DOE to enforce ethanol-blend in gas products in February

CEBU, Philippines - On February 9, the Department of Energy will make sure that 10-percent ethanol will be blended by volume in all gasoline fuels in compliance with RA 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006 which mandates that oil companies must source all their requirements from local ethanol producers.

Since local production is less than the requirement, this provision has not been implemented.

Director of the Renewable Energy Management Bureau of the Department of Energy (DOE) Mario Marasigan, who made the announcement during the recent International Conference on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Cebu, said the increase to 10 percent ethanol-blend for all gasoline products should have been done last year.

Under the law, five percent ethanol would be blended with gasoline within two years after the law has been passed and will be increased to 10 percent four years after its effectivity, as recommended by the National Biofuels Board.

Ethanol is a high-octane, water-free alcohol produced from sugarcane and other crops such as corn, cassava, and sweet sorghum and is used as a blending component at five to 10 percent concentrations in gasoline.

Unlike fossil fuels, ethanol is virtually inexhaustible since agricultural products can be grown and harvested continually under a sustainable system. They are environment-friendly and considered clean energy as they are carbon-dioxide neutral which means they do not add to the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Marasigan said that using ethanol-blend in gas products as required by law is a significant step to develop and utilize indigenous and sustainable source of clean energy to greatly reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel.

He explained that the DOE is conducting an aggressive campaign for alternative fuels and renewable energy sources to achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2030.

The law also mandates that by 2011, all ethanol that would be blended with gasoline should be locally sourced. — (FREEMAN)