Implementation of Biofuels Act pushed

The Philippine Biodiesel Association (TPBA) is pushing for the immediate implementation of Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels Act.

TPBA convenor Cris Michelena said there is no need to delay the law’s implementation as this will only spell "weakness" in the law.

The government is now finalizing the implementing rules and regulations of the new law.

Michelena said any delay would also signal impediments on the industry’s effort to help in the issue of "climate change".

He said, there is an urgent need to begin addressing this dangerous "extinction level" phenomenon as soon as possible through the Biofuels Act by implementing it within the next three months as mandated by the new law.

The TPBA official said the current local production of high quality coco-biodiesel is actually double the mandated requirement and will allow the industry to export to countries like Japan and Germany that have shown great interest in the product.

Having passed through the stringent and rigorous studies of various government agencies, local and international scientists and laboratories, the Biofuels Act mandates the blending of one-percent coconut methyl ester (CME) or coco-biodiesel in all diesel products sold in the Philippines by April 2007, and five-percent ethanol blend in all gasoline products by January 2009.

"With the biodiesel mandate kicking in by April 2007, the Philippines will be well on its way to being at the forefront of addressing the concerns raised on climate change. CME produces no carbon dioxide nor nitrous oxides, unlike fossil diesel and other biodiesels. Plus, the coconut trees themselves eat up huge amounts of carbon dioxide that may already be in the air, ushering in a significant net reduction of fuel gases that lead to the greenhouse effect and climate change," the TPBA official said.

The coconut-rich Bicol, East Visayas and Southern Tagalog regions were vastly devastated by a series of super typhoons in the second half of last year.

"The current good prices of copra and coconut oil occasioned by the demand from CME manufacturers is perhaps the only thing keeping the economy in those areas afloat," Michelena said.

"Without this new CME demand, those areas will be very hard put to survive," he added.

CME is totally mixable with diesel, being in fact a higher grade of natural diesel than fossil diesel and should present no difficulties at all. Flying V has, in fact, been blending it for some time and has sold more than 30 million liters with nothing but positive reactions from its customer, the TPBA official said.

CME has been shown to lower diesel emission levels dramatically by 30-60 percent even while increasing mileage significantly to produce real savings for motorists and consumers.