KUALA LUMPUR, 7 May 2024:
While several research outfits across the world have only recently developed technologies to break down plastic waste into commercial-grade diesel, Malaysian firm Mensilin Green Energy Sdn Bhd has gone many steps further – by securing a deal to export its diesel product to Thailand from its plant in Terengganu.
The local catalytic conversion process was developed by founder Mohamad Adan Yusof, 63, over a 20-year period and a patent for the machinery was registered on 30 Jan 2014 with then Malaysian Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks.
The conversion involves a fractional de-polymerization process first to break down plastics to crude oil, then further processed to produce diesel oil. The output is high grade low sulphur high cetane green technology diesel oil, better known as green diesel.
Mohamad Adan said the output fluid can be poured directly into vehicles and performs even better than diesel from station pumps, exceeding the Euro V standard. He said the output fluid is also capable of being further refined into aviation fuel with an additional catalytic process.
This firm has recently been accepted into Malaysia’s Cradle Investment Programme and during its initial growth, set up the factory in Terengganu under that state’s incubation programme.
But Mohamad Adan said growth has been slow because diesel price is subsidised locally to RM2.15 per litre while Mensilin’s green diesel production cost is about RM3.50 per litre. “That’s why we’re exporting to Thailand, where the diesel price is higher and our product cost is seen as commercially viable.”
Mensilin has just begun exporting on its initial contract of 30,000 litres and is confident that the performance review of this delivery will lead to more orders.
He said the potential for green diesel production is huge as Malaysia is among the top 10 countries globally in plastic waste collection. While much of this waste gets recycled, including those received from other jurisdictions, Mohamad Adan said the Mensilin process only handles end-of-life plastics.
“Our production of commercially viable green diesel from end-of-life plastic provides an alternative to landfill disposal, incineration and recycling.”
Because its resources are limited, Mensilin is seeking partners to ramp up production of green diesel. Mohamad Adan said the firm can provide these conversion machines with various output capacities. Further details available at www.mensilingroup.my.