relation: https://khub.utp.edu.my/scholars/18874/ title: Microwave processing of oil palm wastes for bioenergy production and circular economy: Recent advancements, challenges, and future prospects creator: Foong, S.Y. creator: Chan, Y.H. creator: Lock, S.S.M. creator: Chin, B.L.F. creator: Yiin, C.L. creator: Cheah, K.W. creator: Loy, A.C.M. creator: Yek, P.N.Y. creator: Chong, W.W.F. creator: Lam, S.S. description: The valorization and conversion of biomass into various value-added products and bioenergy play an important role in the realization of sustainable circular bioeconomy and net zero carbon emission goals. To that end, microwave technology has been perceived as a promising solution to process and manage oil palm waste due to its unique and efficient heating mechanism. This review presents an in-depth analysis focusing on microwave-assisted torrefaction, gasification, pyrolysis and advanced pyrolysis of various oil palm wastes. In particular, the products from these thermochemical conversion processes are energy-dense biochar (that could be used as solid fuel, adsorbents for contaminants removal and bio-fertilizer), phenolic-rich bio-oil, and H2-rich syngas. However, several challenges, including (1) the lack of detailed study on life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis, (2) limited insights on the specific foreknowledge of microwave interaction with the oil palm wastes for continuous operation, and (3) effects of tunable parameters and catalyst's behavior/influence on the products� selectivity and overall process's efficiency, remain to be addressed in the context of large-scale biomass valorization via microwave technology. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd date: 2023 type: Article type: PeerReviewed identifier: Foong, S.Y. and Chan, Y.H. and Lock, S.S.M. and Chin, B.L.F. and Yiin, C.L. and Cheah, K.W. and Loy, A.C.M. and Yek, P.N.Y. and Chong, W.W.F. and Lam, S.S. (2023) Microwave processing of oil palm wastes for bioenergy production and circular economy: Recent advancements, challenges, and future prospects. Bioresource Technology, 369. relation: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85144082890&doi=10.1016%2fj.biortech.2022.128478&partnerID=40&md5=500f47b5ad44b261f0921d384e75f46d relation: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128478 identifier: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128478