Oil firms ready for biofuel mix by May

Local oil companies expressed readiness yesterday to implement the blending of biodiesel in petroleum products by May as mandated by Republic Act 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2007.

"There is a quick way to do this," said Jimmy Diago, technical manager of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., during discussions on the law’s (implementing rules and regulations) at the Department of Energy (DOE). 

Diago gave the assurance to the DOE to signify the oil company’s ability to comply with the mandated blending of one percent coco-biodiesel in all diesel products by May 2007 when RA 9367 kicks in.

RA 9367 was signed into law by President Arroyo on Jan. 12, 2007 and mandated its implementation within three months. 

Petron Corp. and Chevron Philippines Inc. earlier said they would comply with the law.  The two giant oil firms have even set aside budget to meet the requirements of the biofuels law.

For its part, the Philippine Biodiesel Association (TPBA) has noted that pre-blending PNS-certified coco-biodiesel into diesel at one-percent blend (B1) is seen to be very simple as CME (coco methyl ester), of which it is made of, is proven to be a very stable fuel product, totally miscible with diesel and imbues the diesel itself with highly beneficial and pollutant-lowering qualities. 

TPBA further noted that diesel pollution has been shown to be seven to eight times more cancerous than all other air pollutants. 

Current coco-biodiesel users today either blend it themselves by directly pouring into their tanks as a fuel enhancer. Flying V, for instance, has been pre-blending B1 since almost a year ago and has reportedly sold more than 23 million liters.

The oil companies also pointed out that equipment for fully-automated blending of higher blends (B2 in two years and higher) can be prepared. These high-end automated machines can be in place within a year. 

Baguio Clean Cities Coalition coordinator and FEJODAP Baguio-Benguet-La Union president Perfecto Itliong has lauded the oil firms’ commitment to the law’s implementation.

"Especially for jeepney, tricycle and bus drivers who use public transport on "boundary" rotation with other drivers, it is a little complex to use just the right amount of blend because they take on their vehicles with fuel left over from previous drivers. Pre-blending will solve this instantly," Itliong said.

Baguio City, where the gigantic disparity between the pollution index of the central business district (CBD) and outlying areas is obvious, has proven the effectiveness of mandates when its CBD index plummeted down to very beneficial levels during the time when a city council-mandated biodiesel blend was in effect. 

The Baguio City Council had to suspend the mandates at periods when the local distributors ran out of supply due to higher demand than they foresaw, in which case the pollution indexes saw dramatic resurgence to dangerous levels.