Abstract
Palm oil biomass, a by-product of one of the world's largest agricultural commodities, presents significant opportunities for industrial valorisation, yet its potential remains underutilized due to technological, regulatory, and market barriers. This study aims to systematically map industrial applications and technological innovations in palm oil biomass valorisation, analyze regulatory frameworks and certification schemes, assess market trends and economic potential, and evaluate sustainability metrics and the integration of the circular economy. A qualitative research design employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology was adopted, guided by the PRISMA framework to ensure transparency, rigor, and reproducibility. Literature was collected from the Scopus database, with inclusion criteria set for publications between 2019 and 2025, open access availability, and relevance to industrial applications, policy, market, and sustainability dimensions. Data extraction focused on technological efficiency, regulatory compliance, market size, economic feasibility, and environmental performance. Data analysis involved thematic synthesis and quantitative aggregation to identify key trends and gaps. The review of 30 peer-reviewed articles revealed that bioenergy and biofuel production dominate current industrial applications, while emerging bioplastics and biochemical pathways demonstrate significant scalability potential. Regulatory compliance with ISPO, MSPO, and RSPO frameworks enhances adoption and market access, and circular economy practices substantially improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Overall, palm oil biomass valorisation offers promising economic, industrial, and environmental benefits, contingent on integrated technological, regulatory, market, and sustainability strategies. Future research should focus on standardized performance metrics, cross regional policy harmonization, and longitudinal assessment of integrated biorefinery systems.
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