Stakeholders have urged the government anew for the implementation of the long-delayed increase in the country’s biodiesel blend after t a study from the University of the Philippines-Los Banos (UPLB) revealed its positive effects in reducing carbon footprint and greenhouse gas (GHG).
The UPLB carbon footprint and GHG reduction potential study was done with coco biodiesel from Chemrez Techonologies Inc. which operates the country’s first continuous coco biodiesel plant.
With the release of the study, the Philippine Biodiesel Association (TPBA) urged government to implement a phased yearly upshift starting with 3 percent (B3) blend from the current 2 percent (B2) blend until the eventual 5 percent (B5) to cushion sudden adverse market reaction.
TPBA added with the country’s annual consumption of diesel fuel at nearly 14 billion liters per year, B2 has reduced the country’s carbon emissions by 756 million kilos which resulted in cleaner air, improved mileage and lower fuel consumption for motorists.
“By raising the coco-biodiesel mandate to 5 percent or B5, we reduce carbon emissions by another 2.5 times, to 1,892 million kilos. This is a massive reduction in GHG emissions that will be realized for the Philippines,” TBPA said in a statement.
TBPA also said there is more than enough to meet the expected surge in demand as the country currently has a combined capacity of 877 million liters which is more than sufficient to serve the projected B5 volume total of 650 million liters per year.
The Biofuels Act of 2006 required a blending of 1 percent coco-biodiesel in local diesel products and raised this to B2 in 2007, unchanged to date.
Under the Philippine Energy Plan, biodiesel should contain at least 5 percent blend by 2020 but its implementation was pushed back due to logistics and transportation constraints posed by the pandemic.
Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said the Department of Energy is calling for a meeting of the National Biofuels Board to tackle the possibility of implementing B3 first before B5. (Malaya Business Insights)
