DOE to issue technical standards for 2% biodiesel product mix

In preparation for the mandated two-percent biodiesel blend in 2009, the Department of Energy (DOE) will soon issue the technical standards for the product mix.

This was revealed by Chemrez Technologies Inc. chief operating officer Dean Lao Jr. during a technical working group (TWG) meeting at the DOE yesterday.

Lao said the implementation of the B2 blend has been tentatively set on February next year.

“The meeting focuses on making sure that the specifications for the B2 blend will contain enough coco-methyl ester. It’s important because CME can be adulterated with palm-methyl ester,” Lao said.

He said there is a need to come up with broader standards to be able to avoid issues of adulteration.

Chemrez is presently the country’s biggest biodiesel producer.

The TWG, he said, will help the industry come up with “tighter specification so that there is minimal risk of adulteration with methyl ester other than that not made of coconut.”

The Chemrez official said since palm prices have been going down, there have been concerns that some might adulterate CME with PME.

“Interestingly, these other types of methyl esters could be cheaper than diesel, so the temptation is there. Nevertheless, we want to have standards to make sure that consumers are always safe. After all, methyl esters made from anything other than coconut is found as not as good,” Lao said. 

“The logic of the Biofuels Act is that it should be indigenous feedstock,” he said.

He said if there are CME that will be considered a “substandard,” this could hurt the entire biodiesel industry.

“What the industry is trying to avoid is the entry of cheap and nasty producers. What makes it perilous is that there could be customers who are much meticulous about standards; there could be CME that’s not compliant with Philippine National Standards.”

Recently, the DOE issued a circular implementing the standards for biodiesel and biofuels.

“Only coco-methyl ester conforming to Philippine National Standards/Energy Department QS 002:2007 shall be manufactured, sold, offered for sale, dispensed or introduced into commerce as biodiesel in the Philippines,” the circular said.

Oil firms shall be responsible in requiring its supplier to provide “quality certification” for every product delivery made prior to blending with base diesel.

The Biofuels Law aims to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuels. It mandates a two percent biodiesel blend and 10 percent ethanol blend for gasoline starting January next year.