renewable fuels. Empty fruit bunches are a residual biomass stream with significant energy potential. Their conversion into advanced solid biofuels creates value from a resource that would otherwise be underutilized or used in lower-value applications.

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​The Steam-Ex line features ANDRITZ pretreatment equipment utilizing steam explosion technology. ANDRITZ also supplied automation and provided integration and start-up services to support reliable and efficient operation. The technology is designed to process challenging biomass feedstocks and support the production of high-quality pellets for industrial energy applications. Paul Wong, Executive Director at Rainbow Pellet, said: "This first-of-its-kind Steam-Ex pellet line represents a decisive step for our company and for the commercial-scale utilization of empty fruit bunches. ANDRITZ's support was essential in bringing this innovative concept into operation and laying the foundation for future expansion of this technology."